Columbus, Ohio – The Ohio Department of Higher Education (ODHE) and the Ohio Department of Education and Workforce (DEW) are stepping up their demands for Ohio students to finish the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), in a continuing effort to improve college affordability for them. DEW Director Stephen D. Dackin and ODHE Chancellor Mike Duffey are leading the charge and they stress the critical advantages of prompt FAFSA application.
Ohio remains behind its past year’s performance by six percent even though, with an FAFSA completion rate of 52% as of mid-June 2024, it now above the national average. Early challenges for this year’s completion attempts came from federal delays in form distribution, an issue that was mostly reported near the end of 2023. Despite these challenges, state officials are keen on making up lost ground. Chancellor Duffey underlined the need of seizing this financial possibility.
“We want to be sure that Ohio students are not leaving money on the table that could help them achieve their educational and career dreams,” ODHE Chancellor Duffey said. “While we are proud that Ohio is ahead of the national average, we continue to encourage more students to complete the FAFSA, and we urge local leaders to join us in our efforts to get the word out. The form is free, but it could save Ohio students and their families thousands of dollars.”
“We want all students to be on a pathway to future success and that includes helping them discover what they want to do and how they intend to pay for it,” DEW Director Dackin said. “Completing the FAFSA is an important step all students should take to learn about the financial aid opportunities available for college and postsecondary training.”
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Eligible students who complete the FAFSA can receive up to $7,395 per year in federal Pell grants, up to $5,000 in Ohio College Opportunity Grants, and potentially more from other college-specific or foundation grants. These funds can greatly reduce the financial strain of training courses and higher education.
ODHE and DEW have developed a number of initiatives to increase FAFSA completion rates. These include co-authoring op-eds, updating materials on ItsForYou.org, a dedicated website for FAFSA information, and delivering FAFSA completion posters to public high schools and letters to school superintenders. Additionally, a $500,000 grant from the Education Credit Management Corp. was secured to support Ohio’s state-administered FAFSA completion initiatives over the summer.
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By providing financial aid, this all-encompassing approach shows Ohio’s dedication to not just preserving but also enhancing access to higher education, thereby allowing more students to follow their academic and career goals free from the intimidating threat of debt.
