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Financial Aid for College:

High School Toolkit

Extensive research shows that high schools can make a significant difference in helping college hopefuls who are low-income, immigrants, and first-generation college students complete the FAFSA and other state financial aid applications.

This year, the first major changes to the FAFSA in decades are being rolled out. In this toolkit, you’ll find six evidence-based best practices your school can use to support all eligible seniors and their families to complete their 2024-2025 FAFSA, NYS Application for TAP, NYS DREAM Act, and Excelsior Scholarship applications.

Let’s make sure no senior in New York misses out on a single dollar of the financial aid for which they qualify!

The Toolkit

The Toolkit

This toolkit will support your efforts to help your students and their families complete their FAFSA, TAP, and NYS DREAM ACT applications. It includes six of evidence-based steps listed below that your school can take to support students and families with financial aid forms. Each evidence-based practice is accompanied by a detailed how-to guide. Keep scrolling to see each step or download the complete toolkit below.

The toolkit also contains helpful information about the new changes to the FAFSA application and answers to other frequently asked questions about financial aid forms and eligibility.

Download the Toolkit

FAQs

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

The Financial Aid for College: High School Toolkit provides detailed FAQs and resources for school staff and students covering, but not limited to:

  • The general timeline and deadlines for FAFSA completion and other state aid forms
  • Changes to the 2024-25 FAFSA
  • Information a student needs to complete the FAFSA
  • How to support students with personal and unusual circumstances
  • Information about the New York State DREAM Act
  • Information about the New York State Tuition Assistance Program (TAP)
Download the FAQs

Overview

NEW YORK STATE AND FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID FOR COLLEGE OVERVIEW

Financial aid for college education can come from the federal government, state government, or individual college institutions. Students should complete all of the federal and/or state financial aid applications for which they are eligible. Federal and state financial aid applications help the schools they are considering determine school-based aid.

Below is an outline of the major types of federal and state financial aid applications for which New York seniors are eligible.

  • FAFSA – The FAFSA determines the amount of federal student financial aid (grants, loans, and other student aid) that seniors qualify for to pay for college. The FAFSA application asks questions about the student’s and the parent’s income, assets, and household to help determine the amount of aid.
  • NYS DREAM Act – The NYS DREAM Act determines eligibility to apply for New York State financial aid to pay for college or other post-secondary education. It will open the door to multiple state financial assistance programs, including the NYS Application for TAP grant and Excelsior Scholarships.
  • NYS Application for TAP – The NYS Application for TAP determines New York State residents’ or NYS DREAM Act-eligible students’ eligibility for New York State financial aid for college most importantly, it is the state’s major grant program.
  • Excelsior Scholarship – The Excelsior Scholarship provides additional tuition assistance for students to attend SUNY and CUNY colleges.

Process

PROCESS FOR COMPLETING FORMS

Check out this simplified infographic that details a student’s journey completing financial aid forms, including whether or not a student qualifies for the DREAM Act, whether or not the student is a citizen of the U.S., U.S. national, or eligible non-citizen.

View the Process

Step 1

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 1: HOLD A FINANCIAL AID FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION NIGHT

Hold a schoolwide financial aid for college completion night in partnership with a community-based organization (CBO) that has trusted relationships with students and their families. It may be particularly helpful to partner with a CBO that has expertise supporting students who are undocumented with college access. School staff who have been trained on the new FAFSA should be available to support students and families as they complete their financial aid forms and respond to verification requests. Schools should determine which students do not participate in an event and follow up with them individually.

Download the How-to-Guide

Step 2

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 2: HOLD REGULAR FINANCIAL AID FOR COLLEGE COMPLETION OFFICE HOURS

Hold regular office hours at least once per month for students and families to receive support from school counselors or community experts to complete their FAFSA, NYS Application for TAP, and NYS DREAM Act forms and respond to verification requests. Publicize these office hours, and include personalized messages to each high school senior.

Download the How-to-Guide

Step 3

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 3: DEDICATE CLASS TIME TO FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION COMPLETION

Set aside 1 hour of class time each week for students to work on their applications and respond to verification requests. Ensure there is private space for students who are undocumented to get support without having to publicly share their immigration status. Consider using homeroom or mandatory study hall periods to regularly dedicate time to student financial aid completion.
Download the How-to-Guide

Step 4

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 4: SEND REGULAR UPDATES TO FAMILIES

Send regular updates to families using your normal family communication strategies — texts, robocalls, newsletters, emails, etc. — with reminders about the importance of completing financial aid forms. You should also include information about any upcoming opportunities for students and families to access support to complete their financial aid forms and respond to verification requests.
Download monthly letters and email templates in English and Spanish

Step 5

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 5: POST REGULARLY ON YOUR SCHOOL’S SOCIAL MEDIA

Post regularly on your school’s social media accounts about the FAFSA, NYS Application for TAP, and NYS DREAM Act forms as well as information about upcoming opportunities to get support to complete those materials and respond to verification requests.
Download Social Media posts in English and Spanish

Step 6

EVIDENCE-BASED BEST PRACTICE 6: USE DATA TO TRACK YOUR SCHOOL’S PROGRESS TOWARD FULL FAFSA COMPLETION

Regularly check on your school’s progress toward full FAFSA completion. Join the NYS FAFSA Completion Initiative data access program organized by the state’s Higher Education Services Corporation (HESC) to get student-level completion data. You should also check the www.NYFAFSAChallenge.org website. The information from both of these sites should be used to track how well your school’s efforts are working and target resources to individual students and families who need support.

Download the How-to-Guide