While there are signs of improvement, the current economic climate remains challenging for many families, thus making it very important to leverage the financial assistance available to help cover the cost of a college education. To be considered for the best financial aid package possible, it’s very important to apply on time. With the start of a new year, it is the perfect time to start the application process for the upcoming 2011-2012 academic year.

For freshmen entering Georgia Tech Fall 2011, the application deadline is March 1. The deadline for returning students, transfer students, and new graduate students is May 1. Two forms are required.
1. The GT APP is available online at www.finaid.gatech.edu/forms and can be completed in a matter of minutes.
2. The second form is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and can be downloaded at www.fafsa.ed.gov. To ensure that it is processed and received in our office by the deadline, we recommend completing the online FAFSA (www.fafsa.ed.gov) 2-3 weeks before the deadline.

Ideally, the FAFSA should be filled out using information from a completed 2010 federal tax return. However, it’s better to use solid estimates than to miss the deadline. Completing the FAFSA and the GT APP on time ensures that your student will be considered for all available aid administered by our office. For students who only apply for the HOPE scholarship, just the GT APP is required each year. The HOPE application itself is completed only once at www.gacollege411.org.

Now is also a good time to search for independent scholarships. Current and prospective Georgia Tech students are often excellent candidates for private scholarships. Our office posts scholarship notices on our website. In addition, click here for helpful advice on planning a scholarship. It’s well worth an investment of a few hours to research the options.

For any questions about the financial aid application process, contact your financial aid advisor, listed at www.finaid.gatech.edu/contacts.