FASFA/TASFA Information

FAFSA Frequently Asked Questions

Pay for College

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) will become available for the Seniors on October 1st. Get help completing your application during a financial aid workshop at MHS - stop by the Go Center for workshop dates!

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• The FAFSA and TASFA are free applications that public and private colleges in the U.S. use to determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid, which may include federal and state grants, scholarships, work-study, and low-interest loans.

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• Most financial aid dollars are awarded to students on a first-come, first-served basis, so the sooner seniors apply to colleges and complete the FAFSA or TASFA, the better their chances are for receiving all eligible aid dollars to use towards college tuition and other fees. High school seniors can visit the campus Go Center or Counseling Office to get help completing the FAFSA or TASFA, and they can get started with the steps below.

  1. Determine if you need to complete the FAFSA or the TASFA.

     • Students should complete only one of these financial aid applications, not both. See the Financial Aid 101 flyer below to determine which application is the right fit.

  2. Gather required income and identification information.

     • See the FAFSA Student Checklist for details.

  3. Complete the 2020-2021 FAFSA or TASFA as soon as possible, and by January 15.

     • January 15 is the Texas state priority financial aid application deadline for many colleges and universities.

     • The FAFSA is available at fafsa.gov.

The TASFA can be downloaded and printed at collegeforalltexans.org.

FAFSA Resources

FAFSA How-To Videos | Check out these short videos for a visual overview of the FAFSA process.

Who Is My Parent When I Fill Out the FAFSA? | Find out with this handout or this image.

For the FAFSA, am I Dependent or Independent? | Find out with this handout or this image.

Order Your Tax Transcript | Colleges may ask for copies of tax transcripts (different from tax return forms) to verify income information listed on the FAFSA or TASFA.

5 Things You Didn't Know About Your Financial Aid Award | Like the fact that the FAFSA confirmation page is NOT your financial aid award.

Federal Student Aid Resources | Fact sheets and other tools to help students prepare and pay for college or career school.

Myths About Financial Aid | Don't fall for these myths about federal student aid!

Order Your Tax Transcript | Colleges may ask for copies of tax transcripts (different from tax return forms) to verify income information listed on the FAFSA or TASFA.

TASFA Resources

Collegeforalltexans.com | Download English and Spanish versions of the TASFA application and instructions.

Advising Undocumented Students | Check out each college's Financial Aid website for their TASFA instructions.

Six Things To Do After Filing The FAFSA

Review Your Student Aid Report

Review Your EFC

Make corrections if you need to

Review your financial aid history

Double check with your schools

Be prepared if you are selected for verification