Steps To Applying For Financial Aid

College cost are different for every student. You don’t know which school will be more affordable until you apply and receive multiple financial aid awards to truly compare.

1. Get an FSA ID.  You will need this for both you and parent (if considered dependent).  You can do this anytime and it is highly recommended to get the FSA ID BEFORE you complete the FAFSA.

2. PLAN!  Check with each school you are considering and find out their deadline. Most financial aid is “first come-first serve” so applying early is critical. 

3. Starting December the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is open for the upcoming academic year.  You must complete the FAFSA to be considered for financial aid at any college in the country.

   • Washington state undocumented students (students who are NOT US citizens, or “Dreamers”) can apply for State Need Grant and College Bound Scholarship by completing the WASFA instead of the FAFSA.  Click here for more information.

4. Reporting your income - The FAFSA will collect tax and financial information for both the student and parent(s).  The FAFSA application opens in October.  Income collected is from "prior, prior year". For example, 2024 seniors the  income collected will be from 2022.  Students and parents who filed a tax return will have the option of using the IRS Retrieval Tool, which will automatically import your tax information to your FAFSA application.   If you do not file a tax return and/or are not required to file a tax return, you will simply indicate that on your FAFSA application.  

5. Submit all additional required items by the school.

   • In addition to the  FAFSA, many schools will have an institutional form to complete that is required.  You need to check with the specific school to make sure.  For community college, they may request a Data Sheet.  In most cases your file is NOT considered complete until these forms are submitted BEFORE the deadline!  This a common mistake and can be crucial when trying to get as much grant funding as possible.

   • Verification - don’t assume you’re being accused of doing anything wrong.  Some people are selected at random; and some schools verify all students' FAFSAs.  All you need to do is provide the documentation your school asks for—and by the timeline requested.

   • Profile is an additional form required by some colleges and universities (mostly elite or highly selective schools). Click here for more information. 

6. Follow up - most schools will have a Portal or a way to check your status and make sure you file is complete.  The Financial Aid Office will also be in contact with you either through email or mail, so make sure you are checking and responding as soon as possible. 

7. Once your file is complete, the Financial Aid Office will receive all your information and send you the result of your application, or an Award Letter.  You will want to review (and compare with other offers) this information carefully and follow steps that are directed to either accept or decline.