Financial Aid Office

Financial aid is money that helps you pay for college. Financial aid can be a combination of scholarships, grants, loans, and work-study.

Grants (free money)

Federal Pell Grant
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
Texas Public Education Grant (TPEG)
Texas Educational Opportunity Grant (TEOG)

Loans (borrowed money that you pay back)

Federal Direct Loan
Direct PLUS Loans
Private Loans

Work-Study (part-time work)

Students with work-study position will work part-time on or off- campus while enrolled.
Students will be allowed to work 10-19.5 hours per week.
View available positions

Scholarships (free money)

Universal Access Scholarship
Galveston College Scholarships
Outside Scholarships
Galveston College Emergency Scholarship

DEADLINES FOR 2024-2025 FAFSA® & STATE AID

The 2024-2025 FAFSA® will be available December 2023
The 2024-2025 Galveston College priority deadline for the FAFSA® is June 9, 2024, for fall 2024, November 8, 2024, for spring 2025, and March 30, 2025, for summer 2025.
The last day to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA® is June 30, 2025
The Texas state financial aid priority deadline is April 15, 2024, for all state programs for the 2024-2025 award year. It is recommended that applicants complete and submit the FAFSA® application and any other required documentation to the financial aid office on or before April 15, 2024.

DEADLINES FOR 2025-2026 FAFSA® & STATE AID

The 2025-2026 FAFSA® will be available December 1st 2024
The 2025-2026 Galveston College priority deadline for the FAFSA® is June 9, 2025, for Fall 2025, November 8, 2025, for Spring 2026, and March 30, 2026, for Summer 2026.
The Texas state financial aid priority deadline is February 15, 2025, for all state programs for the 2025-2026 award year. It is recommended that applicants complete and submit the FAFSA® application and any other required documentation to the financial aid office on or before February 15, 2025.
The last day to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA® is June 30, 2026.

The 2025 -2026 FAFSA will be open on December 1, 2024.

Gather the documents below:

Social Security number
Alien registration number
FSA ID account and password
2022 Federal tax information or tax returns
Records of untaxed income
Cash, savings, and checking account balances
Investments other than the home in which you live
Your Contributor information
- Name
- Date of Birth
- Social Security Number (SSN)
- Email Address (to invite to complete their required portion of the FAFSA®)

Create an FSA ID at: StudentAid.gov

An FSA ID is a username and password that gives you access to Federal Student Aid’s online systems and can serve as your legal signature. Only create an FSA ID using your personal information and for your exclusive use. You are not authorized to create an FSA ID on behalf of someone else, including a family member.

How to create an FSA ID video

What to do if I forgot my FSA ID/ Password:
- If you have an FSA ID but do not remember your username, select Forgot My Username
- Note: If you verified your email address or mobile phone number during account creation, you can enter your email address or mobile phone number instead of your username.
  - If you have an FSA ID but do not remember your password, select Forgot My Password.
  - Your password must be between 8 and 30 characters in length, and it must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number. Special characters are not required, but the following characters may be included as part of your password:
  - ! # $ % & ( ) * + – . : ; < = > ? @ [ ] ^ _ { } ~
  - Remember, your password is case-sensitive.

In 2020, an important law called the FAFSA® Simplification Act was passed as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act. This law will make some big changes to the way you apply for college financial aid for the 2024-2025 school year.

The FAFSA® will feature fewer questions, fewer requirements, and retrieve tax information using a direct data exchange from the IRS instead of the previous IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

Contributor- Anyone who is asked to provide information on the FAFSA®.

Consent- Each contributor must provide their consent to include their Federal Tax Information (FTI) on the FAFSA®, even if they did not file a US tax return.

DDX - Direct Data Exchange (DDX) will replace the Data Retrieval Tool (DRT).

FTI- Federal Tax Information transferred directly from the IRS.

SAI- Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

A contributor is anyone who is asked to provide information on the applicants' FAFSA including:

The student
The student's spouse (if applicable)
A biological or adoptive parent; or
The spouse of a remarried parent who is on the FAFSA (a stepparent)

All contributors are required to have an FSA ID and to provide consent to have their Federal Tax Information (FTI) transferred from the IRS, have their tax data used to determine a student's eligibility for federal student aid and allow the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to share their tax information with institutions and state higher education agencies for the administration of federal student aid. Students, parents or spouses should request their FSA ID before starting the FAFSA® on studentaid.gov.

Go to: StudentAid.gov and log in using your FSA ID.

Click on Start New Form if you haven't completed the 24-25 FAFSA®, to access a existing form click "Access Existing Form"
If you are a new student, click Create An Account If you have completed a FAFSA® before, click on Log In.

To start the application click on "student"

Before you can access the FAFSA® form online, you’ll need to create a StudentAid.gov account. Every contributor(parent/spouse), including the student, must have an account to access and complete their sections of the form. If you don’t have a Social Security number, you’re still able to create an account.

The 2024-2025 is for the following semester: Fall 2024, Spring 2025 and Summer 2025

Have your and/or your spouse’s/ parent(s) income available for 2024

Galveston College’s Federal School Code: 004972

Now you are ready to submit a FAFSA®! Need assistance? You may call 1-800-433-3243. CLICK TO CALL

Other steps to take to get Financial Aid

All new and returning students must have a current admissions application on file with the Admissions Office. New students must have their final official high school transcript, GED® certificate, homeschooling record or, ATB Alternative on file. Transfer students must have ALL FINAL OFFICIAL transcripts from any and all institutions of higher education on file with the Admissions Office.

Grant consent for your Federal Tax Information (FTI) to be brought into the FAFSA® through the DDX.
Provide consistent information.
Read all instructions.
Use your legal name — not nicknames — and your correct social security number.
If your parents are divorced, you must use the information for the parent you lived with most in the last 12 months. If that parent is remarried, you must also include the stepparent’s income. Be sure to provide the information requested about your parents.
Make sure you include 004972 on your list of school codes.
If you complete the FAFSA® electronically, don’t forget to sign using your FSA ID (a username and password). You (the student) will need an FSA ID as well as your parent(s). These are two separate FSA IDs.
Make a copy of your completed FAFSA® and all documents submitted to the Financial Aid Office for your records.
Check your Whitecaps email frequently and respond to all requests from the Financial Aid Office as soon as possible.

For questions regarding any of the above steps:

Contact Financial Aid Office at:

Phone: 409-944-1235

Email: [email protected]

Name	Meghann Nash Degges
Title	Director of Financial Aid
Room	M-170
Program Area	Financial Aid
Phone	409-944-1235
Financial Aid Email	[email protected]

Galveston College

Financial Aid

Financial Aid FAQ and Resources