Undergraduate Students

• New Freshman (College Station and Galveston): Awarding begins late January
• New Transfer students (College Station and Galveston): Awarding begins Mid-April
• Continuing Undergraduate students (College Station and Galveston): Awarding begins June
• Upper-level Public Health Undergraduates: Awarding begins early July

Graduate Students

• New Graduate students (College Station and Galveston): Awarding begins early May
• Continuing Graduate students (College Station and Galveston): Awarding begins June
• Nursing Graduate students: Awarding begins early July

Professional Students

• 1st year Law students: Awarding begins early April
• 2nd and 3rd year Law students: Awarding begins Mid-June

• 4th Year Pharmacy students: Awarding begins late May
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year Pharmacy students: Awarding begins early June

• Dental professional students (DDS): Awarding begins late May to early June

• 4th Year Medicine students: Awarding begins late May
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year Medical students: Awarding begins early June

• 4th year Veterinary students: Awarding begins Mid-April
• 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year Veterinary students: Awarding begins Mid-June

For as long as he can remember, Zachary Beneda dreamed of joining the Air Force.

But the 23-year-old senior at Texas A&M University, who will be headed to Japan after graduation for his first active-duty assignment as an Air Force support officer, got a rude awakening when he realized he'll also have to begin paying back $90,000 in college loans.

Mr. Beneda will be required to pay $1,000 a month — about half his monthly salary as a second lieutenant.
“I was floored,” he said. “I thought the military was going to take care of me and the burden wouldn't be as bad. I wasn't worrying about the loans as much as I should have.”

Mr. Beneda is hardly the first to underestimate the weight of college loans, and he won't be the last.

To view the full article, click here.

You can get all of the following student credit cards with no credit. Credit card companies actually roll out the red carpet for students despite their lack of credit history (some offers are from WalletHub partners). They do this because of students’ earning potential and decades of forthcoming financial independence, which can be very profitable for banking institutions. To qualify, all a student must do is demonstrate the independent income or assets needed to pay at least their minimum monthly bill (usually around $10 for student cards). But if that’s not possible, it’s worth looking into having a parent co-sign, given the importance of credit building at this stage in your life.

As long as you pay your bill on time and avoid maxing out your credit line after opening one of the following cards, you will begin building the credit needed to rent an apartment, buy a car, take out a good loan and save on insurance premiums once you graduate. It may even help you get a job if you plan on working in a field that requires a security clearance or the handling of money. So make sure to browse the available student credit cards for no credit, including both secured and unsecured offers, and submit an application for the card that will allow you to build credit at the lowest possible cost.

If you’d like a recommendation, WalletHub’s editors compared all of the student credit cards in our database of 1,000+ credit card offers. We looked at their fees, rates and rewards. And we picked the best options for different types of students. You can find an overview below and more info at the bottom of the page.

On March 31, 2019, we will implement several enhancements to improve the FSA ID experience. These enhancements are part of our continuous improvement of Federal Student Aid (FSA) systems and are an important step toward realizing our vision for the Next Generation (Next Gen) Financial Services Environment.

The FSA ID—a user-created username and password—is required for students, parents, and borrowers to authenticate their identity and access their federal student aid information online. The websites and applications that use an FSA ID to log in are fafsa.gov, the myStudentAid mobile app, StudentLoans.gov, NSLDS Student Access, StudentAid.gov, the Application for Borrower Defense to Loan Repayment, and the Federal Student Aid Feedback System.

"It’s one of the oldest cons around. Come up with the cash to pay a small fee up front, and there is a big pot of money just waiting for you," Acorns reports. 

"You might recognize this classic grift from some of its common versions, which often appear out of the blue in your email inbox. Your long-lost uncle has named you in his will! You won an overseas lottery! Or that timeless classic—a Nigerian prince needs your help getting cash out of his country!

The name for these is 'advance fee scams,' and unfortunately for college students, there is another variety: The scholarship scam.

To view the article, Watch Out for These 3 Red Flags of Scholarship Scams.

Updates to policies regarding acceptable tax information for verification.

With college tuition soaring, many students and parents are eager to find scholarships and financial aid workarounds to help them pay those big bills.

Steer clear of scholarships and financial aid assistance that don't deliver what they promise.

Always consult high school guidance counselors or college financial aid staff, and don't give out any personal financial information.

Many schools and states use the FAFSA to determine student aid. 

The Free Application for Federal Aid, commonly known as FAFSA, is a form that determines student aid eligibility for federal student loans and grants. Many colleges and universities as well as states also use the form to determine students' eligibility for nonfederal need-based aid - additional funds students can use to pay for school. But making a mistake on the FAFSA or submitting the application late can result in processing delays or limit the amount of aid awarded to a student, according to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators. For families completing the FAFSA, here are 10 common mistakes to avoid. 

The holidays put people in the gift-giving mood, but those who don't watch their spending will find themselves feeling less than jolly when credit card bills arrive in January. According to the Holiday 2018 Consumer Trends survey from the National Retail Federation, consumers say they will spend an average of $1,007 on gifts, food and other festive expenses this year, up by more than 4 percent compared to 2017. While there are plenty of money-saving opportunities to help you stretch your holiday shopping dollars further, poor purchasing decisions can wreak havoc on your budget. To avoid going broke this season, review these holiday shopping pitfalls and learn how to make better buying decisions.

To view the full article, visit https://money.usnews.com/money/personal-finance/spending/slideshows/9-holiday-shopping-habits-that-will-make-you-go-broke?onepage

Did you submit a 2019–20 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form? Wondering what happens next? Here are a few things to look out for!

To view the full article, visit https://blog.ed.gov/2018/09/5-things-after-fafsa/