Commonwealth of Virginia Students Can Now Make The First Financial Aid Request

Virginia is one of three states that will go first nationally by using the MyAidAwards AI assisted student aid program.

RICHMOND, VA, UNITED STATES, September 4, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Virginia will be among three states participating in the initial introduction of MyAidAwards, an AI-assisted financial aid planning program intended to help students evaluate college affordability earlier in the enrollment process.

Beginning with the 2027 student aid cycle, participating Virginia high school seniors will be able to prepare recommended financial aid requests for as many as five selected private four-year colleges. The requests will provide colleges with information about the combination of financial aid, student borrowing and family contributions that the student believes would make attendance financially possible.

The program is designed to supplement—not replace—the financial aid review conducted by colleges. A MyAidAwards request is not an official financial aid award, an offer of admission or a commitment by the receiving institution. Colleges may review the request, correct information derived from public sources and determine whether the proposed financial plan is consistent with institutional policies and available resources.

Students will begin the process after completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, and receiving their FAFSA Submission Summary. They will enter selected information from that summary into the MyAidAwards platform and choose up to five colleges from a group of 23 Virginia private institutions included in the program.

MyAidAwards uses the student-provided information together with publicly available federal, state and institutional data. The resulting calculations may include estimated federal and state grants, student loans, family contributions and institutional assistance. Students can then review the estimated results through a graphic comparison and side-by-side table.

At the student’s direction, the program will generate a letter asking each selected college to review the recommended financial aid request. The letter also asks the institution to identify outdated information, correct calculation errors and indicate whether the proposed funding approach appears workable.

The purpose of the process is to give students an earlier opportunity to consider the direct cost of attendance, including tuition, required fees and, when applicable, room and board. Students may use the information when deciding whether to apply, schedule a campus visit or continue considering a particular institution.

The program may also give high school counselors an additional tool for discussing FAFSA completion, borrowing limits, family financial expectations and the difference between estimated financial aid and an official institutional award.

Virginia high school counselors will be invited to provide students with access to MyAidAwards during October 2026, the opening month of the 2027 financial aid cycle. Student access through participating counselors will be available without charge during that period.

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Tony McGeorge
My College Costs
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tony@mycollegecosts.com
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