The Colorado Department of Higher Education has announced a new online application that allows students in Colorado that have not qualified for federal aid to complete an application for state financial aid.
The General Assembly passed H.B. 19-1196, Financial Aid For Students With In-state tuition allowing for state-funded financial aid to be awarded to students who do not have lawful immigration status but have resided in the state for at least three years prior to graduating from a high school within the state or passing an equivalency exam. The Colorado application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) has opened Thursday, October 1.
“CASFA positively supports families and is a logical next step in efforts to erase equity gaps and put college in reach for the families who benefit most from postsecondary education,” said Dr. Angie Paccione, executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. “This is one example of how Colorado demonstrates its commitment to educating all of our students on their academic journey,” Angie said.
Non-U.S. citizen resident and non-resident students can complete the CASFA to determine whether or not their eligibility for institutional aid along with state-funded financial aid if they are also ASSET students. Institutional and state-funded financial aid from grants to work-study funds aid in providing higher education for students who have attended high school in Colorado but do not meet eligibility for federal financial aid.
“Every student deserves access to postsecondary education,” said Colorado Senator Dominick Moreno. “I was proud to sponsor this legislation for the many Coloradans who have worked hard to pursue their educational goals,” Dominick said.
The CASFA follows the same methodology for determining the Expected Family Contribution as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as well as aligns with the FAFSA open and close date which spans over 21 months beginning Thursday, October 1. Students that are eligible for Title IV financial aid should complete the FASFA as opposed to the CASFA.
For more information regarding the CASFA, visit: https://highered.colorado.gov/casfa