The Office of Financial Aid would like to encourage students who have not completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2015-16 academic year to do so at their earliest convenience. The FAFSA is available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. Below are some important tips on FAFSA completion and the importance of finishing a FAFSA promptly.

IIT’s priority deadline for FAFSA completion is February 15.
1). IIT can only award the Illinois MAP Grants to students who complete their FAFSA before the state’s deadline. As of present, this deadline has not yet been announced. For this reason, Illinois residents are encouraged to complete their FAFSA ASAP. IIT will not replace MAP Grants for students who miss this deadline.
2). Even if your or your parents’ tax return is not completed for 2014, families can use an estimate of their 2014 income to complete the FAFSA. Corrections to the FAFSA can be made once taxes are filed.

Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
1). Some families who have already filed their taxes may also be able to utilize the IRS Data Retrieval Tool on the FAFSA. This tool allows eligible families to pull their tax information directly from the IRS to the FAFSA instead of manually entering each item.

Have Questions? Chat with a Representative.
1). The Department of Education has a live chat tool to help students work through tricky questions.
2). Representatives are available Monday through Friday from 7 a.m.-10 p.m. , Saturdays  from 7 a.m.-4 p.m. , and Sundays from 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

The office will put together a financial aid package for students who have submitted their 2015-16 FAFSA during the month of March. If any documents are requested by the Department of Education, the office will also notify you at that time. As always, please feel free to contact the office with any questions at finaid@iit.edu or 312.567.7219.