The deadline for students to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is Tuesday, March 2.
By submitting the form, it allows the opportunity for students to receive financial aid from the federal government to aid in paying for college.
Each year, more than 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education, according to the College Board. This comes out to about $9,231 for each student.
Audio by Torstein Rehn
According to the U.S. Department of Education, 31% of students at Cal Poly receive federal financial aid from the university.
To be eligible for FAFSA, you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen, have a valid social security number, be enrolled or accepted in an eligible degree or certificate program, be enrolled at least half-time, maintain satisfactory academic progress in college and demonstrate financial need.
FAFSA determines a student’s eligibility for financial need by finding the difference between the cost of attendance at a school and your Expected Family Contribution.