February 20, 2026
HAMMOND and WESTVILLE, Ind. — Financial aid professionals will be on-site at Purdue University Northwest’s (PNW) Hammond and Westville campuses during the statewide College Goal Sunday programs on Feb. 22. The free event will take place from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. CST and will help college-bound students and their families apply for financial aid.
College Goal Sunday programs provide assistance to students in filing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA form is required for students to be considered for federal and state grants, scholarships and federal loans at most colleges, universities and vocational/technical schools nationwide.
The FAFSA form must be completed, filed and received by the federal processor on or before the state of Indiana priority deadline of April 15, 2026 to be considered for Indiana state grant funding. In addition, Indiana 21st Century Scholars are required to submit a FAFSA to claim their scholarship.
“Preparing for college requires time, effort, determination, careful preparation and planning on the students, parents or guardians’ part,” says Tanika House, associate director of Financial Aid at PNW. “Completing the FAFSA application is one of the most important steps to take to be considered for financial aid. College Goal Sunday is a free event with one-on-one assistance to help families complete their FAFSA application.”
The PNW Hammond campus event will be held in Room 200 of the Student Union and Library Building, 2200 169th St., Hammond, Ind. The PNW Westville campus event will be held in Room 241 of the Library-Student-Faculty Building, 1401 S. U.S. 421, Westville, Ind. Financial aid professionals will be available at both locations to answer questions and help students complete and file their forms.
Students age 23 or younger should attend the event with a parent(s) or guardian(s). Parent(s), if applicable, and students should bring completed 2024 IRS 1040 tax returns, 2024 W-2 Forms and other 2024 income and benefits information, including current investment and bank records and net worth of any business or investment farm. Students who work should also bring their income information. Students age 24 or older may attend alone. Students and parent(s) will need to apply for U.S. Department of Education FSA IDs (username and password) at studentaid.gov before coming to the event. Students, and parent(s), if applicable, will need an FSA Account to sign the FAFSA form.
College Goal Sunday can help Indiana 21st Century Scholars fulfill their pledge to submit a completed FAFSA form on time. Indiana 21st Century Scholars are income-eligible students who sign a contract in middle school promising they will graduate from high school, meet grade point requirements, fulfill a pledge of good citizenship and apply for college financial aid. Scholars who have fulfilled the commitment and demonstrate financial need receive state funds to help cover their college tuition and fees for up to eight semesters at eligible Indiana public colleges or an equal dollar amount at eligible Indiana private colleges.
Students who attend College Goal Sunday and submit a completed evaluation form will automatically be entered into a drawing to win one of five $1,000 scholarships. The winners will be notified in spring and scholarships will be sent directly to the higher education institution selected by the winning students.
“College Goal Sunday makes the process of filing the FAFSA application uncomplicated and less stressful by offering professional advice and assistance to students and their families,” says House.
College Goal Sunday is a cooperative, charitable effort of the Indiana Student Financial Aid Association (ISFAA), in cooperation with the Indiana Commission for Higher Education. The program, in its 37th year, is funded by Lilly Endowment Inc.
For additional information, visit pnw.edu/college-goal-sunday, email PNW’s office of Financial Aid at finaid@pnw.edu or call the offices at 219-989-2301 (PNW Hammond campus) or 219-785-5460 (PNW Westville campus). For more information on College Goal Sunday, visit the College Goal Sunday website.
About Purdue University Northwest
Purdue University Northwest (PNW) is a student-centered university that transforms lives through innovative education, impactful research and community engagement. Located in Northwest Indiana, near Chicago, PNW is recognized as a First Gen Forward Network Leader and an Innovation and Economic Prosperity University. PNW advances the socioeconomic mobility of its students and positively impacts regional development. For more information, visit pnw.edu.