As the 2018-2019 school year approaches, so is the start date of filing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The FAFSA is important for a few reasons, as it’s a pathway to receiving several forms of financial aid including grants, loans and work study. More information is available from the office of financial aid.

When to submit your application

Students can file a 2018-2019 FAFSA as early as Oct. 1, 2017. This will allow students to complete their applications before the start of the new year. To meet priority deadline, students should submit their FAFSA before or on Feb. 1.

Sending income information

With the 2018-2019 FAFSA, students and families will report their 2016 income information.

The most important part is to file as early as possible, as priority deadlines for state-funded programs such as the Access Missouri grant is now Feb. 1, 2018 and Missouri State’s deadline for limited-availability funding was pushed up to match.