Free College Financial Aid Checklist Template

College Financial Aid Checklist

Prepared by: [YOUR NAME]

Company: [YOUR COMPANY NAME]

Date: [DATE]

1. Pre-Application Preparation

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Review financial aid eligibility requirements	Yes No
Research available scholarships, grants, and loans	Yes No
Create a FSA ID (if applying for federal aid)	Yes No
Collect financial documents (tax returns, W-2s, etc.)	Yes No
Create a list of schools to apply for financial aid.	Yes No
Check for application deadlines for each program.	Yes No

2. FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Complete the FAFSA form (www.fafsa.gov)	Yes No
List schools to send FAFSA results to	Yes No
Submit FAFSA by the application deadline.	Yes No
Keep a copy of the submitted FAFSA form.	Yes No
Check FAFSA status for processing updates.	Yes No
Review and correct any errors or issues with FAFSA.	Yes No

3. Scholarship Applications

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Search for external scholarships	Yes No
Gather necessary documents (transcripts, essays)	Yes No
Meet scholarship eligibility criteria.	Yes No
Submit scholarship applications by deadlines.	Yes No
Request letters of recommendation (if required)	Yes No
Track scholarship application status	Yes No

4. Financial Aid Award Review

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Review financial aid package from schools	Yes No
Compare awards from different schools.	Yes No
Accept or decline grants, scholarships, and loans.	Yes No
Review loan terms and interest rates.	Yes No
Check if any additional paperwork is required.	Yes No
Confirm receipt of financial aid awards with schools.	Yes No

5. Loan Management

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Complete loan entrance counseling (if applicable)	Yes No
Sign loan promissory note (if applicable)	Yes No
Understand repayment terms and conditions.	Yes No
Set up a budget for managing loan funds.	Yes No
Create a loan repayment plan.	Yes No
Keep records of all loan information.	Yes No

6. Post-Award Actions

Checklist Item	Task Completed?	Comments
Review and adjust financial aid awards (if necessary)	Yes No
Submit any requested documents or verification forms.	Yes No
Confirm any work-study opportunities.	Yes No
Set up a payment plan for any remaining balance.	Yes No
Keep track of all disbursements and payments.	Yes No
Reapply for financial aid for the following year.	Yes No

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