Important Financial Aid Dates
October 1st of the Senior Year
- The Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA--Bright Futures & Florida Aid) is open for application. (October 1 - August 31)
- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens and families should aim to submit it by January. Students and parents can begin this process earlier by creating their FSA-IDs which will later serve as their electronic signature when completing the FAFSA. The FAFSA uses prior-prior year's taxes and includes a tax retrieval tool through the IRS website.
CSS - College Scholarship Service Profile
The CSS Profile is only required by a limited number of colleges to determine financial aid packages. You may file the CSS Profile as early as October 1st. However, you should file no later than two weeks before the EARLIEST priority filing date specified by your colleges or programs.
It is primarily designed to give private member institutions of the College Board a closer look into the finances of a student and family. It is much more detailed than the FAFSA and might require a consultation with your financial aid advisor.
You file the CSS Profile online at www.collegeboard.org by selecting “CSS/PROFILE” under “Pay for College.” A list of colleges that accept the CSS Profile can be found on the College Board website.
FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid
The FAFSA for 2027-28 is slated to open on October 1, 2026. The information provided on the FAFSA is what the federal government and colleges will use to determine eligibility for need-based scholarships and grant programs. It is recommended that you submit your FAFSA no later than January 31, but some colleges and universities may have different deadlines for submission. Money is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students applying to begin college during a summer term should also complete the 2026-27 FAFSA.
It is highly recommended that families file the FAFSA even if they think they may not qualify for federal aid. Many institutions refer to the FAFSA for non-financial needs-based scholarships in addition to needs-based scholarships. Not filing a FAFSA will disqualify students from federal loans as well as some scholarships and work-study programs. The FAFSA will determine your SAI (Student Aid Index) which schools use to see how much financial aid you need. CCHS College Counseling hosts a Senior Parent Seminar with a Financial Aid expert each fall.
FFAA - Florida Financial Aid Application
Beginning October 1 of the student’s senior year, students must submit a completed FFAA to the Office of Student Financial Aid (OFSA) for the following state grants and scholarships
- Bright Futures Scholarship
- Florida Farmworker Student Scholarship
- Jose Marti Scholarship Challenge Grant
- Scholarship for Children and Spouses of Deceased or Disabled Veterans
Florida Prepaid College Plan
Many families have enrolled in the Florida Prepaid College Plan. Please note these frequently asked enrollment questions posted on www.myfloridaprepaid.com. Please call 800-552-GRAD(4723) or your financial advisor for additional information on how the FPCP can affect your student’s college costs.
Scholarships & Grants (Free Money)
There are countless scholarship opportunities in existence but you must be proactive to pursue these opportunities. Students also don’t have to wait until senior year to apply for scholarships; there are many scholarships for underclassmen and even some for middle-school students! A few general rules about scholarships are that you should never have to pay to apply for a scholarship AND the more you apply for, the more money you have the potential to earn. Applying may take some additional time, essay-writing, or recommendation-letter requesting, so do your research and apply to scholarships for which you meet all the qualifications. Most scholarships are “stackable” so every little bit helps.
Scholarships Sources:
- External search engines
- Local/community
- College/University-specific
Scholarships come in various award forms:
- First-time freshmen only: Available only to first-time-in-college (FTIC) students; may be renewable/one year only OR non-renewable
- Renewable: 2, 3, or 4-year scholarships that are renewable, typically based upon the recipient maintaining a certain GPA and full-time student status
- Continuing/re-enrolling students only: available to students who have a proven track record of success in college
- An award may be based upon one or several of these factors: merit (GPA/test scores), service, leadership, character, financial need, overcoming adversity, intended program of study, sports or music involvement, legacy status (parent went to the university), or various other conditions