Get all of the free aid you can qualify for by following these simple steps to applying for financial aid in Rhode Island.

1. 10 Steps to Applying for
Financial Aid in RI

2. 1.
Get a PIN.

3. Sign up for a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov
so you can electronically submit your
financial aid forms.

4. 2.
Complete the
FAFSA.

5. This is the most essential part of the
financial aid process. If you don’t do it,
you could lose out on a lot of aid.
Submit after January 1 at fafsa.ed.gov.

6. 3.
Submit the
CSS Profile.

7. Not all schools
require this form,
but if yours does,
make sure you
submit it online by
their deadline.
https://student.colle
geboard.org/css-
financial-aid-profile

8. 4.
Get free help.

9. There are free resources in RI to help
you complete the FAFSA and other
financial aid forms. Check out the
College Planning Center of RI or
College Goal RI.

10. 5.
Meet
deadlines.

11. You must submit the FAFSA by March 1 in order
to be considered for the RI State Grant. Your
school also has a deadline you must stick to so
you don’t miss out on free money for college!

12. 6.
Review your
eligibility.

13. Once you submit the
FAFSA, you will
receive your Expected
Family Contribution.
Review what you
submitted to make
sure there were no
mistakes and inform
schools of any
changes to your
circumstances.

14. 7.
Apply for local
scholarships.

15. Use free tools online, like the College Planning
Center’s RIScholarships.org to find local
scholarships that can help meet college costs.
The guidance office is another great place to
check for local opportunities!

16. 8.
Be patient.

17. After you submit
your FAFSA and
other financial aid
forms, it may be a
while before you get
an award package
from the school. For
regular decision, it
will usually come in
April with
acceptance letters.

18. 9.
Compare
Awards.

19. Once you receive your awards, you will need to
compare them to see which is best. A larger
award doesn’t always translate to a better
award…pay attention to how your need was
met. Grants and scholarships are the best types
of aid.

20. 10.
Apply for loans.

21. Apply for loans to
meet any unmet
needs. Always be
careful to compare
options and fully
understand your
rates and fees.
Only borrow what
you need and make
sure your loan
payments will be
affordable!