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Maine Agency to Hold Student Financial Aid Workshops

The Finance Authority of Maine will hold workshops in January to help students pursuing higher education apply for financial aid.

Over the course of two weeks, FAME will hold 22 workshops to help students complete what's called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA.

FAME's Mila Tappan says FAFSA is how eligibility for all federal financial aid is determined as well as for the Maine State Grant.

"And so we have these workshops available to help students and their families complete the FAFSA," she says. "FAFSA has become much easier than in the past — most families can do it in 20-30 minutes, but some families still like that extra support, so that's what our workshops are there for."

Tappan says the FAFSA gives students access to substantial federal loans.

"Which can range, depending on the student's grade level, from $5,500 per year upward," she says. "So just in terms of those programs, that's a lot of money."

Tappan says FAFSA also opens up doors to access financial aid offered by a particular school. But those funds are often limited, so she recommends students apply as early as possible after the start of the new year.

For a schedule of FAME's workshops, click here.