The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2018-2019 school year will be available to file starting October 1. Students and families will use income tax information from 2016 to complete the application. Ohio State’s priority date for filing the FAFSA (https://fafsa.gov/) and the Special Scholarships Application (https://sfa.osu.edu/secure/schapp/) is February 1, 2018.
Many factors can impact whether you receive the same financial aid resources from year to year, including a change in income, number of family members in your household, number of students in college, etc. Institutional funding levels also are subject to change, as are criteria used to award funding each year. Filing by the priority date each year is the best way to position yourself for the most financial aid resources you might be eligible to receive.