Home
Resources

Student and Borrower Resources

I've heard so many personal stories from across Central Florida about the weight of student loans. They're keeping people from starting families, buying homes, building businesses, or making ends meet.

I’m pulling together essential resources and the most up-to-date information here to make sure you have everything you need to get financial support and understand how to navigate your finances after school. If you have trouble with any of these resources or navigating your federal student aid, contact my office by completing this form or giving us a call at 321-388-9808.

Recent News:

The Biden Administration announced in March, 2024 the cancellation of nearly $6 billion in federal student debt for thousands of public service workers. The 78,000 eligible public service workers include teachers, nurses and firefighters. Click here to learn more.

The Biden Administration has announced a three-part plan to help 153,000 working and middle-class federal student loan borrowers transition back to regular payment as pandemic-related support expires. This plan includes loan forgiveness of up to $20,000 for many people. Click here to see if you qualify and for more info.
The Department of Education has launched a series of webinars to help students and their families better understand changes to the FAFSA and general questions about federal financial aid. Learn more and find the next dates by clicking here.
There have been updates to income-determined payment plans for your loans. To apply for an Income-Driven Repayment Plan or to learn more about the new Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) plan, click here.
Check out Pro Tips for the 2024-25 FAFSA Form by clicking here.
For any issues with the new FAFSA Form in 2024-25, you can click here for updates and resolutions.

What I'm Doing for Students and Borrowers in Congress

We’re steadfast in our commitment to advocate for more inclusive relief options. Your access to a brighter future, free from the weight of student loans, matters. We want you to know that options and resources are available to assist you in this process as we continue to work with the Biden Administration and in Congress as we continue to push for more relief and lower education costs.

Student Loan Repayment Vote

I voted NO on H.J.Res.45, which nullifies the rule that suspends federal student loan repayments and discharges debt. This bill, which was vetoed by President Biden, would have forced Americans to start repayments of their student loans immediately. I am proud to have voted no and provide some relief to students as they navigate the repayment process.

Letters Sent in Regards to Students and Borrowers

On February 28th, 2023, I signed onto a letter to President Biden about the student debt cancellation benefits ahead of the SCOTUS hearing oral arguments led by Senator Schumer, Senator Sanders, Senator Warren, Representative Clyburn, and Representative Pressley.

On June 15, 2023, I, along with my Congressional Hispanic Caucus colleagues, sent a letter to President Biden expressing gratitude for the administration’s bold proposal to eliminate student debt for 43 million student loan borrowers.

On August 1st, 2023, I signed onto Senator Warren's letter to President Biden expressing disappointment over the Supreme Court’s decision to deny millions of student debt relief.

Resources for Current/Prospective Students

Getting Started

Free information from:

High school counselors
College and career school financial aid offices
Local and college libraries
U.S. Department of Education Federal Student Aid

Keep copies of all correspondence since you must reapply for federal aid each year

Parents of Students

Be on the lookout for savings plans and tips for affording college

FinAid for Parents
College Savings Plan Network, Section 529 plan

Beware of scholarship scams

Get guidance from the Federal Trade Commission

Know Your Deadlines

Ready to take your first steps in your college journey? Let’s examine what a typical process would look like for high school seniors.

NOTE: This is an average description of the application process. It could look different for you depending on when you apply, the school you apply to, and any special programs you apply to.

October - November

Create a CSS and/or Common Application account to send in your applications to different schools. Double-check your college application process; some small colleges use their own website for applications.

Check if your school has its own financial aid forms and fill and submit those.

If you are applying for “early admissions” or “early action,” check your deadlines, as they might be approaching soon. Finish your application and use school and library resources to review it.

Check your deadlines for any special programs that you will be applying for.

December - January

Obtain your and one or both parents' FSA IDs. It is optimal to get this done before FAFSA opens.

Fill out the FAFSA and state aid applications to obtain your deserved aid. Universities require all students to submit a FAFSA to obtain financial aid. The form opens in December; aim to have it filled out and submitted by January.

Many regular admissions applications have deadlines in early January. Make sure to double-check your deadlines and submit your applications in time.

Early Acceptances should hear back decisions around this time. Some schools might be different so double check on the school’s website.

February - March

After you’ve submitted the FAFSA, check your email regularly, as some colleges might ask for additional information.

College acceptances should start rolling in by now. Make sure to look over each letter of acceptance as they can detail important financial aid information and next steps.

Start applying for scholarships. Work with your school resources and local libraries to go over financial aid opportunities.

April - May

Compare your offers and decide what school is the right fit for you. If there is a school that you want to go to but did not give you enough aid, consider an appeal so the college can review your aid package.

May 1st is College decision day! Some schools might have different deadlines, so check with your school to find out when you need to submit a decision.

Start getting organized. Check out your school’s website and check any to-do lists and deadlines you need to do before starting at your school.

Summer

Make sure to pay your needed tuition deposit to hold your spot at your school.

It’s already time to start thinking about next year’s financial aid. Make a budget and a plan to renew your FAFSA in the fall.

Take a moment and breathe it all in. You are officially a college student! Congratulations!

Student aid and where it comes from

Don’t be discouraged by the sticker price of colleges. Financial aid options can significantly reduce the cost of college, but sometimes, it can be challenging to understand how much aid is available to you. Here are the two factors that generally determine who gets aid and how much:

Need
- Need-based scholarships are afforded to students who have a lack of financial resources to pay for colleges
Merit
- Merit-based aid is given to students who have an exceptional talent (sports, music, academics) or students who plan to pursue a certain career industry that would benefit a community or country (teaching, engineering, informatics)

Some students will receive a package that includes need- and Merit-based aid. To be awarded these scholarships, make sure to fill out the FAFSA.

Consider opening a tuition and college savings plan (Section 529). Learn more here.

Federal Student Aid

Federal student aid is a great resource for students. Nearly 70% of student aid from loans, grants, and federal work-study programs comes from federal programs.

These are available to all need-based applications, while some loans and competitive scholarships are non-need-based.

Here is some information from the United States Department of Education:

Federal Student Aid
Financial Aid resource publications

Loans are the most common federal aid awarded and are to be repaid upon graduation or when you leave college. Here are the types of loans given:

Stafford Loans (FFELs and Direct Loans) include:
- Federal Family Education Loans (FFEL) are from private institutions like banks but are guaranteed by the federal government
- Federal PLUS loans are parental loans and are not needs-based
- Perkins Loans are for the most needy undergraduates, and through participating schools

Here are scholarship/grant opportunities that are mostly need-based and do not require repayment:

Pell Grants
Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
For Veterans
- Education Benefits

Work-study programs allow students to earn money while enrolled in school. These programs provide undergraduate, graduate, and professional students with part-time employment. This is important to full-time or part-time students and is administered by your schools participating in the Federal Work-Study Program. Make sure to check with your school’s eligibility.

For questions not answered from the Department of Education’s website, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.

Florida provides some residents with scholarships, loans, and tuition exemptions. Here are some programs provided from Florida:

Florida College System
Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs

Check with your university, as they provide around 20% of aid to students.

What Is the FAFSA?

All students expecting to receive financial aid must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Filing the FAFSA opens the door to many financial aid opportunities, including aid from the federal government, the state government, the college’s own aid fund, and many private scholarships.

The FAFSA collects information about your family and how much your parents earn. The federal government aims to give aid to students who need it the most. Many colleges use this information also to estimate how much your family is able to pay for college and how much they will offer you.

There is a lot of aid available than more students and families think. The FAFSA was recently redesigned to be simpler and faster to take you step by step in the process. If you have an issue with the new FAFSA, please reach out to the Department of Education’s Ombudsman as soon as possible.

Here are some resources to help you along the way in the FAFSA process.

How Does the FAFSA Work?

If you are an undocumented student or have received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA), unfortunately, you cannot receive federal aid, and you do not need to fill out the FAFSA.

There are funds available to DACA and undocumented students from other sources.

FAFSA Resources

Pro Tips for the 2024-25 FAFSA Form
Department of Education FAFSA information page
Help with an issue with the new FAFSA Form in 2024-25
2024-2025 Helpful resources

Resources for Former Students/Borrowers

After college, the federal government offers ways to help you repay your loans. The program depends on your type of loan, when you made it, and whether it is in default.

In March 2020, many student loan accounts were paused due to the COVID-19 pandemic, including payments, interest, and collections. The Department of Education’s relief ended as of September 1, 2023, and payments restarted in October 2023.

Repaying your student loans can be confusing and tricky since many payments have been on pause for three years. I want to make sure that you have a smooth transition into repayments.

Loan Repayment Plans:

Borrowers have the option to pick a repayment plan that works with their budget. Here are the types of repayment plans:

Fixed Payment Repayment Plans
Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) Plans
Repaying Federal Perkins Loans
Consolidating your loans

Repayment plans based on income can lower your monthly payment. One new income-driven repayment plan, the Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan, offers 10% of your discretionary income (income after paying for your needs). The lower your income or the larger your family size, the less you’ll have to pay each month.

Debt Relief

Check your ways to qualify for loan forgiveness, cancellation, or discharge if you:

Are a Teacher
Are a Government Employee
Work at a Nonprofit
Are a Nurse, Doctor, or other Medical Professional
Have a disability
Repay your loans under an IDR plan and have been in repayment for 20 to 25 years

Preparing for Repayment

Borrowers should make sure that they have an active and updated StudentAid.gov account and updated contact information on their loan servicer's website.
- Borrowers can reference StudentAid.gov to see what kinds of federal student loans they have, how much they owe, and what the status of their loan is. This will be available on your StudentAid.gov Dashboard.
- Borrowers can also call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) for information about who their loan servicer is or they can find this information here.
- Borrowers should check to see if they are eligible to have some or all of their loans canceled.
  - Ways to Qualify for Loan Forgiveness, Cancellation, or Discharge:
    - If You're a Teacher
    - If You're a Government Employee
    - If You Work for a Nonprofit
    - If You're a Nurse, Doctor, or Other Medical Professional
    - If You Have a Disability
    - If you repay your loans under an IDR Plan and have been in repayment for 20 or 25 years
Review important concepts, tips, and recommendations for repaying your student loans at Repaying Student Loans 101.

Applying For Income-Driven Repayment Plans:

Borrowers need to apply for an IDR plan and can have a customizable walkthrough of the application process.

If you were on the REPAYE Plan, then you have been automatically enrolled in the SAVE Plan. You do not need to reapply or request to change your plan. Learn more on how to check what plan you are enrolled in.

As you enroll in an IDR plan, you will have the option to grant the Department secure access to your IRS tax information to make the application process faster and easier. Allowing this will streamline your annual enrollment in IDR and will automatically recertify for an IDR plan each year without recertification. You can expect enrollment to take several weeks for the application to be processed. A paper application is available if needed.

Florida Resources

The Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and the Florida Lottery have helped over 950,000 scholars and counting receive a postsecondary education through the Bright Futures Scholarship program.

The Florida Student Scholarship & Grant Programs website is here to help you by submitting a Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA), understanding state grant & scholarship opportunities, or seeing eligible institutions for state aid.

Interested in public service?

Federal assistance programs seek to encourage people to work in geographic areas or professions where there's a particular need (such as doctors in underserved areas); encourage underrepresented groups to enter a particular profession; and provide aid in exchange for services provided (such as military service).

AmeriCorps Education Award
Volunteers who complete one year of service receive an education award for current higher education expenses or to repay student loans.
Army Tuition Assistance
Additional benefits for Army personnel.
Indian Health Service
Scholarships for American Indian/Alaskan Native health profession students and loan repayment for persons working in IHS facilities.
Military academies:
National Health Service Corps
Scholarships and loan repayment for health profession students who agree to work in underserved areas.
Nursing Scholarships
Offered in exchange for two years of service in areas with critical nursing shortages.
Reserve Officers Training Corps (ROTC)
For students who want to be commissioned as officers after graduating from college.
USA Jobs: Welcome Students and Recent Graduates
Scholarships, grants, fellowships, internships, and cooperative education with federal agencies.