A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA for short) is a necessity for many students but can sometimes be a confusing and even scary situation for them. The FAFSA is the application that determines which type and how much federal financial aid a student may be eligible for. Students attending classes in a summer term may find it even more confusing when trying to determine which FAFSA year to complete. Each year on June 30, the previous academic year’s FAFSA expires and the next academic year’s FAFSA starts on July 1. Doing a quick search on the internet doesn’t help because most of the answers are “If you plan to take summer classes, you should contact your college’s financial aid office to determine which application they accept for summer sessions.”
The great news for students, particularly those who are Pell grant-eligible, is that higher education institutions are allowed to use the FAFSA that will best meets the needs of their students. There are several factors that go into determining which FAFSA is used to determine a student’s financial aid. Let’s look at a few:
Header versus Trailer
Financial Aid professionals use the terms “Header” and “Trailer” to describe what FAFSA aid year is attached to the summer term. A “Header” is a summer term that is attached to the next academic year’s FAFSA. A “Trailer” is a summer term that is attached to the previous academic year’s FAFSA. For example, a “Header” summer term in 2020 would be attached to the 2020-2021 FAFSA and a “Trailer” summer term would be attached to the 2019-2020 FAFSA. UW–Madison is a “Trailer” school. This means that financial aid at UW–Madison for the summer term is awarded in the 2019-2020 FAFSA award year. In most cases, any student who wants to receive financial aid at UW–Madison should be complete the 2019-2020 FAFSA.
Federal Pell Grant Eligibility
Financial Aid professionals also look at the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), in addition to other factors, for Pell grant eligible students to determine which FAFSA will be best for students to complete. Pell grant-eligible students may be eligible in both FAFSA aid years but may be eligible for different amounts. Financial Aid professionals are free to assign whichever FAFSA best meets the needs of students and maximizes a student’s eligibility over the two financial aid years.
These are just a few factors that go into determining which FAFSA a student should complete. There are some common themes for each university but each students’ situation may be different depending on their individual circumstances. Students should always contact the Office of Student Financial to determine which FAFSA would be suit their unique situation.
A Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA for short) is a necessity for many students but can sometimes be a confusing and even scary situation for them. The FAFSA is the application that determines which type and how much federal financial aid a student may be eligible for. Students attending classes in a summer term may find it even more confusing when trying to determine which FAFSA year to complete. Each year on June 30, the previous academic year’s FAFSA expires and the next academic year’s FAFSA starts on July 1. Doing a quick search on the internet doesn’t help because most of the answers are “If you plan to take summer classes, you should contact your college’s financial aid office to determine which application they accept for summer sessions.”
The great news for students, particularly those who are Pell grant-eligible, is that higher education institutions are allowed to use the FAFSA that will best meets the needs of their students. There are several factors that go into determining which FAFSA is used to determine a student’s financial aid. Let’s look at a few: