Kansas students who file only the FAFSA are leaving state money on the table. There is a second application, it is separate, and a lot of people miss it.
What it is. The State of Kansas Student Aid Application (sfa.kansasregents.gov) is administered by the Kansas Board of Regents and is required, in addition to the FAFSA, for most state-funded scholarships and grants. The Board administers more than twenty student financial assistance programs.
The deadline is June 1. A paper version can be mailed to the Kansas Board of Regents instead of filing online.
You must file the FAFSA too. State awards use FAFSA data to determine financial need. One without the other does not work.
What it unlocks. State programs including the Kansas State Scholarship, the Kansas Comprehensive Grant, and field-specific service scholarships in areas such as nursing, teaching, osteopathic medicine, and optometry, several of which trade tuition support for a commitment to practice in Kansas.
A few things to know. Funding is limited relative to demand, so file early. Recipients are generally notified by their college rather than by the Board of Regents, so watch your school email. Most awards must be reapplied for every school year and do not renew on their own.
Sources: Kansas Board of Regents, kansasregents.gov/scholarships_and_grants; State of Kansas Student Aid Application, sfa.kansasregents.gov; Kansas Board of Regents state aid brochure, kansasregents.gov.