Financial aid is money that the state and national government may provide students to help them in paying for their post secondary education.  Financial aid is different from scholarships.  Scholarship money is money that is given by private organizations.  Financial aid is money that is given by the government.

Students must apply for financial aid in order to receive any.  Students will not receive financial aid from the government automatically.  Students must fill out the FAFSA form in order to apply for financial aid.

Students can get a FAFSA form from our guidance office or from the college financial aid department.  Unity High School students will be given a FAFSA form in early January.  Unity High School will be hosting a speaker from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission to present to parents and students on the financial aid process.  It is recommended that parents of college bound students attend this informational meeting.  The financial aid meeting will be held in December in the high school auditorium each year.  Students and parents will learn more about the financial aid process and how to apply at this financial aid presentation.

Students can also complete a FAFSA form on-line.  Filling out the FAFSA on-line can speed up the process by a month.  Students can fill out the FAFSA form on-line by clicking on the following site:  www.fafsa.ed.gov
 

Students can not apply for financial aid until January of their senior year.  Part of the FAFSA form requires that students put their tax information on the form.  Students must use their tax information from the current year and therefore must wait until after January 1st to turn in the form.  Students should try to complete the FAFSA form and turn it in as soon as possible.  Most colleges will give additional "in-house" money to students who turn their forms in by May of their senior year.  Students can however turn their FAFSA form in as late as the last day of their freshman year of college.  However, it is not recommend waiting to the last minute.

Students must apply each year for financial aid since the FAFSA form requires the current year's tax information and each year most people's taxes change a little.  While students are in college they can get a FAFSA form from their college's financial aid department.

We recommend that students zerox these forms before they turn them in to make the process easier the following year.
 

Students can use resources with financial aid information in the Unity High School guidance office career center.

Students can contact the financial aid office of the college they are going to in order to get more financial aid help.

Students can utilize the internet resources to get more in depth information on financial aid.

Students can call the Student Financial Aid Information Center Toll-Free number to get answers to their questions from 8 a.m. to midnight (Eastern Time).  Students can call seven days a week.