FAFSA® stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The results of the FAFSA® are used to determine eligibility for student grants (Pell Grants), work study, and types and amounts of subsidized or unsubsidized student loans. A completed FAFSA® may also be required for you to receive a scholarship from your institution. All students applying to college need to submit a FAFSA®. The State of Alabama requires all seniors to submit a FAFSA® or signed waiver prior to graduation.

The tips below are summaries of information gathered from https://studentaid.gov/.

Create My FSA ID

Start My FAFSA

Contact Federal Student Aid

WHEN should I complete my FAFSA®?

The FAFSA® for school year 2026-2027 (your first year of college) is now open!

The FAFSA® should be completed as soon as possible after it is released because federal aid is awarded first come, first served to those who qualify. Alabama does not have a set deadline by which you must submit your FAFSA® for given award year; however, the school you plan to attend may need it by a specific date to determine aid awards such as scholarships or other financial assistance.

The State of Alabama requires that seniors either complete the FAFSA® or complete a non-participation opt-out waiver prior to graduation. The waiver is available from your school counselor after the Alabama State Department of Education releases it for the current school year (usually shortly after the FAFSA® form releases).

2026-27 FAFSA Checklist.pdf

2026-2027 FAFSA CHECKLIST

Prepare yourself for the FAFSA by completing the items on this FAFSA® checklist.

What to do BEFORE completing the FAFSA®

Students need to create an FSA ID at StudentAid.gov. Contributors (most often one or both parents) must also create an FSA ID.

Click the documents below to access an FSA ID Worksheet with instructions included.

FSA ID Worksheet - Student Version.docx

Student FSA ID Worksheet

FSA ID Worksheet - Parent Version.docx

Parent FSA ID Worksheet

Click “Create Account” on the top right of the page and begin entering information. Each FSA ID must be created using a unique email address that cannot be shared with another individual. Do not use your school email address.

- - Enter your personal information – Each person creating an account needs to enter full legal name, date of birth, and social security number as it appears on your social security card.
  - Enter your log-in information – Create a username and password. Passwords may not contain any form of your name, address, phone number, or Social Security number.
  - Select challenge questions and provide answers – Provide the answers to challenge questions using information that you will remember (don't select questions where the answer can change).
  - Verify your account – Agree to the terms and conditions. Verification codes will be sent via text to your phone (if submitted) and to your e-mail address.
  - Save your backup code - This code can be used to access your account if other forms of verification are disabled.

*SAVE THIS LOGIN* – You will complete another FAFSA® every year that you attend college. Parents, you will be required to contribute information to your student's FAFSA® application each year until your student is considered independent.

Gather documents you may need for the 2026-2027 FAFSA®

- Tax returns from 2024 tax year (filed in 2025) - Most of this information will transfer directly from the IRS.
- Records of child support received
- Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
- Net worth of investments, businesses, and farm

Document: FAFSA® Checklist of Information Needed

IMPORTANT TAX INFORMATION

ALL contributors on the FAFSA® must provide consent and approval for a student to be eligible for federal student aid. With your consent and approval, Federal Student Aid can obtain your federal tax information automatically from the IRS to help you complete the FAFSA® form. If any contributor (student or parent) refuses to consent, the student will be ineligible for any type of federal student aid.

HOW do I complete the FAFSA®?

Visit STUDENTAID.GOV and log in with your FSA ID. High school seniors applying for college next school year are seeking aid for school year 2026-2027 (the first year you will be in college). Follow the step-by-step instructions provided online to complete your application.

Always ensure that you use the .gov extension of the FAFSA® website. If a website asks for a fee or charges you money to complete the FAFSA®, do not enter payment information – remember the first “F” in FAFSA® stands for FREE.

Dependent students will be asked to invite at least one parent to participate in the FAFSA form as a Contributor. Use the Parent Wizard tool at the link below to determine which parent to add as a Contributor.

Is My Parent a Contributor on my FAFSA®?

Use the Federal Student Aid FAFSA® Parent Wizard to determine which parent(s) must create an FSA ID to participate as a Contributor on your FAFSA®. TIP: Only enter the parent information that the FAFSA® Parent Wizard recommends when inviting a contributor. Adding unnecessary contributors can cause issues with your application.

Remember that a "Contributor" is a person who must be invited to participate in your FAFSA® and create an FSA ID to enter information. Each Contributor may be supplying information about others in your household such as another parent or stepparent if they are married and file taxes jointly.

When Contributors participate on your FAFSA®, they are simply providing information to support your situation - they are NOT agreeing to be financially responsible for your educational expenses.

Federal Student Aid FAFSA Parent Wizard

Getting HELP with the FAFSA®

- If you have questions as you progress through the application, contact Federal Student Aid for assistance.
- Help by phone is available at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
  Click here to find hours for the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC).
- You can also email or start a live chat on the website for assistance during your application. Most issues you have with the FAFSA® will only be able to be answered by Federal Student Aid.
- Your college's Financial Aid Office staff are available to assist you with the FAFSA® and can answer specific questions about the needs at that schools.
- You can also contact Alabama Possible at 334-316-6155 (call or text) or email algoestocollege@alabamapossible.org.
- Your counselor(s) and career coach will also gladly work with you to complete your application.

Career Coach Tip

Did you encounter an error or make a mistake early in the process that you're not sure how to fix?
You can delete your current FAFSA® as long as you have not yet hit submit to transmit the application. Once you have deleted the current application, you will be able to start fresh with a new version. If you have already submitted your FAFSA®, you must wait until Federal Student Aid processes the application before you can log back in to edit. If you simply completed a FAFSA® for the incorrect year, start a new FAFSA® using the correct form. Instructions on deleting your FAFSA® form.

What Happens AFTER Completing the FAFSA®

Documents:

What Happens After Submitting Your FAFSA Form

What Happens after Submitting.pdf

Your form should be processed in 1-3 days. Once your application is processed, you will be able to view your FAFSA® Submission Summary. In this summary, there are four sections that are described below.

Eligibility Overview - This section displays estimates of what types of Federal Student Aid you qualify to receive. It also includes the official Student Aid Index (SAI), a number used to determine federal student aid eligibility. The SAI is NOT a dollar amount of financial aid you will receive. Colleges and universities use this number to determine your amount of aid.
FAFSA® Form Answers - This section includes information entered for the student only (not contributors) and includes an area where corrections can be made. Corrections cannot be made until the form processes.
School Information - This section includes the institutions where you sent your FAFSA®.
Next Steps - This section includes the steps you need to take including places where you need to correct your FAFSA®.

The summary does not tell you how much aid you will receive from your chosen school(s) - each college you listed is responsible for creating your award package and disbursing your financial aid. Colleges where you sent your FAFSA® will use your SAI to create your financial aid offer that explains the types and amounts of aid they are offering you including federal and state aid, scholarships, and other types of aid. Most schools will wait to send you an aid offer only after they accept you for admission.

You can compare information from each college to determine which choice may be the best financial option for you based on these awards. You should contact the financial aid office at the college(s) you plan to attend to find out if there are additional requirements for receiving financial aid and to learn more about the process of applying for aid at that college. Make sure you follow through on any necessary steps to receive your financial aid package by staying in contact with your financial aid office at your college.

How-To Videos

Content below will be updated for the 2026-2027 FAFSA as soon as it becomes available.

Watch this video for instructions on Creating your FSA ID.

Determine Who Is a Contributor on the FAFSA in this video.

What Happens After Submitting Your FAFSA® Form?

For a Spanish translation at FAFSA.GOV, click Espanol in the top right corner. Para una traducción al español de FAFSA.GOV, haga clic en Español en la parte superior a la derecha.

For support in languages other than English, there is interpretation/translation support available in 60+ languages at 1-833-610-2590. Press "7" to reach an agent. Say "interpreter" plus the name of the language you prefer when speaking to this person.