February marks Financial Aid Awareness Month at Northern Illinois University, with free public events planned throughout the month designed to help students who plan to attend college receive financial aid for the 2012-2013 school year.
The highlight of the month is the “FAFSA Fun Fest,” hosted by the NIU Office of Student Financial Aid in partnership with the Scholarship Office and the Office of Student Academic Success. The purpose is to generate awareness for NIU’s Friday Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) completion events.
The fun fest begins at 10 a.m. Thursday, Feb. 16, and concludes at 2 p.m. On- and off-campus partners have donated prizes for a student raffle, food items will be offered, tours of the Student Financial Aid and Scholarship offices will be ongoing and Victor E. Huskie will show up for part of the day to cheer on students.
“FAFSA Fridays” are scheduled each Friday from 9 to 11 a.m. Feb. 17 through May 4 at the Office of Student Financial Aid, Swen Parson Hall 245. The office is also participating in several other community FAFSA completion events at DeKalb High School and Kishwaukee Community College.
The free events are open to current and prospective students and are designed to help students and parents complete the FAFSA. All participants should bring 2011 W-2 forms and/or federal income taxes for student and parent, along with PINs and passwords for the FAFSA website, www.fafsa.gov. Jane Jordan, associate director of the NIU Office of Student Financial Aid, suggests estimating tax information if 2011 tax returns have not been completed.
“Don’t let that stop you from filing your FAFSA early,” she says. “We don’t know when the MAP grant suspension date will be for the upcoming year, so we encourage all NIU students to file their 2012-2013 FAFSA as soon as possible.”
Last year, 8,101 NIU undergraduate students received need-based financial aid in the form of state, federal and institutional grants. Some programs designed to assist the neediest students such as the state of Illinois’ Monetary Award Program (MAP) have limited funding and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis to qualifying applicants.
The NIU priority filing date for the 2012-2013 FAFSA is Thursday, March 1, but Student Financial Aid will continue to accept applications and process financial aid for students after this date. The priority filing date encourages students to apply early to ensure the best possible financial aid award package.
Advisers are always available throughout the week to assist students with the online FAFSA submission. For more information, visit the NIU Student Financial Aid website or chat online at www.niu.edu/fa, call 815-753-1395 or email finaid@niu.edu.
Northern Illinois University’s February Financial Aid Awareness Month Events
DATE TIME EVENT LOCATION
Feb. 15 6-8 p.m. FAFSA Completion DeKalb High School, DeKalb, Ill.
Feb. 16 10 a.m.-2 p.m. FAFSA Fun Fest Swen Parson 245, NIU, DeKalb, Ill.
Feb. 17 9-11 a.m. FAFSA Friday Swen Parson 245, NIU, DeKalb, Ill.
Feb. 21 7-9 p.m. FAFSA Completion Kishwaukee Community College, Malta, Ill.
Feb. 23 7-9 p.m. FAFSA Completion Kishwaukee Community College, Malta, Ill.
Feb. 24 9-11 a.m. FAFSA Friday Swen Parson 245, NIU, DeKalb, Ill.
Feb. 29 7-9 p.m. FAFSA Completion Kishwaukee Community College, Malta, Ill.
