PITT-BRADFORD FINANCIAL AID STAFF TO HELP COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS COMPLETE FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID FORMS

PITT-BRADFORD FINANCIAL AID STAFF TO HELP COLLEGE-BOUND STUDENTS COMPLETE FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID FORMS

BRADFORD, Pa. – The University of Pittsburgh at Bradford’s Financial Aid staff will offer free help to college-bound students filling out their Free Application for Federal Student Aid at four workshops planned in February and March in Bradford and Warren.

Help is available to students regardless of the school they will be attending.

Filling out the FAFSA is the first step in securing financial assistance at most colleges and universities.

Financial aid professionals will be available Monday, Feb. 13, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the Warren County Career Center, 347 E. 5th Ave., Warren.

Other sessions will be held from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 23, in Room 158 of the Sport and Fitness Center on the Pitt-Bradford campus; 6 to 8 p.m. March 27 at the Warren County Career Center; and 6 to 8 p.m. March 29 in the Sport and Fitness Center.

Registration is required for both sessions being held in Warren. To register, call John Bonavita at (814)726-1260.

Pre-registration is not required for the FAFSA completion workshops being held on campus.

“We encourage all students who will need financial assistance to attend college to complete the FAFSA early,” said Melissa Ibañez, director of financial aid at Pitt-Bradford. “This workshop is open to the public and will help achieve that goal.”

The FAFSA has specific guidelines for determining whether a student is considered a parent’s dependent. In general, for traditional students under the age of 24, copies of both student and parent tax information is needed to complete the FAFSA, and a parent or guardian should attend. Students older than 24 should bring copies of only their own tax information.

Tax information includes 2011 Federal Income Tax Returns, all W-2 forms, and any other income or benefit documents. Attendees who have not yet completed their tax returns should bring all 2011 W-2 forms and any other income or benefit documents and 2010 Federal Income Tax Returns and W-2 forms so that accurate estimations can be made.

Finally, students and/or families should bring social security numbers and birthdates along with asset information for both student and parents and a driver’s license number for the student.

The primary goal of the FAFSA completion workshop is to ensure that students accurately complete the first step in applying for financial aid.

For disability-related needs, contact the Office of Disability Resources at (814)362-7609 or clh71@pitt.edu.