Students and parents must first set up FSA IDs to apply. You can do this NOW at studentaid.gov.
(Allow 2-3 days between FSA creation and FAFSA access)

The FAFSA will open October 2025 for the 2026-2027 tuition cycle. There have been changes to make the process less complex and easier to navigate. 

Everyone must click the permission box to allow their financial info to be transferred - including those who do not file taxes. This information will not be made visible on any portion of the FAFSA - it will only be housed within the FAFSA system and seen by the institution(s) to which the student is applying. This will cut down significantly on the amount of information that has to be entered manually.

Students whose parents are undocumented or whose parents have recently separated (since their taxes were filed), they will need to manually enter information. 

No Social Security Number? Follow the instructions when creating your FSA ID.

Estimated Financial Contribution (EFC) is now the Student Aid Index (SAI), which better reflects the output from the FAFSA as an index, not as a reflection of what a family can or will pay. SAI is no longer divided by the number of students in college. 

Pell Grant

• Determined by family size (# of people claimed as exemptions on taxes), family composition, and adjusted gross income (AGI)

• 2 ways to qualify: Poverty Table OR SAI - whichever gives them the largest Pell Grant

Navigating the FAFSA and RDS

Use the resources and videos below and visit CFNC's Financial Aid FAQs.