Binghamton, NY — State University of New York Chancellor John B. King Jr. recently participated in an event at SUNY Broome to kick off the opening of applications for the 2027-2028 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form.

During the event, prospective students and their families had the opportunity to learn more about the financial aid process and received one-on-one assistance from SUNY financial aid professionals.

According to a report by the National College Attainment Network, New York State’s high school class of 2024 students left almost $250 million on the table by not completing the FAFSA. Studies show that 90 percent of high school seniors who complete the form go to college directly after graduation, compared to just 55 percent of seniors who don’t fill out the aid application.

“There is a place at SUNY for every New Yorker, and financial aid is vital to ensuring every student can access an affordable, high-quality education,” said SUNY Chancellor King said in a news release. “Encouraging students to fill out their FAFSA form is part of SUNY’s commitment to supporting the success of New York State’s students at every stage of their academic journey. It was wonderful to join prospective students and their families, our FAFSA Corps members, and financial aid staff to highlight the importance of completing FAFSA forms.”

The SUNY Board of Trustees said, “Ensuring students understand what financial aid opportunities are available to them is an important part of making higher education more accessible. SUNY is proud to provide prospective students and their families opportunities to receive the resources and support they need to pursue a college education and reach their full potential.”

During the event, Chancellor King joined members of SUNY’s FAFSA Corps, which help prospective students complete the federal application for college financial aid, as well as College Access Ambassadors, financial aid staff from SUNY Broome and Binghamton University, and SUNY System Administration staff to highlight the benefits of FAFSA completion to the greater Binghamton community and encourage students and their families to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. The 2027-2028 FAFSA is now open. Students and families should visit SUNY’s website here to get started on their FAFSA application.

SUNY Broome President Tony D. Hawkins said, “Too often, we find that students skip the FAFSA because they believe they won’t qualify for financial aid, but nearly every SUNY Broome student is eligible for some form of financial support. Filling out the FAFSA is the only way to know for sure. Our sincere hope is that all students will complete the application, and take advantage of every available resource to make a college education affordable and attainable.”

Chancellor King also participated in a conversation with Brianni Valerio, a 2026 graduate from the State University of New York at Albany and former member of the SUNY FAFSA Corps, to highlight her work helping students and families navigate FAFSA completion, as well as highlighting her own experience with financial aid and the role it played in making her college education possible.

SUNY has multiple upcoming virtual events in English and Spanish for students and their families to navigate the FAFSA completion process. Upcoming events include:

· Tuesday, October 13 at 6:30 p.m.

· Tuesday, October 27 at 6:30 p.m. (in Spanish)

· Thursday, October 29 at 6:30 p.m.

To learn more about these workshops, or to register to attend one, visit: https://engage.suny.edu/portal/fafsa_workshops.