Financial aid professionals will be on site at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses during the statewide College Goal Sunday programs on Feb. 23. The free event will take place from 2 p.m. until 4 p.m. CST and will help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid.

College Goal Sunday programs provide assistance to students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and federal loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide.

The FAFSA form must be completed, filed and received by the federal processor on or before April 15, 2025 to be considered for Indiana state grant funding. In addition, 21^st Century Scholars are required to submit a FAFSA to claim their scholarship.

“Getting ready for college requires careful preparation and planning,” says Tanika House, associate director of Financial Aid at PNW. “Completing the FAFSA application is one of the most important steps to be considered for financial aid. College Goal Sunday makes the process uncomplicated and less stressful by providing one-on-one expert help in completing and filing the application, at no cost, which helps avoid common mistakes and delays.”

The Hammond campus event will be held in Room 200 of the Student Union and Library Building, 2233 173rd St, Hammond, Ind. The Westville campus event will be held in Room 241 of the Library Student Faculty Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, Ind. Financial aid professionals will be available at both locations to answer questions and help students complete and file the form. The Hammond location will offer Spanish interpreters.

Students age 23 or younger should attend the event with a parent(s) or guardian(s), and parent(s) should bring completed 2023 IRS 1040 tax returns, 2023 W-2 Forms and other 2023 income and benefits information. Students who work should also bring their income information. Students 24 years of age or older may attend alone and bring their completed 2023 IRS 1040 tax return, 2023 W-2 Forms or other 2023 income and benefits information. Students and parent(s) are encouraged to apply for their U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs at studentaid.gov before coming to the event. Students, and parent(s) if applicable, will need an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA form.

College Goal Sunday can help 21^st Century Scholars fulfill their pledge to submit a completed FAFSA form on time. 21^st Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in middle school promising they will graduate from high school, meet grade point requirements, fulfill a pledge of good citizenship and apply for college financial aid. Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment and demonstrate financial need receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for up to eight semesters at eligible Indiana public colleges or an equal dollar amount at eligible Indiana private colleges.

Students who attend a College Goal Sunday event and complete the necessary form will be eligible to win one of five $1,000 educational prizes from Indiana College Goal Sunday. Students will need to ask about the educational prize when arriving at the location. 

College Goal Sunday is a charitable program of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), in cooperation with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The program, in its 36th year, is co-funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.  

For additional information on paying for college, visit pnw.edu/paying-for-college, email the Office of Financial Aid at finaid@pnw.edu or call the offices at 219-989-2301 (Hammond campus) or 219-785-5460 (Westville campus). For more information on College Goal Sunday, visit the College Goal Sunday website.