As of October 1st, students can begin applying for financial aid to go to college in the 2018-19 school year. To help people with financial aid applications, the Washington Student Achievement Council is organizing College Goal Washington events across the state.

Beginning in October and November, over 120 College Goal Washington events will take place throughout the state. Anyone who wants to pursue education after high school can attend these events. Find a list of College Goal Washington event dates and locations on ReadySetGrad.org at http://readysetgrad.org/educators/grad/cgw-students-families

In Washington, there are two different ways to apply for financial aid. U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens apply for federal and state financial aid with the FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. People who can’t file the FAFSA due to immigration status can still apply for state financial with the WASFA, the Washington Application for State Financial Aid.

All prospective students should apply as early as possible, as some types of aid are first-come, first-served. Colleges have different financial aid deadlines, so students should meet the deadlines for the colleges they want to attend.

Applying for financial aid is an important step to continuing education after high school, and students who file the application are far more likely to attend college.

“We never want lack of money to be a barrier to someone pursuing the education or career they want,” says Gov. Jay Inslee. “We want every aspiring high school student to get the information and advice they need about student financial aid. Events like College Goal Washington help students and families realize a path to continuing education after high school.”

College Goal Washington is part of the 12th Year Campaign, a Washington Student Achievement Council (WSAC) initiative to increase educational attainment. This work is made possible through state funding and support from the Washington State Employees Credit Union (WSECU) as well as site volunteer support from the Washington Financial Aid Association (WFAA).

     – Washington Student Achievement Council