Great Lakes Wire

Students seeking priority consideration for financial aid will now have more time to finish their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Gov. Gretchen Whitmer said in a recent press release.

Students who want to receive aid for their college expenses need to complete a FAFSA form in order to be eligible for grants and scholarships.  

"We must work together to help Michiganders pursue their potential by lowering the cost of higher education so they can get the skills they need to land good-paying jobs," Whitmer said in the release. "The FAFSA opens the door to countless scholarships and other forms of financial assistance, and I'm pleased we're able to extend the deadline so more students can take advantage of this program and lower the cost of higher education. I encourage every student to complete this application to ensure they receive every penny possible to help pay for a college education and set themselves up for long-term success. Please don't wait to submit your application; you could be missing out on valuable financial assistance."

The Michigan Competitive Scholarship and Michigan Tuition Grant will now give top consideration to FAFSA applications received by May 1, as opposed to the original deadline of March 1; the release said.

"Completing the FAFSA should be on top of everyone's list when applying for college financial aid," State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks said in the release. "We are hopeful this deadline extension will help families who have been faced with challenges. Please do not delay and complete this free application today."

Students interested in filing a FAFSA form online need to receive a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) and complete the form at fafsa.gov.

"This ID serves as a legal signature and confirms an applicant's identity when accessing financial aid information through certain U.S. Department of Education websites," the release said. "On average, it takes about seven minutes to create a FAFSA ID."