For the first time, The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga will host Tennessee College Goal Sunday, a College Goal Tennessee event, on Jan. 27, from 1-4 p.m. in the first floor lobby of the UTC University Center. 

This opportunity will allow future college students to learn basic financial aid information and it will provide assistance to file the Free Application For Student Aid (or FAFSA, required for all federal and state aid recipients).  It can also assist current college students and their families who need help with the FAFSA or who want to know more about money management.

Any student who plans to attend any college during the 2013-2014 academic year is welcome to attend this free event.

College Goal Tennessee, a non-profit program that provides free information and assistance to Tennessee families who apply for financial assistance for higher education, is supported and administered by a joint partnership between the Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation (TSAC), Tennessee Higher Education Commission (THEC), and volunteers comprised of members of the Tennessee Association of Financial Aid Administrator (TASFAA), as well as members of Tennessee Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers.  The Tennessee Association of Special Programs-TRIO Funding for this program comes from Lumina Foundation for Education, an Indianapolis based, private, independent foundation that strives to help people achieve their potential by expanding access and success in education beyond high school.

Younger students may attend Tennessee College Goal Sunday if they have questions or they would like to prepare for upcoming academic pursuits.  Families are welcome to come and ask questions and gather information about college.

Students and their parents who attend are encouraged to bring:

• 2012 Federal Tax Return or other income documentation
• Social Security number
• Driver’s license (if available)
• 2012 W-2 Forms or year-end pay stubs and other year-end records of money received
• 2012 untaxed income records – Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
• 2012 bank statements
• 2012 business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
• Alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• And if you plan on filling out the FAFSA online at the event also bring:
  PIN# for the FAFSA. (Apply for your PIN# at www.pin.ed.gov)

“It is important for students to file their federal financial aid application – FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) early, preferably in January, for the upcoming academic year in order to be considered for the most types of financial aid. Federal, state and need-based institutional grants with limited funding go to the earliest FAFSA filers who qualify for these funds. Funding is also limited for the Federal Work Study program, and UTC is only able to make new work study offers to students who apply very early in the FAFSA application cycle,” said Dianne Cox, director of the UTC Student Financial Aid Office.

Representatives from the UTC Financial Aid Office, Undergraduate Admissions Office, and the Educational Opportunity Center will be available to answer questions and assist students with FAFSA submissions.

The UTC Financial Literacy coordinator will also be available to answer questions about money management, smart borrowing, and planning for college.