The FAFSA Process

The FAFSA is the most important thing you will do to pay for school.

Completing the FAFSA is easier than you think. And, it's free.

Here's what you should do:

Prepare	Set aside time to complete the FAFSA. Know your individual deadlines. Gather the documents you need. Apply for a federal student aid PIN. Use the FAFSA on the Web worksheet.
Apply	Fill out the FAFSA online. Learn about other ways to apply. Renew your FAFSA each year that you need aid.
After You Apply	Understand Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Read your FAFSA results carefully. Make corrections to your FAFSA results. Learn about verification selection.

Did you know?

Your schools' financial aid deadline is often much earlier than the federal FAFSA deadline. Make sure you hit the earliest date.
You DO NOT need to complete your taxes to submit the FAFSA. Just use estimated income and tax data and make any changes after you (or your parents) file your tax return. You may later be asked to supply actual tax returns to verify accuracy of estimates.
More than 94% of students apply online. The online form saves you time, prevents errors, and has a faster turn-around time than the paper application.
Part-time students are eligible for most types of federal student aid. However, some federal, state-sponsored, and institutional programs require full-time enrollment.
Not all financial aid offers are the same. Check out Step 4: Compare schools' financial aid offers carefully.