FAFSA Communication

The FAFSA process has been revamped for the 2024-2025 FAFSA form. The vibe is that it has been improved to streamline the application process and provide opportunities for financial assistance to a broader number of applicants. The FAFSA which typically opens on October 1 (for the following school year) opened at the end of December this year. General information about the FAFSA follows.

WHO SHOULD COMPLETE THE 2024-2025 FAFSA:

• Any student who will be continuing their education in Fall 2024 or Spring 2025 should complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA. A parent/guardian for the student will also participate in the FAFSA process by contributing their information on the form. Note: This includes students pursuing a 2 or 4-year degree as well as one who will be pursuing a certificate program (ex. CDL License, cosmetology certificate, etc.) 

WHY SHOULD A STUDENT COMPLETE THE FAFSA:

• It’s FREE to apply and one never knows what financial opportunities may be presented as a result of completing the application. Several factors are taken into consideration to determine the type and amount of aid a student may be eligible to receive. A student will NOT be eligible for FREE money without completing the application.

• Some colleges REQUIRE a COMPLETED FAFSA as a part of their application.

• Student-athletes are REQUIRED to complete the FAFSA.

• Students who plan to work on campus are typically required to have completed the FAFSA.

• Things change and though at the time of an initial application, one may not qualify for financial assistance, once the school year starts other funding may become available at the federal, state, or school level for students who have a FAFSA on file.

HOW DOES A STUDENT COMPLETE THE FAFSA

• CREATE AN FSA ID  

  • All “contributors” MUST create an FSA ID. A “contributor” is anyone who is required to provide information on the FAFSA form, sign the FAFSA form, and provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into the form. A “contributor” does NOT mean a person who is responsible for paying for college expenses.

  • Visit StudentAid.gov to determine who the contributors for your FAFSA should be. 

  • Click HERE to watch a very short video that walks a student and their parent/guardian through creating an FSA ID. 

• GATHER THE DOCUMENTS NEEDED TO APPLY

  • Check out the 2024-2025 FAFSA COMPLETION GUIDE.  It provides a concise list of all the things a student and their family will need to have readily available to complete the FAFSA.

• COMPLETE THE FAFSA

  • After the FSA IDs are matched by the Social Security Administration, the student and the parent/guardian should visit www.studentaid.gov, and complete the FAFSA for the year the student will be attending college.

  • Click HERE to watch a step-by-step video on how to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA.

  • Upon completion, the contributors should review the FAFSA Submission Summary and make corrections if necessary.

WHAT HAPPENS AFTER SUBMITTING THE FAFSA

• Next, the U.S. Department of Education processes the completed application. Upon completion, the student will be notified of any missing or incorrect information that should be reviewed and corrected as soon as possible. 

• The applicant receives a FAFSA Submission Summary, which is a summary of the processed data they submitted on the FAFSA form. Institutions of higher education listed by the applicant on the FAFSA form also receive a summary of processed data submitted on the FAFSA form which is called the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR).

• The colleges listed on the FAFSA form are responsible for creating the student aid offer and disbursing any federal student aid accordingly. 

• A student should contact the financial aid office at the college they plan to attend to find out if there are additional requirements for receiving student aid and to learn more about the process of applying for aid at that college.