The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the main application used to apply for federal or state-supported financial aid to pay for a college education. Completing and submitting the FAFSA is free, easy and provides you access to the largest source of financial aid available.
Financial aid covers expenses like tuition and fees, room and board, books and supplies, transportation and other college-related expenses. The FAFSA can be used to determine eligibility for:
Federal Student Aid – Pell Grants and student loans.
State Financial Aid – HOPE Scholarship and Grant programs.
Institutional Financial Aid – Institutional Scholarships offered by a college.
Private Financial Aid – Private Scholarships provided by businesses or other organizations.
For more information, view the FAFSA Overview and How to Fill Out the FAFSA videos provided by Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education.
The FAFSA requires students and parents (for dependent students) to create an FSA ID for security purposes. The FSA ID allows for e-signatures and access to your FAFSA data each year of college. Note: A parent can use the same FSA ID for each child completing a FAFSA. To create an FSA ID, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
When completing the FAFSA, you will be asked various questions about income, taxes, citizenship and residency. Here is a list of documents to have available that can help make filling out the FAFSA easier.
Your parents’ SSNs if they have SSNs and you're a dependent student
Tax returns
Records of child support received
Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
*Information taken directly from GAFutures.org 2024