FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form uses your family's financial information to calculate how much federal aid you may receive to help you pay for college. In Illinois, all seniors must complete the FAFSA or sign a noncompletion form (waiver) in order to graduate.
WHO SHOULD APPLY FOR FAFSA?
Anyone who is considering attending college or a trade program after graduation should complete the FAFSA. It does not matter if you will be a part-time or a full-time student. If you are not sure whether you will attend college after graduation, we still recommend that you complete the FAFSA earlier rather than later.
The FAFSA for students who plan to enroll in college for the 2026-2027 school year is scheduled to open October 1, 2025. You can begin the application process by visiting the Federal Student Aid website and requesting your FSA ID. Both you and a parent will need your own FSA ID. Once you receive your FSA ID (usually 24-28 hours later), you can open your FAFSA application and begin. Information that you will need to complete this process includes your social security number and other demographic information, and financial information such as income tax statements and bank statements for both you and your parents.
Is help available when I am filling out my fafsa?
Your counselors can help with general questions regarding FAFSA. If you would like more detailed information or have questions specific to your application, you can book a virtual appointment with an Illinois Student Assistance Corps here and they can help you to complete your application and answer any questions you might have.
WHAT IF I'M NOT GOING TO COLLEGE?
If you know with 100% certainty that you will not be taking any classes next year through a college or trade program, you can fill out the FAFSA waiver form, available either online or from the Student Services office. You may fill the waiver out yourself if you are over 18, or you parent can fill it out for you if you are under 18.
MY PARENTS MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY FOR ME TO QUALIFY FOR AID. CAN I JUST COMPLETE THE WAIVER?
We recommend that every student who is planning to attend college or a trade program (or even anyone who is just considering attending) complete the FAFSA regardless of your parent's income level. Income cutoffs change annually, and there have been a lot of changes this year in particular due to recent legislation on how aid is calculated. Having your FAFSA already completed is helpful if there are any major changes to your family's income situation between now and when you start college (for example, if a parent loses a job). Additionally, many scholarships require that families complete a FAFSA form in order to be considered.
WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO TO APPLY?
You and your parent will each need to complete two steps. The first step is to request your FSA ID. This is a short process that requires filling out a form online with your information. Usually, you will receive your FSA ID within 24-48 hours after your request is submitted. The second step includes entering additional information including your financial information on the actual FAFSA. Both you and your parent will complete a section of the FAFSA form. Typical information that is required includes tax information from the most recent tax year and financial information from bank statements, businesses, etc.
The FAFSA can be completed anytime before graduation, but we recommend completing it by December if possible. Because colleges and universities use the data from your FAFSA in calculating aid and awarding scholarships, it is to your advantage to have your FAFSA information available to them early in the process when they are making those allocations.