As the end of the school year hastily approaches, stress continues to build and completing tasks becomes more difficult and mentally demanding. For all college students, one of these factors is the ever-daunting student loans that linger in the background of our everyday lives. To help ease the stress that student loans cause, it is best to be well-informed and proactive.  

The most common form of student loans is done through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which is run by the United States’ Government. The application opens on Oct. 1 and should be completed as soon as possible before the closing date, June 30, for the following academic year. If possible, the application should be worked on with a parent or guardian due to questions regarding familial income, financial history as well as statuses. Some of these aspects can be skipped, but it is always best to answer them all.   

Lakeland’s Financial Aid office is always available to help current students with any struggles they may be facing during the payment process. Whether it be the FAFSA form or using the university’s site on CASHNet, the Financial Aid Office will do their best to guide students and give them the information they need. Tuition payment is on a per-semester basis, meaning that fall semester’s bill is due on Aug. 15, spring semester’s is due on Jan. 15, and summer semester’s is due on May 15. CASHNet allows students to view their statements, pay outstanding bills, set up payment plans and sign up for E-Refund.  

These applications can be accessed through my.lakeland by clicking on the Student tab. Here, there is a lot of information that can help students financially, including student accounts, health insurance, athlete health insurance, residence life and payment information. Financial Aid Student Access (Net Partner) is also found on this page, which is used for accepting awards, scholarships and other types of financial aid. 

Any questions or concerns about the financial aid or payment process should be emailed to [email protected] for further help and information.