LANSING — Students who want to be given priority consideration for state of Michigan financial aid programs should submit their Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, on or before March 1, according to the Michigan Department of Treasury.

The FAFSA is a critical step when applying for grants, scholarships and other forms of financial assistance. FAFSA submissions received at the federal processor on or before March 1 are given priority consideration for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship and Michigan Tuition Grant.

Students who wait to complete their FAFSA after the March 1 deadline may not receive all the financial aid they could have been entitled to receive.

Prior to completing the FAFSA online, the student and at least one parent must obtain a Federal Student Aid ID at www.fafsa.gov. This ID serves as a legal signature and confirms an applicant’s identity when accessing financial aid information through certain U.S. Department of Education websites.

To get started with the FAFSA, go to www.fafsa.gov. To learn more about state of Michigan scholarships and grant programs, visit MI Student Aid’s website at www.michigan.gov/mistudentaid.