Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) form is necessary for students to be eligible to receive federal student aid. We strongly recommend that your child (the student) start their own FAFSA form and complete their sections first to save time and prevent errors. We know that isn’t always how it happens, though.
Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free—and it’s for more than just federal student aid. States, schools, and some private aid providers also use the information you provide on your FAFSA form to determine your eligibility for their financial aid programs.
For details on what happens next, check out our “Steps for Students Filling Out the FAFSA ® Form” article. If your parent is a required contributor, share the “Completing the FAFSA ® Form: Steps for Parents” article with them. We cover step-by-step instructions for parents, including how they’ll accept the invitation to your FAFSA form.
After completing your first child’s FAFSA form, you can return to Step 4 and follow the same steps to enter and complete another child’s FAFSA form. Once you complete one child’s form, we’ll prefill some of your information on other FAFSA forms you’re invited to for the same school year.
The questions and answers that follow provide information about student financial aid for undocumented students as well as guidance for a specific group of undocumented students who have received Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA). We have grouped the questions and answers into two categories: “Eligibility for Financial Aid” and “Completing the Free Application for Federal ...
If you need help completing the FAFSA form, visit the FAFSA ® Help Center. You’ll find answers to frequently asked questions, help articles, resources (including videos, infographics, and webinars), and information on ways you can get support.
When you first create your FSA ID, the use of your FSA ID will be restricted to completing, signing, and submitting an original (first-time) FAFSA form. You’ll have to wait one to three days for your information to be confirmed by the Social Security Administration (SSA) before you can use your FSA ID for other actions, such as submitting a FAFSA Renewal or signing a Master Promissory ...