Hoosiers who haven’t yet filed the most important form for receiving student financial aid have just a few days left to file before Indiana’s new deadline of May 15.

The Indiana Commission for Higher Education extended the filing deadline for the 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid beyond the state’s original April 15 deadline to help as many students as possible complete it. Students who have not yet filed should submit the form at fafsa.gov as soon as possible.

While the state’s overall FAFSA filing numbers are down slightly from this time last year, students in the Class of 2021 and low-income students in that class are farther behind. The rate of FAFSA filings for the Class of 2021 is down 5.6% compared to this point last year.

Filing the FAFSA is one of the most important steps in the college-going process and can help students and families better afford college and other higher education opportunities. Both first-time and returning students must have a current FAFSA on file to qualify for state and federal financial aid, and many merit-based scholarships also require a completed FAFSA.

Students who file before May 15 can be eligible for the state’s financial aid programs, including the 21st Century Scholarship and the Frank O’Bannon Grant. There is no FAFSA deadline for Hoosiers applying for the Next Level Jobs Workforce Ready Grant.

File the FAFSA at fafsa.gov. For information or to create a Federal Student Aid ID, visit learnmoreindiana.org. Students and families can always get FAFSA help by calling INvestEd at 317-715-9007.