Every year, the federal government and the State of Texas allocate hundreds of millions of dollars in grants and loans for college students.

Students who plan to attend a college or university during the 2023–2024 academic year can request funds to pay for higher education costs by submitting two forms: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA).

The 2023–24 FAFSA and TASFA form opened on October 1st.

January 15th is the priority deadline for both federal (FAFSA) and state (TASFA) financial aid. Applicants may be eligible to receive more funds if they apply before the deadline. Missing the cut-off date on TASFA might result with little to no student aid.

Which one should I fill out?

All American citizens and permanent residents can request federal funds to help with college expenses by submitting the FAFSA. The application is available on FAFSA’s website at https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa (in English and in Spanish).

Parents and students can also access the application through the “myStudentAid” mobile app. This software is available for Apple and Android phones.

Texas residents who are not U.S. Citizens, legal permanent residents, or eligible noncitizens can still receive student aid from the state. The students who do not qualify for FAFSA are encouraged to complete the TASFA.

“It is recommended that applicants complete and submit this application and any other required documentation to the financial aid office on or before January 15,” states the Texas Financial Aid and Scholarships website.

Students can fill out the TASFA for the 2023-2024 school year at the College for All Texans website.

For assistance to complete a FAFSA/TASFA, please visit your high school counselor or College Career Advisor. Click here to email an advisor today – https://www.dallasisd.org/collegeaccessprogram .