What is the FAFSA® and why do I need it?
College prep is about more than the classes that you take. It’s also about developing the skills that will help you succeed in college. One of those skills is learning to make the most of the financial aid and programs available to you. Learning how to use your financial aid options can mean the difference between finishing college with tons of debt or graduating without owing anything. So, understanding how financial aid works is vital to your financial well-being.
To put it simply, the FAFSA is the application for federal student aid and it’s free to apply. The FAFSA is a form used by Federal Student Aid, a part of the U.S. Department of Education. They are the largest provider of student financial aid in the nation.
The information that students, or their parents, provide on the FAFSA is used by the federal government to calculate how much financial aid a student should get. It passes that information on to the student’s desired school or potential schools so the school can set aside an appropriate amount of financial aid for that student. It’s a “must” if you are planning to go to college!
FAFSA Overview from Federal Student Aid - US Department of Education
Who is Eligible for Financial Aid
To be eligible for federal aid, you must have a financial need, be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, and enrolled in an eligible degree or certificate program at your college or career school. To see the full eligibility requirements for federal student aid, please see Financial Aid Eligibility on the Federal Student Aid website.
See the FAFSA Eligibility infographic
Gather your Information Before You Apply
The FAFSA questions ask for information about you such as your name, date of birth, address, etc. and about your financial situation —your income and assets. The documents you will need to fill out the FAFSA application will depend on your situation. Please see the full list of documents on the Federal Student Aid website here.
Foster Care Youth
Youth that have been in foster care at some point after the age of 13 can apply for Federal Aid as an “Independent”. Youth from Foster Care, please make sure to indicate that you’re independent on your application to be qualified for the appropriate amount of funding.
When to Apply
You can complete the FAFSA early after it opens in October for the following school year. If you are planning to attend a college or university in the 2023-2024 school year, you can begin to apply now. It is best to apply earlier rather than later so that potential schools can get the information they need to calculate your financial aid offer and set those funds aside.
How to Fill out the FAFSA
See this video How to Fill Out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Form to learn how to fill out the FAFSA!
If you would like additional help to fill out the FAFSA, you can “Ask Benji”. Benji is your digital FAFSA assistant, designed especially for Arizona students. Text 602-786-8171 to get started!
Questions about dependency / independence from parents? Look Here… https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency
Appeals go to your COLLEGE financial aid office to consider special circumstances: Income Reduction or Dependency Overrides.
What School Are You Going To Attend?
Reach out to the Financial Aid office at the school you plan to attend - they can help you along the way and also may know about more opportunities for scholarships and programs for you! Find their contact information on their school’s website.
Help Over the Phone! Arizona FAFSA Hotline! Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm 1-833-AZFAFSA (English) or 1-833-MiFAFSA (Spanish) staffed by higher ed and college access experts from ASU, Be A Leader Foundation, AdviseAZ and AzCAN.
Grad Solutions students can reach out to School Counselor, Angela Chicci, at angelac@iwantmydiploma.com, if they have any questions.
