KNIGHTDALE HIGH SCHOOL
OF COLLABORATIVE DESIGN
FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid
Every single student should apply for financial
aid, no exceptions!* Don’t fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) alone. Follow the six steps below, and use the videos for further assistance.
1) Go to www.fafsa.gov. One thing you don’t need in order to fill out the FAFSA? Money! Remember, the FAFSA is FREE when you use the official .gov site: www.fafsa.gov.
2) Choose which FAFSA you’d like to complete. The new FAFSA that becomes available on January 1, 2016, is the 2016–17 FAFSA. You should complete the 2016-17 FAFSA if you will be attending college between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Remember, the FAFSA is not a one-time application. You must complete or renew your FAFSA each school year.
3) Enter your personal information. This is information like your name, date of birth, etc. Make sure you enter your personal information exactly as it appears on official government documents. (That’s right, no nicknames.)
4) Enter your financial information. All of it. You should use income records for the tax year prior to the academic year for which you are applying. For example, if you are filling out the 2016–17 FAFSA, you will need to use 2015 tax information. If you or your parent(s) haven’t filed your 2015 taxes yet, you can always estimate the amounts using your 2014 tax return; just make sure to update your FAFSA once you file your 2015 taxes. If you have filed your taxes already, you may be able to automatically import your tax information into the FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. It makes completing the FAFSA super easy!
5) Choose up to 10 schools in which you wish to apply, and the necessary information will be sent over to them so they can calculate the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive. Make sure you include any school you plan to attend so your financial aid awards are not delayed.
6) Sign the document using your FSA ID. The FSA ID serves as your electronic signature, or e-signature. You’ll use it to electronically sign and submit your FAFSA. If you don’t have an FSA ID, you’ll need to get one. You can complete the process here.
If you have forgotten your FSA ID, you can retrieve it. If you’re considered a dependent student, at least one of your parents will need an FSA ID as well. If you or one of your siblings have completed the FAFSA after May 2015, your parent(s) will use the same FSA ID they used before. If not, your parent(s) may need to apply for a new FSA ID.
Click on the image above to access step-by-step videos forfilling out each section of the FAFSA. The application takes roughly 30 minutes to complete. Please see a counselor if you need assistance.
For more information on FAFSA conditions such as non-citizen
student eligibility or reporting parent information in cases of
divorce and remarriage, etc., visit Federal Student Aid.
FAFSA Overview
Filling Out the FAFSA
*NC is first-come, first-serve in terms of state-funded financial aid, which you apply for through the FAFSA (in addition to federal aid). The later you file, the less grant aid you will likely receive.
Source: US Department of Education
Source: The Regents of the University of California