The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, changed this year and you need to know about it. Whether you're filing for the first time or last, you can now fill out the FAFSA starting in October—not January. You can also use your tax info from 2015—the same paperwork you used to file taxes earlier this year.

Completing the FAFSA is how you renew scholarships, grants, work study and student loans. Complete it each year to maintain certain financial aid. It takes about 30 minutes, but it's totally worth it.

The earlier you complete the FAFSA, the better chance you have at maximizing your awards. Our new priority deadline for the FAFSA is Jan. 15. That means we need to receive your verified FAFSA info by Jan. 15 for priority consideration for financial aid.

Note to 2016-2017 FAFSA filers

If you did not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) when you completed your 2016-17 FAFSA, we recommend you update your 2016-17 FAFSA using the DRT first. Then, file the 2017-18 FAFSA using the DRT process as well. This will minimize any conflicting data that may need to be resolved.

If you have questions, contact the Financial Aid Office at financialaid@txwes.edu.