Tuition and fees
You're supposed to do this, but you'll receive your benefits in either way. I did not fill out my FAFSA this year - they still pay my tuition and GI Bill.
The financial aid you receive after filling out a FAFSA will go straight to your school first to cover your tuition, fees, and room and board if applicable. If there is an overage, then your school will either send you a check or they will direct deposit the money into your bank account.
Most college tuition assistants or admissions counselors can provide you with tuition assistance information and programs. Most all tuition assistance begins with filling out the FAFSA for the year.
Fill out the FAFSA to get any grants or student loans. You will not find any federal grants unless you complete your FAFSA. www.fafsa.ed.gov will have all the necessary information.
Tuition and fees
A student can apply for financial aid through the federal government by filling out a FAFSA application. The FAFSA will determine the amount of Federal Student Loans (Stafford Loans) and Federal Grants that the student is eligible for. Sometimes this will cover the entire cost of tuition depending on financial need and the cost of the school.
1. Scholarships 2. Federal Pell Grants (if you qualify after filling out the FAFSA) 3. Loans
A federal student loan is most likely only going to be used on your tuition expenses. This is due to the fact that some federal student loans, like the Stafford or Perkins student loan might only help you pay some of your tuition, in other words it wont cover the full cost of your tuition. In this case it obviously cant help you pay for outside expenses because it does not even cover the cost of your tuition. Private student loans can be much more flexible. A private student loan can be made to cover the entire cost of your tuition as well as cover outside expenses.
The financial assistance you receive after filling out a FAFSA will go to your school first to cover your tuition and fees first. This money should arrive by the due date, but if you are at all worried about it not getting there in time, you should contact the financial aid office at your school. Be sure to pay any charges your financial aid will not cover by the due date. If there is an overage, your school will send you a check. Each school is different, so you will need to find out when that is from your school.
In the US, after your tuition for the semester is taken out of your student loan, you will receive a check for the remaining balance.
The best time to complete your FAFSA is when you realize you are going to college. The sooner you complete the application, the sooner you will know if you will have the money to go to school. You can use the money from your FAFSA for tuition, books and sometimes other fees that you are responsible for a school.