BOISE, Idaho (CBS2) — According to a recent news release, students applying for the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship now have until March 31, 2024, to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) rather than March 1.

The FAFSA is required to be eligible for the Opportunity Scholarship.

The Office of the State Board of Education extended the Opportunity Scholarship FAFSA deadline because students have ongoing problems with the U.S. Department of Education's new shorter version.

However, students must submit their Idaho Opportunity Scholarship application to the State Board office by March 1, 2024, to be eligible for the scholarship.

The U.S. Department of Education will not make student FAFSA information available to state agencies and higher education institutions until mid-March, so the timeline for scholarship awards will be tight.

"Students will either be notified that they will receive an award, or they will be notified via email that they have been placed on a waitlist," says the Board's College and Career Access Officer Sara Scudder. "We know this will be frustrating, but we are committed to notifying students of their scholarship status as quickly as we can, and it will be helpful if students apply as soon as possible even though the FAFSA deadline has been extended."

A link to the FAFSA form can be found HERE.

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