2024-2025 FAFSA Update
Update 6-10-24: The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) has made important changes to the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to make it faster and easier for you to file your FAFSA.
These changes have caused delays in packaging financial aid offers, but we’re catching up! If you haven’t already done so, submit your 2024-2025 FAFSA as soon as possible. Columbus State’s FAFSA school code: 006867.
When should I expect to receive my financial aid package from Columbus State?
We expect to notify students of their financial aid offers starting in June. After a substantial delay, we’re now receiving the FAFSA student records we need from the federal government to process and package our students’ aid. Now, we can test our system and make required updates to ensure our financial aid packages are accurate. Testing is nearly complete, and we expect to begin packaging and notifying students about their financial aid offers in June. This is later than normal, but still in plenty of time for Autumn Semester registration.
Should I register for Autumn Semester if I’m still waiting for my financial aid?
Yes! Even if your financial aid for Autumn hasn’t been confirmed, you should still register now.
- There is no risk to registering now because you can make changes later. There is a risk to registering late: You may not get the classes you want.
- You can register now and pay later. Key dates to keep in mind when paying tuition
and fees are:
- Aug. 21 – the deadline for paying tuition and fees for Autumn Semester. Pay by this date to avoid being dropped from your classes for nonpayment before registration closes. If you can't pay by this date, you can enter into a payment plan with the college.
- Sept. 5 – the last day to drop your classes for a full refund.
What if tuition is due before I receive my financial aid?
When paying tuition, remember you have options. You can arrange with the college to pay tuition and fees in full, in part, over time after the deadline, or to defer payment (for a fee) later in the term. Know your payment options:
I haven’t filed my 2024-2025 FAFSA yet. Is it too late?
No, it’s not too late to file your 2024-2025 FAFSA. July 15 is the preferred date by which you should file your FAFSA at Columbus State to ensure we have time to process and package your aid offer. You can still submit your application after July 15. There’s just no guarantee you’ll receive your financial aid offer for Autumn 2024 before the start of classes.
How can I get help?
We’re committed to helping you navigate the FAFSA so you can get the financial aid you’re eligible for and develop a plan to graduate debt-free. There are also lots of helpful video resources on FinancialAidTV. You can contact us at finaid@cscc.edu or 614-287-5353, visit Student Central, or chat live with a specialist online at cscc.edu/financialaid.