FAFSA workshop Wednesday evening at TCTC

DEXTER — Help is available for Maine students and families seeking financial aid for higher education, announced State Sen. Paul Davis (R-Sangerville).

If your child is planning to attend college, trade or technical school in the fall, January is when families should get serious about financial aid applications. Funds are limited, so it is important for families to understand the process to make sure their student receives the maximum amount of financial aid available.

“Attending a FAFSA Help Session can give students a great advantage in applying for and receiving financial aid. I would encourage folks to attend the upcoming workshop at Tri-County Tech,” said Davis. The 2016-17 FAFSA can now be completed anytime.

To help students and parents navigate the financial aid process, the Finance Authority of Maine (FAME) will hold numerous In-Person FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Help Sessions around the state. A workshop will be held Wednesday, Jan. 13 at the Tri-County Tech Center. The workshop begins at 6 p.m. Registration can be done at http://www.famemaine.com/education/topics/filing-the-fafsa/in-person-help-sessions/.

Available as resources at the In-Person FAFSA Help sessions will be FAME staff, financial aid professionals from Maine colleges and universities, college access professionals, and other volunteers, working together to help college-bound students and their families complete the FAFSA at no charge.

The FAFSA is the federal application that all schools use to determine student eligibility for federal financial aid. Many states and schools also use the FAFSA to distribute their own need-based financial aid.

If families can’t attend an in-person help session, they can visit FAMEmaine.com/FAFSA for online support. There, they can download an information checklist and watch a video that offers tips on how to fill out the FAFSA form. Families can also call 1-800-228-3734 with questions.