FINANCIAL0126
Aarykah Navarro/ THE RIDER
Financial aid helps students cover some to all of their tuition and fees and, sometimes, provides funds for books, among other educational expenses, according to Felipe Olivarez, assistant director of Financial Aid at UTRGV.
The biggest mistake students make is applying last minute for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as FAFSA, even though the application is open until the end of the academic year, Olivarez said.
“It is really important to apply early for financial aid as soon as the application opens up; submit it,” he added.
Even though the Jan. 15 priority deadline has passed, students have until June 30 to submit the 2026-27 application. Applying later may limit the amount of grant or work study money they will receive, according to Olivarez.
“Grant money can be limited in funding … so, for some students, if they submitted late, they might not have as much grant money that they could have received if they applied early,” he said.
Students eligible for aid must demonstrate financial need, be U.S. citizens and meet their institutions satisfactory academic progress, according to the federal student aid website.
Finance senior Alan Velasco and finance junior Luis Treviño said they completed the application on their own and found certain aspects a bit confusing.
“Having another parent or guardian for me wasn’t really working,” Velasco said. “Then, I got it to work, so I got kind of confused there but I figured it out.”
Treviño said his dad had to create an account, and all the verification aspects were confusing when completing the form.
Olivarez said verification is a common reason students may face financial aid delays as they are required to submit additional documents.
“If a student doesn’t submit those right away, then, that’s going to delay their award because, ultimately, if a student is selected for verification, we can’t award them,” he said.
Olivarez, who said he could have not been able to afford his degree without the assistance, added that financial aid plays a crucial role in students’ ability to stay enrolled and continue their education.
Velasco said, as a student that did not receive aid, it would be “the tool I use to get my degree.”
Both students encouraged first-time applicants to complete it and see if they qualify.
Olivarez encouraged students to regularly check their emails and keep an eye out for any official communication.
For more information regarding financial aid, students can visit the financial aid express lab.
