The best valentine you send this month could be your financial aid application.

Feb. 14 is the mailing deadline for meeting the university's financial aid priority service date of March 1.

If you miss the deadline you will become ineligible for work-study programs and certain grants. The only forms of aid left are government loans and Pell grants, said Phyllis Bolt Bannister, director of Student Financial Aid.

"Missing the deadline puts students at a distinct disadvantage," she said.

The UA funneled $185.3 million of financial aid to 24,250 students in the forms of grants, scholarships, fee waivers, employment and loans during the 1994-95 academic year.

Representatives from the Financial Aid Office will be available to students at the "Free Scholarship Search" held in the Student Union's Cactus Lounge, Room 280, from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Feb. 13 and 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 14.

John Nametz, assistant director of Student Financial Aid, said this will provide a great opportunity for students to minimize the efforts in locating scholarship money.

Students can fill out College Aid Sources for Higher Education, or CASHE, questionnaires.

CASHE enters the applicant in a national scholarship database. Normally the questionnaire has a fee of $14, but during the two-day event the fee will be waived.

Students at the "Free Scholarship Search" can also use Fund Finder, a computer program that helps narrow down students' scholarship opportunities.

Fund Finder can otherwise be accessed just outside the door of the Scholarship Office in Old Main.

Bannister said, "This event is to encourage the current students to act in a timely manner so we better serve them in the fall."