Students who want financial aid should get familiar with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

The form is a required step at Kansas University and most other schools for anyone who wants to get financial aid, such as grants, work-study programs or loans.

But what most students don’t realize, KU financial aid director Brenda Maigaard said, is that they can increase their chances of getting the financial aid they want by filling out the FAFSA by the annual “priority deadline.”

The deadline for this school year already has passed, but the deadline for the 2005-2006 school year most likely will be March 1, 2005.

“If students miss the priority filing date, they will still be eligible for various types of federal loans once their financial aid file is complete,” Maigaard said.

Here are some other tips from Maigaard on getting the most out of KU’s financial aid program.

• Employees in the financial-aid office, 50 Strong Hall, are available throughout the year, including summers, to answer students’ questions or help with filing the FAFSA. Students can visit the office, call the office at 864-4700, e-mail it at financialaid@ku.edu, or get more information online at www.financialaid.ku.edu.
• Students who have unusual circumstances, experience a change in their financial status or want to talk with someone in private can set up appointments with assistant directors or financial aid counselors.
• One lesser-known possibility for financial aid is the KU Endowment Association’s loan program. Information is available online at www.kuendowment.org.

Another tip: Many colleges and departments within the university offer special scholarships open to students interested in those fields. Ask around, or find out more about the scholarship possibilities at KU by going to www.admissions.ku.edu.