Feb 1, 2014 2 min read

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, in partnership with the Pennsylvania Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, is offering free FAFSA completion sessions throughout the commonwealth through April.

The sessions are designed to educate families about the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, with access to individual guidance from PHEAA’s Higher Education Access Partners and college financial aid administrators.

FAFSA is the federal form that all families must submit to determine eligibility for almost all forms of need-based financial assistance, including the Pennsylvania State Grant, the Federal Pell Grant, work-study programs, the Pennsylvania Targeted Industry Program, many scholarships, some school-based aid federal student loans. Students should check with each school they are considering attending to determine the deadline date that FAFSA should be filed for that school.

A schedule of FAFSA completion sessions is available at PHEAA.org under College Planning – FAFSA.

To further assist families, PHEAA recently launched MySmartBorrowing. The free online resource explains the many decisions that are necessary for a higher education success plan while avoiding the pitfalls of unnecessary student loan debt. MySmartBorrowing provides easy-to-use estimators that assist users in determining their possible higher education costs at different schools, future salary expectations for a particular career, availability of related employment opportunities and their potential ability to repay student loans comfortably while affording an independent lifestyle after graduation.

MySmartBorrowing is available through EducationPlanner.org or directly at MySmartBorrowing.org.

For information on the higher education financial aid process, schedules for upcoming FAFSA completion sessions, reminders of financial aid deadlines and information pertaining to planning for higher education, students can join PHEAA on Facebook at Facebook.com/pheaa.aid.