Students may apply for financial aid months before the start of the academic year by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. A student's FAFSA is used to determine their eligibility for financial aid. Students must complete a new FAFSA each academic year. The earlier the FAFSA is completed, the more opportunities there may be for certain t types of financial assistance. The FAFSA application period for the 2025-26 academic year opens on Oct. 1, 2024. 

Here are instructions for applying for financial aid:

1. Create a StudentAid.gov account at https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch
2. Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa
   1. Determine the appropriate year FAFSA to complete
      1. 2024-2025 - Fall 2024, Spring 2025, Summer 2025 - 2022 federal taxes and W-2s
      2. 2025-2026 - Fall 2025, Spring 2026, Summer 2026 - 2023 federal taxes and W-2s
   2. Establish access to required information:
      1. Federal tax forms from 2 years prior to FAFSA year
      2. W-2 forms and other income records, such as 1099 forms from 2 years prior to FAFSA year
      3. Current balances in bank accounts
      4. Current net worth of assets including investments, real estate, businesses and farms. Primary residences and retirement plans are not included as assets on the FAFSA.
      5. Child support received for the last complete calendar year, if applicable.
      6. Contributor first name, last name, date of birth, social security number (SSN), and email address. If your contributor does not have a SSN, you will need their address.
   3. When the FAFSA asks which school to submit your information to, enter Blackhawk Technical College Federal School Code: 005390.
   4. Sign and submit the FAFSA once all information has been provided and reviewed for accuracy. 
   5. You must complete a new FAFSA each academic year.
3. After the student completes their section of the FAFSA, if contributors are required, an email will be sent to the contributor with instructions on completing their portion of the FAFSA. Each contributor will need to complete their portion fully before the student’s FAFSA is considered submitted. 

4. After all contributors have completed and signed the FAFSA, you will receive a confirmation email from Federal Student Aid. You may also check on the status of your FAFSA by logging in to studentaid.gov. Your FAFSA may be selected for verification by the Department of Education. If selected, we will contact you by mail indicating what additional documentation is required. Your application for financial aid is not complete until all documentation is received. Once all documentation is received, the BTC Financial Aid Office will review your information and award your financial aid. This process could take up to 4 weeks, depending on the time of year. Your award information will be sent to you by mail. Review it carefully. If grants are included on your Award Letter, you will not need to take any additional steps to accept your grants. If you would like to accept loans that have been offered to you, follow the instructions included with your Award Letter to do so.

5. 
   Notify the Financial Aid Department of all other sources of financial assistance you will be receiving for attending Blackhawk, such as scholarships and tuition assistance from employers. All sources of assistance must be made known to the Financial Aid Department to ensure that your financial aid is awarded correctly. 

Students can stop by the Financial Aid Office on Central Campus for assistance. Assistance at other campus locations is available by appointment. Please contact Financial Aid to schedule.