Getting Help with Your FAFSA
If you're thinking about enrolling in college, now鈥檚 the time to complete your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). 黑料传送门 is here to help you navigate the financial aid process to help make our low tuition even more affordable.听
Keep reading for information and tips to help you fill out the FAFSA form. And if you need additional help, sign up for our听free FAFSA consulting service and听connect directly with a Financial Aid Counselor who can walk you through the process to complete your FAFSA.
Where to Start
Create an Account听 听
Before you start the FAFSA application you will need an FSA ID. This is a combination of a username and password. This ID gives you access to certain information online and allows you to sign your FAFSA form electronically. If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can .听
Tip: Make sure and enter your name and Social Security number exactly as they appear on your Social Security card when you create your FSA ID.
Determine Which FAFSA to Fill Out
You will also need to determine which FAFSA to fill out depending on when you plan to start your enrollment.听 The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form you fill out should correspond with the school year you鈥檙e planning to seek aid for:
If you need aid for July 1st, 2023 to June 30th, 2024 you should fill out the 2023-2024 FAFSA.
If you need aid for July 1st, 2024 to June 30th, 2025 you should fill out the 2024-25 FAFSA.
All applicants for federal student aid are classified as either dependent or independent.
- Dependent students report their information AND their parents鈥� information.
- Independent students report their own information (and, if they鈥檙e married, their spouse鈥檚).
To determine if you are a dependent or independent student,
Tip: If you鈥檙e a dependent student, it鈥檚 required that one of your parents whose details are recorded on the FAFSA form, . This allows them to electronically sign your FAFSA application.
Need assistance with an existing FSA ID login issue? .
If you or your parent doesn鈥檛 have a Social Security Number, .
Gather the Required Documents
There are you鈥檒l need to apply for financial aid, and it鈥檚 easier to complete the FAFSA form if you gather these ahead of time. Here are a few items to have handy:
- Your Social Security number (SSN).听
- Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen).
- Your driver鈥檚 license number.听
- Your federal income tax return.
- This includes IRS W-2 information.听
- You鈥檒l also need your spouse鈥檚 federal income tax return if you are married or your parents鈥� return if you are a dependent student.
- Records of your untaxed income.听听
- This includes child support received, interest income, and veterans noneducation benefits provided to you, or to your parents if you鈥檙e a dependent student.
- Information on your cash, savings and checking account balances, investments, and business and farm assets for you and for your parents if you are a dependent student.
Start the 2023-24 FAFSA Form and Provide Your Information
Once you have FSA ID, log-in as a student and then follow the steps to complete the form at
Tip: At the beginning of the application process, you can create a 鈥渟ave key鈥� which allows you to return to where you left off in your application.听 If you are a , the 鈥渟ave key鈥� will also allow you and your parents to access the FAFSA form if you are completing the application in separate locations.
Start the 2024-25 FAFSA Form and Provide Your Information
Once you have an FSA ID, log-in as a student and then follow the steps to complete the form at fafsa.gov
Tip: If you are , and are completing the FAFSA in a separate location from your parents the FAFSA form will prompt an email to be sent to their unique email address with instructions on how to complete their portion.听 To send the invite you need their legal name (from their Social Security Card); Date of Birth; Social Security Number (SSN) if they have one or a mailing address if they don鈥檛 have an SSN, and their email address.
The first section of the FAFSA form is the demographic section.听听 The student demographics and parent demographics are different, so check that you are completing the correct section for your circumstances.听
Tip: Enter your information exactly as it appears on your Social Security Card or Alien Registration Card to avoid getting an error code.
List Your Colleges听听
You must list at least one college on your FAFSA. The schools you list will use your FAFSA information to determine the types and amounts of aid you receive.
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黑料传送门鈥檚 school code is:
033394
Provide Your Financial Information
The FAFSA form asks for financial information, including information from tax forms and balances of savings and checking accounts.
- The 2023-24 FAFSA form asks for 2021 tax information.
- The 2024-25 FAFSA form asks for 2022 tax information.听
Tip: If your or your family鈥檚 financial situation has changed significantly from what鈥檚 reflected on your federal income tax return (for example, if you鈥檝e lost a job), you may be eligible to have your financial aid adjusted. Federal regulations allow limited exceptions or adjustments to information reported on your FAFSA. These exceptions or adjustments are known as 鈥淪pecial Circumstances鈥� or 鈥�Professional Judgment鈥� and are considered case-by-case based on the supporting documentation you provide.
IRS Data Retrieval Tool
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) electronically transfers your tax information into your FAFSA form. It鈥檚 the fastest, most accurate way to input your tax return information into the FAFSA form, and it can reduce the amount of paperwork you need to provide to 黑料传送门 later.
Here鈥檚 how the IRS DRT process works, assuming your tax information is available:
FAFSA consulting service can provide additional comprehensive help with the IRS DRT if needed. for help.
Frequently Asked Questions About IRS DRT
No. Information you transfer via the IRS DRT can鈥檛 be changed. If your financial situation has changed or you filed a 1040X amended return, contact 黑料传送门鈥檚 Financial Aid Office to discuss whether we need to adjust the information on your FAFSA form.
You can, but it鈥檚 not ideal. If you decide to reset your FAFSA form, your entire application or correction will be cleared, and you'll have to start the entire application or correction over again.
Yes. Tax return information that鈥檚 entered manually will be visible on fafsa.gov and on your Student Aid Report.
Sign and Submit Your FAFSA Form听
As you finish your FAFSA form, be sure to sign with your FSA ID so that your FAFSA will be processed as quickly as possible.
Tip: If you log in to the form by providing your FSA ID, you won鈥檛 be asked for it again when it鈥檚 time to sign. However, if you鈥檙e providing parent information, one of your parents will be required to sign your application.
Student Aid Report听
After you submit your FAFSA form, you鈥檒l get a听Student Aid Report听(SAR), an electronic or paper document that summarizes the information you reported on your FAFSA form. It includes your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), your estimated eligibility for federal student loans and Federal Pell Grants, and whether you鈥檝e been selected for verification. You'll get your SAR within three days to three weeks after you submit your FAFSA form.
Note: The term Expected Family Contribution (EFC) we be changed to the Student Aid Index (SAI) for the 2024/25 Aid听 year and beyond.
What鈥檚 Next?
If you鈥檝e been accepted at a school that you listed on your FAFSA form, the school will calculate your aid and send you an aid offer letter telling you how much aid you鈥檙e eligible for. If you鈥檙e offered financial aid and you accepted it, the financial aid staff at your college or career school will explain how and when your financial aid will be paid out.听
We're Here to Help
Sign up for our free FAFSA Consulting Service and connect directly with a Financial Aid Counselor to get additional resources and support in completing your FAFSA.
For other financial aid assistance, you can contact the Financial Services department at听1-877-435-7948 x3104.
