The FAFSA

The story: Sam’s FAFSA night

Sam and a parent sit at a kitchen table with a laptop, filling out the FAFSA and checking deadlines on a calendar.

1. Narrator: Sam plans to start at community college next fall. A friend says the FAFSA is only for four-year schools.
2. Sam: Is it worth filling out? And why do some websites charge for it?
3. Narrator: The FAFSA is free on StudentAid.gov. Never pay anyone to file it. Community colleges and trade schools use it too.
4. Adult: We each make a StudentAid.gov account. You fill in your part, then I add mine as a contributor.
5. Narrator: The form figures a Student Aid Index, or SAI. Schools use it to decide aid like grants and work-study.
6. Sam: And states and colleges have their own deadlines, so earlier is safer.
7. Narrator: File the FAFSA. It’s free, and it’s every year.

What you’ll learn

1. Free, every year

   The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It’s free on StudentAid.gov, so never pay anyone to file it. Students file it for each school year.

2. Almost everyone should file

   Most students heading to college or trade school should file, including for community college. It unlocks federal grants, work-study and loans. Many states and colleges use it for their own aid too.

3. How it works

   You and each contributor, like a parent, make a StudentAid.gov account and add your parts. The form figures your Student Aid Index (SAI). Schools use it to decide your aid.

4. Deadlines and special situations

   Federal, state and college deadlines differ, and some state aid runs out, so filing early helps. If you’re in foster care, homeless or can’t reach your parents, special rules and people can help. Some colleges also use the CSS Profile.

Key words

FAFSA

the free federal form for college aid

Also called: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Student Aid Index (SAI)

a number from the FAFSA that schools use to decide aid

contributor

someone, like a parent, who adds their information to your FAFSA

dependency status

whether the FAFSA counts your parents’ information (not the same as being a tax dependent)

Common questions

Do I have to share my family’s situation in class?

No. This lesson never asks about you. A school counselor or a college aid office can answer questions privately.

Remember this

File the FAFSA. It’s free, and it’s every year.

Try it: Put FAFSA dates on a calendar

1. Find the FAFSA opening date and your state deadline from the StudentAid.gov fact card.
2. Add both to a calendar, on paper or a phone.
3. Add one college’s aid deadline if you have a school in mind.

The whole mission; no account or app needed.

Live facts

Numbers that change over time, with when they were last checked and where they come from.

• FAFSA opening date and deadlines

  Source: StudentAid.gov(opens in a new tab)

• Fill out the FAFSA (free)

  Source: StudentAid.gov(opens in a new tab)