Education is the key to equality and opportunity.
Completing the FAFSA is an important step toward making that opportunity a reality.
Every Ohioan 
deserves the chance to succeed, get a good-paying job, raise a family comfortably, and be secure in their future. Every Ohio student 
should have the opportunity to live up to their maximum potential.
Since February 2022, the FSA website has been the data source for weekly FAFSA completed application count for Ohio schools. FSA completed apps are from first time filers who are 19 years old or younger on June 30 of the high school year. This count includes underclass persons who complete a FAFSA.
The ODE website is used for October grade 12 count for Ohio schools. The annual October grade 12 counts are data provided by schools and districts. ODE releases the data in January of each year.
Ohio’s FAFSA percent completion is
That is
3.0%
higher than the national completion.
Since February 2022, the FSA website has been the data source for weekly FAFSA completed application count for Ohio schools. FSA completed apps are from first time filers who are 19 years old or younger on June 30 of the high school year. This count includes underclass persons who complete a FAFSA.
The ODE website is used for October grade 12 count for Ohio schools. The annual October grade 12 counts are data provided by schools and districts. ODE releases the data in January of each year.
The Ohio Department of Education classifies public school districts by typology for research purposes based on a statistical analysis of shared demographic and geographic characteristics.
Small Town
Rural
Suburban
Urban
Completing the FAFSA 
is an
toward earning a credential, whether that’s a college degree or a technical certificate.
As Ohio seeks to compete and win, and as Ohio families seek to maximize their quality of life, we cannot ignore the importance of FAFSA as a key indicator for learning beyond high school. Whether a student pursues a welding certificate or a bachelor’s degree, the process can begin with completing the FAFSA.
$2.8m
A bachelor’s degree is worth $2.8 million1 more over a lifetime of earnings than a high school graduate.
52%
52% of Ohioans who complete the FAFSA will receive Pell funding from the federal government that can be applied to a college degree or a technical certificate.
“My tuition is completely covered due to completing the FAFSA. I no longer have to worry about paying for college, which makes me even more excited to attend college in the fall.”
The ‘Columbus Promise’ boosted FAFSA completions by 49.0% by the close of the 2022 school year.
“Completing the FAFSA changed the way I thought about school. Not having to pay for school is something I never dreamed of.”
“Completing the FAFSA helped me determine how much my family would be able to support and how much I would need from loans and scholarships.”
By working together.
It’s an old trope: it takes a village to raise a child, but the truth is that we do share the responsibility for educational progress.
It isn’t enough to just get a diploma. Students must go beyond, and continue learning to be successful. Here are some ways you can help Ohio students have the best chance for success.
Make sure your district is signed up for the Ohio FAFSA Data Service.
Ask your school board to set a FAFSA completion goal.
Schedule a FAFSA completion workshop with a local nonprofit or public library.
that's MILLIONS
$0
was left on the table by Ohio high school graduates in 2022 by not completing the FAFSA. Let’s make sure we don’t let another year pass with funding opportunities going untapped by our students.