Purpose of the ROSS for Education Program

The ROSS for Education program (also known as Project SOAR (Students + Opportunities + Achievements = Results)) is a demonstration program reflecting HUD’s commitment to expand educational services to youth living in HUD-assisted housing. Research shows there are large gaps in college attendance by family income that are not driven by level of preparation. A key barrier to college attendance is that low-income youth are least likely to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) even though they are most in need of financial aid.

The ROSS for Education program provides grant funding to public housing authorities to deploy education navigators to provide individualized assistance to public housing youth between the ages of 15-20 and their families in FAFSA completion, financial literacy and college readiness, post-secondary program applications and post-acceptance assistance.

The U.S. Dept. of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study funds each year to help pay for college or career school. As you know, completing the FAFSA® (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is a primary step in determining eligibility for federal student aid. FSA is asking for your assistance in promoting FAFSA completion through your social media channels. To help you do that, we have developed some resources for you to use below.

StudentAid.gov Content Who Gets Aid Dependency Status Filling out the FAFSA Who is My Parent/Reporting Parent Info Correcting/Updating the FAFSA How Aid is Calculated Comparing School Aid Offers Accepting Financial Aid Infographics Eligibility for Federal Student Aid The FAFSA Process FAFSA Dependency Status Who is My Parent When Filling Out the FAFSA?

Fact Sheets and Publications (PDF) Am I Dependent or Independent? Who Is My Parent When Filling Out the FAFSA? Myths About Financial Aid Videos Overview of the Financial Aid Process FAFSA Overview FAFSA: Determining Your Dependency Status Myths About Financial Aid

Search through all online resources: FinancialAidToolkit.ed.gov