Fall is the season for becoming financially ready to pursue a higher education. This starts with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) which opens every year on October 1st.
Upon completion, students will learn about their financial aid options to pay for college, including FREE grants and scholarship opportunities. Students must complete this application every year beginning their senior year in high school. The sooner you complete this application, the more money you can potentially receive.
Here are the 5 items you need to complete the FAFSA:
- WiFi Connection
To create and submit the FAFSA you will need a stable WiFi connection.
- Email Address
Make sure that you have a valid email address that you intend to check often.
- FSA ID
You will create an FSA ID once when you visit the FAFSA website.
- Social Security Number (SSN) *
This includes your SSN and your parent or guardian’s SSN.
*If you are an eligible non-citizen (permanent resident, individual seeking asylum or refuge) then your Alien Registration Number will be accepted. - Federal Income Tax Returns
You will need to submit information regarding how much money your parent(s)/guardians(s) have earned for the past two years.
The FASA offers a data retrieval tool connected to the IRS that will easily allow you to populate this information.
Watch this video for a step-by-step on how to complete the FAFSA.