The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps determine what financial aid a college bound student may be eligible to receive from state and federal sources, including MAP and Pell Grants and Stafford Loans. Beginning with the 2020-2021 school year, completing the FAFSA is a graduation requirement in the state of Illinois.  Students/families who do not wish to complete the FAFSA may choose to submit a nonparticipation waiver to the guidance counselor in order to meet the graduation requirement. 

The FAFSA form is available online beginning October 1st of each year.  Families will be completing the FAFSA form for the year the student will be attending college. College bound students should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1st.  Many colleges require the FAFSA to be completed before a student is considered for any other scholarships offered by the college or university. The FAFSA must be completed online and takes about one hour to complete. You will need information including social security numbers and the previous year's taxes. ECHS hosts a FAFSA completion workshop each October. Families are encouraged to attend the workshop in order to get assistance in completing their FAFSA.  For assistance completing the FAFSA, contact the guidance office. The application can be found at fafsa.gov