The 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available to students nationwide as part of a limited beta testing period, and Tennessee Tech University is putting students first with a free event to answer common FAFSA questions and take the guesswork out of the financial aid process.

Tech’s Office of Financial Aid will host its fall 2024 “Early Bird Tour” on Thursday, Nov. 21 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Roaden University Center’s Tech Pride Room, located at 1000 N. Dixie Avenue on Tech’s campus. 

The drop-in event will allow current and prospective Tech students to meet the Financial Aid team, get a head start on the FAFSA process, set up their student “Tech Express” accounts, and get questions answered by the university’s team of expert staff. 

Students can even complete an on-the-spot application for admission to Tech ahead of the university’s Dec. 15 priority deadline for scholarship consideration. All prospective first-time domestic freshman students who apply to Tennessee Tech at the event will have the $25 application fee waived. Students in attendance will also be entered in drawings for giveaways and prizes. 

“We know the FAFSA process can feel daunting for some students and families, but our team is here to help and make the process as simple and straightforward as possible,” said Mary McCaskey, Tech’s associate vice president for enrollment and student success. “At Tennessee Tech, it’s personal to us. We are here to answer questions and help guide students and their parents through the financial aid process so that they receive every last dollar of federal, state and institutional aid for which they are eligible.”

Tech is ranked as a “Best National University” by U.S. News & World Report and offers more than 200 programs of study. Tech grads leave with the least debt of all public universities in the state. In fact, based on total cost and alumni earnings, Tech provides students with the highest return on investment for any public university in Tennessee, according to PayScale.

Interested students can register for the Early Bird Tour at https://www.tntech.edu/financialaid/events.php and can contact the Office of Financial Aid with questions at [email protected].