(OCALA, Fla.)  Changes to the federal student aid application means the clock starts ticking earlier this year for college students and high school seniors. Students can complete their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, the same time they are applying to college.

FAFSA is the single application used to determine eligibility for grants – free money that students don’t pay back – student loans and some scholarships.

For the 2017-2018 school year, FAFSA can be filed as early as this Oct. 1. For years parents and students had to wait until Jan. 1.

Another major change to FAFSA is parents and students will be required to report income information from their 2015 tax year.

“Students should apply to a college or university before completing their FAFSA,” said Maureen Anderson, director of Financial Aid at the College of Central Florida. “Oftentimes, students put off applying to their local community college, but the sooner you apply, the sooner you can fill out your FAFSA. And the sooner you do that, the greater your odds of getting more aid. The early bird really does get the worm when it comes to financial aid.”

To learn more about FAFSA, visit FAFSA.ed.gov.

To learn more about financial aid at CF, visit CF.edu/FinancialAid.

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