FAFSA
What is the fafsa?
The FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is used by the federal government to determine how much financial assistance a student's will need based on the information provided.
Create a FSA ID
An FSA ID is a Federal Student Aid Identification Account. This is used to:
Access the FAFSA Application (to complete the application and make corrections)
Sign FAFSA Electronically
Both Parents and Students need separate accounts
Keep track of your email and password for future use. This FSA ID will be used each year you complete the FAFSA.
Complete the FAFSA
See Needed Documentation Section directly below for details on what you need to complete the FAFSA
Be sure to complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Some Federal Aid is given on a first-come-first serve basis
The FAFSA opens every year on October 1st
Make sure you complete the FAFSA early. Many schools that give generous financial aid packages, typically give priority to students that apply early and FAFSA is a vital step in that process
Click here to access NITRO's step-by-step look at how to complete the FAFSA
Needed Documentation
FSA ID Account
Student FSA ID Account
Parent FSA ID Account
Social Security Number (SSN)
Student SSN
Parent SSN
Step-Parents and Domestic Partners Included
If the parent does not have a SSN, enter all zeros
Driver's License Number
If student does not have driver's license, that is okay
Tax Records from 2 years prior (Ex. If applying for fall 2023, use 2021 tax documents)
Parents and student (if the student filed a tax return) must submit their tax return
COVID-19: Most schools are aware that the financial standing of many families have been disrupted. If you reach out to the individual schools, they can direct you will what you can do to convey this change via their financial aid office.
Within the FAFSA application, there is an IRS Data Retrieval Tool that helps pull the correct tax information into the FAFSA application. *Please note that not everyone is able to use this tool, click here to learn more.
Untaxed Income Records
Asset (Money) Records
Click here to learn about student assets and parent assets
Student School Prospect List
Students may add up to 10 schools on their FAFSA school list.
Special Circumstance eligibility
If you are a student with a unique circumstance or background, please click here to see if you qualify for one of these programs.
After the FAFSA
Once the FAFSA has been completed, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). Click here to learn more about Student Aid Report
Verification
Some students are selected for verification. It can be random or based on information given on the FAFSA. If this happens, the school's financial aid office may request additional information to verify what is stated in the FAFSA. If you are experiencing any issues, please contact the schools financial aid office or FAFSA directly to see what needs to be submitted.
Financial Aid Award Review
Once the school has admitted you to the school, you will receive a financial aid award letter. Based on this, you can make a decision on whether attending that school is a financial fit.
Contact Resource
Customer Service Number: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)