How to apply for FAFSA

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Students use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form to apply for financial aid for college or graduate school.  The FAFSA provides students with access to various funding sources based on specific eligibility requirements. Their expected family contribution (EFC) is calculated once the students completes the application.

WHAT IS THE EFC?

The Expected Family Contribute (EFC) is a monetary amount that is calculated after your student completes their FAFSA. It is the amount FAFSA anticipates your family can afford and is used to determine your student’s eligibility for financial aid.

FAFSA ELIGIBILITY

Here is a complete list of FAFSA eligibility requirements for federal student aid as set by the Department of Education:

• Be a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States.
• Have a valid Social Security Number. (Students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of Palau are exempt from this requirement.)
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate, or have completed homeschooling. If you don’t, you may still be eligible for federal student aid if you were enrolled in college or career school prior to July 1, 2012. Go to https://studentaid.ed.gov/eligibility/basic-criteria for additional information.
• Be enrolled in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate.
• Maintain satisfactory academic progress (above 2.0 GPA)
• Not owe a refund on a federal student grant or be in default on a federal student loan.
• Register (or already be registered) with the Selective Service System, if you are a male and not currently on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces. (Students from the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands and the Republic of Palau are exempt from registering; see https://sss.gov for more information.)
• Not have a conviction for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid (such as grants, work-study, or loans). If you have such a conviction, you must complete the Student Aid Eligibility Worksheet to determine if you are eligible for aid or partially eligible for aid.

 SIGN UP FOR FAFSA

To complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you will need:

• Your Social Security Number
• Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
• Your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
• Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
• Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
• An FSA ID to sign electronically.
• If you are a dependent student, then you will also need most of the above information for your parent(s)

CREATE AN FSA ID/CSS Profile

Student can sign up  up for the FAFSA on the site  https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa or download the app myStudentAid.  Students should create a FSA ID before they complete their FAFSA form.

• Find out if you need to file a CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE®. A college may require students to complete this application — or the college’s own forms — to apply for financial aid awarded by the institution.
• Complete the CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE, if required. If you need to submit the PROFILE to a college or scholarship program, be sure to find out the priority deadline and submit it by that date.

Students should use their guidance counselor or financial aid office for assistance.  You can search for scholarships and other programs for funding their education.