Bob Spieldenner
bobspieldenner@schev.edu
(804) 718-9443 (cell)
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 9, 2025
Free FAFSA and Financial Aid Help Available for Virginia Students
RICHMOND — Help is available for Virginia students and families who are filling out the recently available Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) today announced a financial aid help desk and a new series of free webinars to support completion of the application.
Students can text “Hello” to 434-478-4003 and receive answers to their financial aid questions from an expert within 24 business hours. The service is available at no cost to Virginia students and is part of SCHEV’s efforts to ensure that no student leaves financial aid funding on the table.
In addition to text-based support, SCHEV has partnered with uAspire, a national non-profit focused on college affordability, to host a six-part webinar series for students and families. Each one-hour session offers guidance on the following financial aid topics:
- FAFSA Completion
- Financial Aid for Current College Students
- Scholarship Basics and Tips
- Next Steps After the FAFSA
- Financial Aid Offer Review
- Summer Steps for Financial Aid
Registration links and details are available at http://www.uaspire.org/schev.
Last year, only 56.7% of Virginia’s high school seniors completed the FAFSA for the 2025-26 academic year, ranking the Commonwealth 26th nationally, according to the National College Attainment Network’s (NCAN) FAFSA Tracker. Historically, about 58% of seniors in Virginia high schools complete the FAFSA each year.
Completing the FAFSA is a critical first step in accessing grants, scholarships and other forms of financial aid that help students afford postsecondary education. Holding a postsecondary credential is essential to many 21st-century careers. Research consistently shows that individuals with a college degree experience higher lifetime earnings, better health outcomes, increased job security and greater civic engagement.
The help desk and webinars build on SCHEV’s ongoing Level Up Virginia initiative, in partnership with the GEAR UP Virginia grant program, to expand access to postsecondary education across Virginia and ensure that all students have the support they need to continue their education and reach their goals.
