IMPORTANT INFORMATION/RESOURCES FOR PARENTS AND SENIOR STUDENTS PLANNING TO ATTEND A 2- OR 4-YEAR COLLEGE/TECHNICAL SCHOOL:
PHEAA Update
Last month, PHEAA instituted multi-factor authentication (MFA) requirements across all web portal applications (PageCenterX, etc.). To access these applications, users now need to first log in with their PHEAA credentials and then complete second-factor authentication. Information on setting up and logging in with MFA is available in the Web Login and Authentication User Guide.
The Department of Education announced that schools, state agencies, and scholarship
organizations will not receive FAFSA data until the first half of March. They indicated this
delay is because they must update the tables used for calculation of the student aid index, to
account for inflation. This delay means some students may receive their financial aid offers
from their schools later than expected. This delay will also impact PA State Grant processing
since PHEAA needs the student’s FAFSA to generate the PA State Grant application to
students. PHEAA will notify students to complete the application once we receive their FAFSA
file from the department. Students can refer to pheaa.org/StudentAid for more information
on PA State Grant processing. Schools will be able to guide students regarding
how this delay may impact the timing of their financial aid offers. Please note our ability to
provide reporting to high schools on which students have completed the FAFSA for 2024-25
has also been impacted by this delay and other system limitations.
PA Forward
Right now, high school seniors are working on their financial aid applications for 2024- 25. Hopefully, they are also working on their scholarship searches. As they calculate their education costs and compare them to available financial aid, they may identify a financing gap. For those situations, PHEAA’s PA Forward Private Student Loan may be the best solution. PA Forward offers affordable options with several benefits and a variety of repayment options for PA residents planning to attend school in and out of state. Reference pheaa.org/PAForward to help them with the planning process.
Resources:
Understanding and Comparing Financial Aid Offers
PHEAA Access Partners Amy Sawdey and Wendy Dunlap will present information on the steps
students should take after completing the FAFSA. They will discuss the financial aid process,
strategies to review and understand financial aid offers from colleges, and how to compare different types of aid. This webinar will be held on March 20, 2024, from 6:00–7:00 PM.
Register at pheaa.org/virtual.
Financial Aid Awareness Month
Throughout February, the higher education community, including NASFAA, celebrates Financial Aid Awareness Month and provides crucial information to students and families about access to federal, state, and institutional student aid. You can find additional resources for students at nasfaa.org/FinAidFeb.