The FAFSA form for the 2026-2027 school year became available to fill out on Oct. 1. You should fill out this form if you will take classes at a college or career tech institution in the 2026-27 school year or if you think you might want to take classes.
This form helps you get all the federal student financial aid that you might be eligible to receive. Filling the FAFSA out as early as possible is important, because federal funding for Pell grants is limited. If you are Pell-eligible but file your paperwork after the Pell funding has already been distributed, you may not be maximizing your award.
Even if you are not eligible for federal grants and loans, many colleges, universities and scholarship organizations ask that you complete the FAFSA before you enroll or apply. They want to make sure that you are doing everything you can to find all sources of funding for your coursework. Completing the FAFSA is free, and the United States Department of Education has done its best to make the process as easy as possible.
The FAFSA website has many useful tips and instructions for filling it out. You can find a lot of resources here: studentaid.gov.
If you need any additional support or want to talk through other ways to pay for your education, the Citizen Potawatomi Nation Department of Education is here to help! Student success advisors are able to answer your questions and help you find additional scholarships you might be eligible to receive. Please contact us by making an appointment through portal.potawatomi.org, emailing [email protected] or calling 405-695-6028.