FAFSA Resources

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

What it is:

  • The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. By submitting this form, you can be considered for federal aid money by way of grants (such as the Pell Grant) and loans (both subsidized and subsidized), as well as some need-based scholarships and programs within universities.

When to complete:

  • Complete this as soon as you can. The "deadline" is June 30th of your award year (2021-2022), but you should submit the FAFSA much sooner to have better chances of receiving need-based financial aid.

Why it's important:

  • This form is required in order to be considered for federal student aid. By not completing it, you are severely damaging your chances of receiving aid at your institution and making it more difficult to pay for higher education.

How to complete:

  • Before you access the FAFSA, you must make an FSA ID (Federal Student Aid Identification). This ID acts as your login to begin the application and your electronic signature to sign it at the end.

    • Visit FSAID.ed.gov to create your FSA ID.

    • Students and their parents/guardians MUST have separate FSA IDs!

    • If you lack the information to create one (such as a social security number), see Mr. Hines. There are other ways to sign your application.

  • You can complete your FAFSA by visiting FAFSA.gov.

    • Students or families are welcome to meet with Mr. Hines to complete their FAFSA applications.

    • We will also be holding financial aid nights throughout the school year. Make sure to watch for announcements!

Materials needed for FAFSA

  • If you are living with 2 parents/guardians in the same household, you must to provide information for both.

  • If you are unable to provide information for one or both of your parents/guardians, don't worry! You can still receive financial aid. Please come talk to Mr. Hines or a counselor about your options.

To complete FAFSA, have this info ready:

  • Student and Parent/Guardian's Social Security/Alien Registration Numbers

    • If the student/parent does not have an SSN, please talk to Mr. Hines about your options for aid.

  • The student's driver's license number (if they have a license with no restrictions).

  • Permanent personal email addresses for student and parent/guardian.

  • Parent/guardian's W-2s and tax return information from 2019.

  • Month and year of parents'/guardians' marriage/separation/divorce.

  • Estimates of household investments or assets (current total amount in cash, savings, checking accounts) if applicable.

How to Complete the FAFSA

RDS_FAFSA Handout.pdf

This handout by Mr. Hines summarizes the basic information about the FAFSA and provides a worksheet to help you collect information.

FAFSA Instructions ENG version.pdf

This document provides more detailed instructions to help walk students and family members through the FAFSA process.