Ready, set, apply! It’s FAFSA time

You can now submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2020-2021 school year, and Black Hawk College Financial Aid is here to help.

Financial Aid director and student sitting at a table smilingSubmitting a FAFSA will let you find out if you are eligible for federal and state grant programs, work-study and student loans for the upcoming school year.

The FAFSA application became available Oct. 1, 2019, and the sooner you apply, the better, because some financial aid programs have limited funding and are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Even if you do not believe you will receive any assistance, you are still strongly encouraged to apply. You may be pleasantly surprised, and many scholarships require FAFSA to be completed as a part of their application process.

Attend a BHC FAFSA Completion Night

Black Hawk College can help make the process as easy as possible for you.

At FAFSA Completion Nights, financial aid professionals help students and parents complete the application.

Mark your calendar for the FAFSA Completion Night at your campus:

Quad-Cities Campus FAFSA Completion Night

Tuesday, Oct. 8  from 4-7 p.m.

6600 34th Ave., Moline, in Building 1, ESL Computer Lab (below the library)

East Campus FAFSA Completion Night

Tuesday, Oct. 22 from 4-7 p.m.

26230 Black Hawk Road, Galva, in Building A, Testing Center (Room 239)

During this event, financial aid professionals can help you throughout the FAFSA process. This service is free and open to the public. Read on to see what to bring.

Prepare to apply for FAFSA

Those attending a FAFSA Completion Night should prepare by collecting all the documents student at a computer with FAFSA website pulled upthey need to apply in advance. In order to complete a FAFSA, students and parents should bring:

  • Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID – obtain at least two to three days in advance at www.fsaid.ed.gov.
  • Social Security Card, and if applicable, Permanent Resident documentation.
  • 2018 federal tax documents, including 1040 form(s) and W-2s/1099s.
  • Records of 2018 untaxed income.
  • Current records of assets and investments.
  • Current bank statements.

Note that you only get one FSA ID per person that you will use every year. Each person should set up their own FSA ID. It is the equivalent of a legal signature, so do not share it with others.

Need help at another time?

Financial Aid staff members can also answer questions and help you navigate the FAFSA process Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

At the Quad-Cities Campus, the Financial Aid Office is in Building 1, Room 227, and at the East Campus, Financial Aid is in Building A, Room 246.

The Quad-Cities Campus Financial Aid Office also has computers available for students to use.

You can get in touch with Financial Aid by emailing finaid@bhc.edu, calling or visiting during the week – no appointment necessary!

Financial Aid Quad-Cities Campus
Building 1, Room 227
309-796-5400
309-796-5447 (fax)
Mon-Fri from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Financial Aid | East Campus
Building A, Room 246
309-854-1708
309-852-3571 (fax)
Mon-Fri from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Other financial aid resources

In addition to Black Hawk College Financial Aid Office, the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) is a great resource.

The Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC) Student Portal offers tips, an online chat option (found on the ISAC Student Portal main page) and texting options (text your name to 309-306-7066 to get started).

ISAC also has ISACorps, a group of recent college graduates dedicated to mentoring high school students by helping them and their families navigate the process of applying to and entering college.

You can also call Federal Student Aid at 1-800-4-FED-AID to ask questions or to get troubleshooting help with FAFSA or FSA IDs.

The two Black Hawk College Foundations (East Campus and Quad-Cities Campus) have more than 200 scholarships available to students, based on academic performance, financial need and/or area of study. Make sure to apply in the spring!