The Utah System of Higher Education (USHE) was recently provided a $300,000 award from Educational Credit Management Corporation (ECMC), a nonprofit providing services in support of higher education finance, to support its FAFSA Help Initiative, which aims to help Utah families and students complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-25 academic year.

“FAFSA funds are critical for many students to access higher education, and we are deeply grateful to the Department of Education and ECMC for this generous award,” said Geoffrey Landward, USHE Commissioner of Higher Education. “With this funding, we can significantly expand our initiatives to help more students complete the FAFSA and successfully transition to college.”

A new application for federal financial aid was launched this year, after several setbacks, leading to challenges for students and parents when starting or completing the application and receiving help.

To combat these challenges, the Utah System of Higher Education launched ushe.edu/fafsa/ where students and parents can visit for FAFSA assistance. With the funds, the system will enhance its outreach and online and one-on-one support offerings.

ECMC was directed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to distribute funds of up to $50 million to support organizations with demonstrated experience expanding college access and enrollment. ED also continues to create and share FAFSA resources at Ed.gov/better-FAFSA.