College financial aid available to Washington students

It's messy and difficult but there's money to be had and help available

The only way for students to qualify for financial aid for college or career training is to complete the FAFSA, or in limited cases the WASFA.

Despite challenges with the new FAFSA form, students are advised to complete an application now because:

• The form is shorter and easier: Applying is the only way for students to know how much money they can get.
• More money is available: More people are eligible to receive federal Pell Grants, and the average grant is expected to be larger.
• Washington aid is generous and flexible: The Washington College Grant (WA Grant) gives eligible people more money for more types of education like certificate programs, job training, apprenticeships, or college—and the FAFSA is the first step for that, too.

Advise students in your networks not to give up. Colleges know some people are running into issues with the FAFSA and many are being flexible.

There is help available to get the application done. 

Students and families in Washington can consult organizations like Futures Northwest and WSAC for information on the benefits of applying for financial aid, known challenges with the FAFSA/WASFA process, and links to resources that can help, such as local and virtual financial aid events and the OtterBot texting service. This Washington Student Achievement Council resource page is also available in Spanish.

It’s worth it to apply for financial aid, and there is still time!

Access FAFSA resources