If you’re a senior getting ready to go to college, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is crucial for securing financial aid for college, including grants, scholarships, and loans. Applications will open on December 1st, but before you begin the application process, here’s what you should do.
The first step in the process is gathering the required documents, which includes the Social Security numbers of both you and your parents (as the FAFSA is a federal program,) your driver’s license (if applicable,) your family’s federal tax returns, W-2s, and other records of income, bank statements, details of your bank accounts and investments, and records of untaxed income, such as child support or veteran’s benefits.
The next step is to create your FSA ID at fsaid.ed.gov. This ID will be used for all future interactions with federal student aid. Once your ID is created, you can start the FAFSA Application by going to the official FAFSA website at fafsa.gov and logging in using your newly created FSA ID. Select “Start a New FAFSA” and follow the prompts to enter your personal information. This information includes your Name, address, date of birth, etc.
After this process is complete, you can move on to school selection: List the schools you’re considering, and they’ll receive your FAFSA information. Answer questions to determine if you are a dependent or independent student. You can also use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) to import your tax information directly into the FAFSA form. This helps ensure accuracy and can simplify the process.
Once you’ve entered all the information, be sure to reread and review the forms before submitting. If you’re a dependent student, you and your parent must sign the FAFSA using your FSA IDs. Submit your FAFSA and make sure you receive a confirmation email. You can also check your FAFSA status online to ensure it has been processed. After submission, you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizing the information you provided. Review it for errors and correct any discrepancies. Your chosen schools will use this information to determine your financial aid package. Be aware of federal, state, and school-specific deadlines to ensure you don’t miss out on potential aid… don’t procrastinate! You must also renew annually, the FAFSA must be completed each year you’re in school to continue receiving aid.
Last year’s FAFSA opened in late December 2023– about two months later than the typical release date of October 1st., which caused widespread concern among students, parents, and colleges. Due to the delayed federal issuance of student aid reports, financial award packages from colleges were also set back, affecting decisions made by many students about where or whether to attend college in 2024-2025.
This year’s 2025-26 form will be launched through a new process. Starting on October 1st, the form will undergo a beta testing plan to receive feedback before a widespread launch. The U.S. Department of Education says they will, “…announce additional details about later beta tests and will provide information about how the Department will recruit participants, as well as how organizations can apply.” This phased rollout will open to all students by December 1st.
“We encourage students to fill out the FAFSA for a number of reasons. It’s financial aid that comes from the government, whether that’s grants or loans, and that’s your first course of financial aid. Colleges also want the FAFSA on file for scholarship purposes,” says Ms. Gill, OCSA’s college and career counselor. “Students ask me, ‘I don’t qualify for a grant, why should I fill it out?’ We encourage you to do it because things can happen, and you might need a loan… [federal student loans] offered at a lower interest rate than private loans.”
Now is the time for seniors to start preparing for wherever life will take them after high school. If you’re planning on attending college, federal financial aid starts here.
