TAMIU Extends Priority Deadline, Continues 'FAFSA for U' Sessions

In light of widespread confusion over the launch of the U.S. Education Department’s new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), Texas A&M International University (TAMIU) has extended its Priority Deadline and is continuing to host a series of free FAFSA Drives to help students navigate the new application.

The free FAFSA Drives, dubbed “FAFSA For U,” will be held throughout April, May, and June at the University, said Priscilla Muñoz, TAMIU associate director of financial aid. The sessions have been offered since January.

“We realize that the new FAFSA form soft launch has brought concern to students and their families.  There are periodic availability and ongoing issues with site performance, for example.  Through “FAFSA For U,” we’ll have a dedicated computer lab space for each session and can assist TAMIU students in person, via phone, or through a virtual appointment if needed.  We’ve already visited with several students since our offices opened this Tuesday and while access was problematic, those that were able to access it were able to submit their application,” Muñoz said.

TAMIU Financial Aid director Laura Elizondo, who has seen over 20 years of changes in government-provided financial aid and leads TAMIU’s solutions to complex financial aid challenges, outlined the University’s plan and response.

“Naturally, we want to be able to issue financial aid offers to our students as soon as possible. Students need to know how their aid will figure into their costs.  We want students to be informed and able to make the decisions that are best for them and their families.

“To that end, we have already extended our financial aid priority deadline to Friday, April 15 and will continue to extend it until this matter is resolved.  In the meantime, we continue to offer our FAFSA for U drives remain available to both incoming and continuing students to assist them and identify alternate resources for those with special challenges. Fortunately, TAMIU has one of the lowest tuition costs with no tuition increases since Fall 2021.  We will always work aggressively to help students and their families find the resources to attend TAMIU, ” she explained.

TAMIU vice president for Enrollment Management Juan G. García, Jr. observed that the University continues to aggressively provide student support.

“We’ve awarded over $4.5 million in student financial aid for 2024 already.We've augmented that by providing an additional $2 million in housing scholarships.  In 2023, our total financial aid awarded to students neared $76 million.  In November, we began awarding our freshmen Presidential Scholarships, which can range from $10,000 to $30,000 for four years for students who meet criteria including high school rank, SAT or ACT test scores,” García noted. 

Muñoz said TAMIU’s financial aid office website is regularly updated with information on the new FAFSA status.  

“As information is available, we’re posting to our dedicated website, located at https://www.tamiu.edu/finaid/ImportantNews.shtml.  We encourage students and their families to visit the site for updates,” she explained.

The FAFSA For U sessions will be held in the Senator Judith Zaffirini Student Success Center Testing Center Lab 201.  Monday and Tuesday sessions will be available from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. while Wednesday and Thursday sessions are offered from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Upcoming  FAFSA For U Session dates are:

Thursday, April 11

Tuesday, May 7

Thursday, May 16

Tuesday,  June 4

Wednesday, June 12

The prior FAFSA application was subject to a complete redesign following the passage of legislation known as the FAFSA Simplification Act, which became law in 2020.

According to the U.S. Department of Ed, users can expect fewer questions on the application and a switch to the use of a Student Aid Index instead of the previous Expected Family Contribution.  There are now options for students whose parents are divorced or separated to file their FAFSA form with the parent who provided the most support, and there is a requirement for anyone providing information on the form to create a Federal Student ID to access the form and submit information, among other changes.

Students and their families can start or access the new FAFSA form by visiting StudentAid.gov and logging in.

For additional information, contact the TAMIU Office of Financial Aid financialaid@tamiu.edu or call 956.326.22225.

TAMIU's registration for Maymester, Summer, and Fall is now underway.

To learn more about TAMIU’s Registration processes, visit https://go.tamiu.edu/registration

More on the University’s story is shared at tamiu.edu and on TAMIU’s social media channels on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter-X, and YouTube.