Millions in financial aid up for grabs!

June 22, 2020 Posted by NC Lottery at 3:08 PM

What if you heard that there was $89 million in prizes left on the table last year. Would you want a chance to win some of that unclaimed money?

How about $89 million in financial aid that help make college more affordable? Would you want your son or daughter to have a chance to win some of that cash?

Well, there is. About $89 million in Pell Grants was left unclaimed in 2019. And the way to get in on some of that money is to have your high schooler fill out a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year.

Last year, in addition to federal Pell Grants, the lottery raised more than $35 million, to help award scholarships and grants to North Carolina students based on financial need. The way to receive one of those scholarships and grants is to complete the FAFSA. Think of it like your free ticket to take home some extra cash for school.

As part of the lottery’s commitment to education, we have partnered with myFutureNC and its FAFSA Frenzy NC campaign this month to get the word out about the importance of filing the FAFSA.

Here's what you need to know:

This year, only 54% of North Carolina high school seniors have completed their FAFSA.
Students who complete the FAFSA are far more likely to attend a state university or community college.
Visit the FAFSA Frenzy NC website for help in getting a quick introduction to what students and their families need to file the FAFSA.

So, don’t miss out on your chance at affordable, or even free, college.

8 COMMENTS

7/23/2020 10:28 - Steven M.

Is any of this money available for older adults that need to return to school for retraining? Thank you in advance for your reply. NC Lottery
Hi Steven, There is no age limit to completing the FAFSA, so we encourage you to visit https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa/ to complete it and find out if you qualify for any financial assistance.

7/16/2020 01:22 - Melinda H.

What about letting some of that leftover education $ help young adults from middle class families who just barely make too much for Pell Grants or Subsidized ?????????? pay back college student loans! That would be nice! My daughter is walking around with $200,000 worth of student loans that she has been paying back since graduation. What about helping these young adults?NC Lottery
We hear you, Melinda. Legislators decide how to best use the money raised by the lottery. They must weigh all the needs for our schools, from classroom supplies to loan forgiveness. So far legislators have not opted to use lottery funds for that, but the money raised helps meet other important needs. While there might be different opinions on the best use of money raised by the lottery, that does not mean the way it is used today isn’t doing a lot of good.

7/08/2020 06:05 - Charles H.

That 89 million needs to go to people that have spent their hard earned money buying tickets trying to win big. It's funny that the majority of high school seniors aren't old enough to buy a ticket yet they get first chance at claiming a share of the unclaimed millions. I realize you're trying to do a good thing and there's nothing wrong with that. However, myself and others are just as entitled to a share of that money as they are.NC Lottery
We hear you, Charles. When the lottery was started back in 2006, it was done so with the understanding that a portion of lottery revenue would go to support good causes across the state. That said, lottery wins still make up the largest portion of revenue at 64%. You can learn more about how every dollar in lottery revenue is spent here: https://nclottery.com/Content/Docs/Annual_Report_FY2019.pdf

7/07/2020 09:44 - Lisa R.

I have applied for FAFSA. I have 2 kids in college. My daughter only received the unsubsidized loan bc I have 2 houses and one of those my brother lives in and he is disabled. I am a single mom making less than 13 an hour with an ex husband who owes more than 15 k in arrears ..... Tell me how I don't qualify for some of that???? NC Lottery
Hey there Lisa, The lottery does not make decisions on who qualifies for FAFSA assistance - we simply raise money and provide it to the state for that purpose. If you have questions about what you qualify for, we suggest you reach out to the folks over on the FAFSA website: https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact

6/25/2020 09:56 - Tatanisha P.

My daughter is going to be taking classes at ECC is it too late for her to apply? We didn't know about this last year when she went to ECC.NC Lottery
There's still time! The deadline to apply for the FAFSA is June 30. She can apply here: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa/

6/23/2020 12:27 - carolyn b.

MY EMAIL STILL HASNT BEEN FIXED YET I WAS IN TOUCH WITH ON LINE CHAT ON JUNE ST AND THE 10TH...WAS TOLD THEY WOULD EMAIL ME WHEN IT WAS CHANGED...STILL SHOWS A HOTMAIL ADDY...HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE 2 DO 1 SIMPLE THING ??????NC Lottery
We want to sincerely apologize for the inconvenience, Carolyn. We have reached out to our web team to find out what is causing the disconnect here and they informed us that there was a slight glitch with getting your email updated. Someone should be in contact with you soon to get this fixed.

6/23/2020 10:51 - Teresa S.

Good morning! Good reminder for FAFSA! I was also wondering how many entries there are, in the Hot Riches 2nd Chance Drawing? Thank you!NC Lottery
Hi there Teresa, So far the Red Hot Riches second-chance drawing has 164,685 entries.

6/23/2020 08:28 - Ricky S.

How about taking some of that money and putting it towards school supplies so the teachers and parents, especially the teachers, don't have to. That's if kids will actually go back to school this year. NC Lottery
We hear you, Ricky. We wanted to let you know that the legislature - not the lottery - makes decisions on how lottery funds are used. So far they have not opted to allocate lottery dollars to fund school supplies, but the money does help meet other important needs like school maintenance, scholarships, pre-k, transportation and support staff salaries.

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Millions in financial aid up for grabs!

June 22, 2020 Posted by NC Lottery at 3:08 PM

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