If you’ve got a high school senior with big plans to attend college next fall, you’ve got your hands full with encouraging your student to finish strong and stay on top of graduation requirements plus looking ahead to submitting college applications, applying for scholarships, and completing the FAFSA. ®
You’ve probably heard about the FAFSA® but may be unsure what it is and its purpose. If so, keep reading.
What is the FAFSA® form?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Each year, over 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education.
Many states and colleges also use the FAFSA to determine which students get financial aid—and how much they’ll get.
Students can submit FAFSA forms through the mail or online but the quickest, easiest way to submit a FAFSA is to do so electronically.
FAFSA® Facts
- Submitting the FAFSA is the most important thing you can do if you want financial aid.
- The FAFSA is free—you don’t need to pay anyone to prepare it for you.
- You need to submit a new FAFSA before each academic year in which you want to get aid. If you plan to apply for aid throughout college, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA each
- Use a permanent email address on the form, not your high school email, so you can use your FAFSA account throughout college.
- The FAFSA is being simplified and redesigned in the fall of 2023 to make it easier to apply for federal student aid.
- Students in the class of 2024 attending college in the fall of 2024 and other students completing the FAFSA will not be able to complete it until December 2023 instead of October when it usually opens.
Webinar: Completing the New FAFSA®
With changes coming to the 2024-25 FAFSA under the FAFSA Simplification Act, our College Counselor will outline everything you need to know! Join us to learn more about:
- Roadmap to the simplified FAFSA
- Important deadlines
- FSA ID for students and parents
- How to complete the FAFSA
Sessions will be held on Wednesday, November 8, 2023, at 12 p.m. or 5 p.m. CT and a recording will also be made available for anyone unable to attend. Register for your spot today!