The FAFSA (Free Application for Student Aid) is a website where students apply for the Pell Grant, which is an income-based grant for college students that can be worth up to $7,000 per year!  Note, you must complete the FAFSA every year in college to keep this money coming!

FAFSA is usually available beginning in October of your Senior year. The deadline to submit is the following June. (If you are attending college the fall semester after graduation) The sooner you complete and submit your FAFSA, the quicker you will know where you stand financially and can make decisions regarding acceptance. Make sure you choose the FAFSA for 2027-2028 school year.

You AND your parent/guardian must BOTH have a FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. And you will need these ID's in the future! Write them down and keep them somewhere safe! When creating your account, DO NOT USE YOUR SCHOOL EMAIL. Be sure to use the name that appears on your social security card. 

Students will create their FAFSA account (seperate from the FSA ID) and will need the following parental information:

Parents will then recieve an invitation via email to complete their portion of the FAFSA. Your FAFSA is not complete without your parent(s) providing the requested information through the emailed link. 

You may also need to to have your tax return (if you filed) and your parent(s)' tax returns for the year 2025. Most likely this information will be pulled directly from the IRS, but it's a good idea to have the paperwork just in case. 

It is important to include your college destination in this application; the college cannot process the FAFSA if they can't see your data. You can add up to 20 schools, so be sure to include any colleges/universities that you are considering. 

Eligibility for several scholarships (ex. The Arkansas Academic Challenge) depend upon you submitting the FAFSA; even if you don't qualify for the Pell Grant.