Butler County Community College will host free workshops beginning March 4 intended to help prospective students and their families apply for federal financial aid.

Grants available to financially eligible students who complete the free application for federal student aid (FAFSA) do not need to be repaid. The FAFSA workshops, also scheduled for April 30 and May 18, will be held from 4 to 6 p.m. in Room 169 of the Student Success Center on BC3’s main campus in Butler Township.

Families and prospective students who have created a federal student aid identification — and who bring to the workshop a W-2 form, tax return documents and a Social Security card — can complete the FAFSA within 30 minutes, said Kimberlee Matthews, BC3’s assistant director of financial aid.

Those who initiate the federal student aid identification at the workshop should plan on a 60-minute visit.

Prospective students who plan to enroll this fall, or in the spring or summer of 2021, will file a 2020-21 FAFSA. They or their families must use 2018 tax returns and 2018 W-2 forms.

The FAFSA, Matthews said, is “intimidating” to many families and prospective students.

“They are completely unfamiliar with the FAFSA,” Matthews said. “If they are uncomfortable completing the application at home, they can come to the workshop and get help.”

Upon submitting the completed FAFSA online to the U.S. Department of Education, a student can review his or her eligibility on the confirmation page.

The deadline for students who plan to enroll this fall and who are seeking aid from the Pennsylvania state grant program is May 1. State grants also do not need to be repaid.

Visitors can RSVP to the workshop at bc3.edu/fafsa.

In the 2017-18 academic year, 74 percent of BC3’s first-time, full-time students received financial aid, and only 26 percent used a student loan, according to the most recent information available from the U.S. Department of Education’s College Navigator.

Part-time students pursuing at least six credits may also be eligible for federal and state financial aid, Matthews said.

BC3’s fall semester begins Aug. 24.

BC3’s spring open houses are scheduled for March 26 at BC3 @ Cranberry in Cranberry Township; April 1 at BC3 @ Lawrence Crossing in New Castle; April 8 at BC3’s main campus; April 15 at BC3 @ LindenPointe in Hermitage; April 20 at BC3 @ Brockway in Brockway; and April 29 at BC3 @ Armstrong in Ford City.

William Foley is the coordinator of news and media content at Butler County Community College.