--- title: How to Apply for FAFSA description: To fill out the FAFSA, start by creating a Federal Student Aid ID. Then fill out the form, watch for common mistakes and submit it to schools. authors: - name: Joanna Nesbit url: https://money.com/author/joanna-nesbit/ at_money_since: 2020 articles: 35 covers: - Education - Career Advice - Economy and Politics - Loans - Personal Finance former_staff: true - name: Kaitlin Mulhere role: Editor url: https://money.com/author/kaitlin-mulhere/ bio: Kaitlin Mulhere is an editor at Money.com. Since joining in 2015, she’s written and edited about a variety of personal finance topics, including banks, credit, student debt, saving strategies and more. education: University of Florida at_money_since: 2015 articles: 218 covers: - Education - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes social: - https://twitter.com/KMulhere - https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlin-mulhere-64503048/ editors: - name: Julia Glum role: Managing Editor url: https://money.com/author/julia-glum/ bio: Julia Glum joined Money in 2018 and specializes in covering financial trends that affect everyday Americans' wallets. She also writes Dollar Scholar, a weekly newsletter that teaches young adults how to navigate the messy world of money. education: University of Florida at_money_since: 2018 articles: 454 covers: - Education - Banking - Business - Career Advice - Credit - Credit Cards - Debt - Economy and Politics - Health and Wellness - Housing - Identity Theft - Insurance - Investing - Lifestyle - Loans - Mortgages - Personal Finance - Professional Services - Retirement - Shopping - Taxes - Technology also_seen_in: - Newsweek - International Business Times - CBS News - Good Morning America - WUSA9 - Pix 11 - The New York Times - Mashable - The Washington Post - CNBC - Politico social: - https://x.com/superjulia - https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-glum published: '2026-10-01T20:37:21.000Z' modified: '2026-10-01T20:37:21.000Z' section: Education tags: - College word_count: 2220 canonical: https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/ type: Article source: structured-blocks --- > **Disclosure:** We research all brands listed and may earn a fee from our partners. Research and financial considerations may influence how brands are displayed. Not all brands are included. [Learn more](https://money.com/page/disclaimer/). ![A treasure map with all kinds of college activities.](https://img.money.com/2021/09/College-FAFSA-Everything-To-Know-2021.jpg) ## Key Takeaways - The 2027-28 FAFSA is now available for students seeking help paying for higher education. Most undergraduates will also need their parents to fill out the form. - The federal deadline isn’t until June 30, 2028, but state and college deadlines will be much sooner. Submitting the application early is best since some aid is awarded on a first come, first-served basis. - You’ll use 2025 tax information to fill in this year’s form. For families with typical finances, the whole process should take under 30 minutes. It’s FAFSA season again — and this year, students got an unusually early start. The [2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid became available](https://money.com/fafsa-2027-open-early-changes/) last week, well ahead of its typical Oct. 1 launch date. The form is the gateway to billions of dollars of federal aid, and states and colleges also use it when awarding their own financial aid. For most families, filling out the FAFSA has gotten significantly quicker and easier in recent years. This year’s form — which is for students who will attend college or career school between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028 — features clearer language and more ways to invite family members to fill it out. Even if you don’t think you’ll qualify for need-based aid, it’s generally worth submitting the FAFSA since it’s also required for federal [student loans](https://money.com/student-loans/), work-study positions and even college-based merit scholarships. Here’s everything students and parents need to do to complete the 2027-28 FAFSA, in a step-by-step guide. ## 1\. Plan to file well ahead of the FAFSA deadline The FAFSA usually opens in the fall and stays open for about 21 months. So students can still submit a FAFSA for the 2026-27 school year until June 30, 2026, *and* they can now fill out the 2027-28 form until June 30, 2028. Who has to fill out the FAFSA depends in part on your dependency status according to the Department of Education. Dependent students, who are most students under 24, must provide financial information for themselves and their parents. Independent students, typically defined as those 24 and older or those who are married or have children, don’t need to provide a parent’s information. Despite the lengthy application window, experts always recommend students submit the FAFSA as early as they can. Several states, including Georgia, Illinois, Virginia and Washington, explicitly recommend residents fill out the form as soon as possible, since financial aid is awarded until the funds run out. Individual colleges generally have a priority deadline listed on their website — and everyone who files ahead of that deadline will have equal access to available aid. If you miss that deadline, you may still qualify for some awards, but the money typically becomes first-come, first-served. Even if you don’t get your application in early and you end up missing college or state deadlines, you should still file. [Pell Grants](https://money.com/workforce-pell-grants-changes-2026/) and student loans — which come from the federal government — can be awarded until the final deadline. ## 2\. Create your Federal Student Aid ID in advance You’ll fill out the FAFSA online at studentaid.gov. Before you can start the application process, you must set up an account to obtain a [Federal Student Aid ID](https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch), which requires a student’s Social Security number and an email address. It can take up to three days to confirm your account, so start this process several days ahead of when you plan to fill out the form. (Here’s a quick [video guide](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s3vaHft72cA) that walks you through the process.) One parent or guardian, aka “contributor,” also needs to set up a separate FSA ID with a different email account if you’re a dependent student. (“Contributor” is relatively new terminology used to describe anyone filling out the form. Students are also contributors.) The FAFSA will ask you questions that determine if you need a parent or other family member to contribute on your form. But it’s a good idea to have an idea who your required contributors are before the FAFSA opens. In some cases, like married parents who file taxes separately, both parents will need to create FSA IDs. For divorced or separated parents, the parent who provided greater financial support over the last 12 months has to fill out the form. If both provide equal financial support, the parent who earns more needs to fill out the form. (Note that this changed in the last few years; previously, the parent with whom the student lived most of the time was required to fill out the form.) Contributors’ FSA IDs allow them to transfer their federal tax information from the IRS to the FAFSA, as well as sign the form electronically. Even if a parent doesn’t have a Social Security number or didn’t file taxes in the applicable year, they still need to create an FSA ID to authorize consent to transfer their non-filing status and fill out their sections on the form. Consenting to have your information transferred from the IRS is a requirement that started with the 2024-25 form. Everyone must do it, regardless of tax-filing status, says Paul Martin, founder of [College Money Method](https://www.collegemoneymethod.com/). If contributors don’t consent to the online transfer, your FAFSA won’t be processed, and you won’t be eligible for federal financial aid. The parent contributor FSA ID requires a separate email address and date of birth. If a parent doesn’t want to or can’t create an FSA ID, there’s still an option to submit a paper FAFSA. But mailing a FAFSA typically adds weeks of processing time, Martin says. Make sure to write down and save FSA ID usernames and passwords. You and your contributor(s) will use the same FSA ID every year you fill out the FAFSA. (And parents with multiple children will use the same ID for each of them.) ## 3\. Gather your financial documents before filling out the FAFSA form You and your contributors need the previous year’s tax returns to file for next year — in other words, you’ll use your 2025 tax information for the 2027-2028 school year. After a [multiyear process to overhaul](https://money.com/fafsa-simplification-pell-grants-spending-bill/) and [simplify the form](https://money.com/fafsa-changes-2024/), fewer families will have to answer questions about assets, as most students from households earning up to $60,000 will be exempt and will not see those questions on their form. For families who do see these questions, you will report the current amounts of your assets and investments as of the date you sign the FAFSA form. Here’s what to collect in advance: - Federal income tax returns (if filed) from the previous year and W-2s (in case your situation requires manually entering income information into the online form). - Bank and asset statements for parent(s) and student showing the most recent asset information, including for checking and savings accounts, non-retirement investment records, parent-owned college funds for the student, real estate (but *not* your primary home), net worth records for a business or farm, and student accounts such as UTMA or UGMA accounts. Child support is counted as a parent asset and is no longer assessed as untaxed income on the FAFSA. It’s called out as a separate asset question, and parents should report the previous year’s amount, in this case from 2025. Also, students no longer need to report cash gifts or 529 plan distributions from relatives. If a parent’s income situation has changed since you filed taxes — because of a job loss, for example — you’ll still use the same tax return. After filing the FAFSA, contact each of your colleges to discuss your family’s changes and how to document them. ## 4\. Fill out all the FAFSA sections The revised FAFSA is “roles based,” Martin says, “and neither contributor will see the entire application.” Instead, each contributor will only see the questions for their own section — parent or student — and filling out the form will require two (possibly three) different logins, one per contributor. However, your family will likely still need to work together to fill it out. The “consent” page where you agree to the tax information transfer comes at the beginning of the form after your identity information. Any contributor can start the FAFSA. If you’re the parent of a dependent student and they start it, they can now send you an email or a text inviting you to fill it out. Alternatively, you can start the FAFSA to fill in the parent contributor information. In that case, use your own FSA ID to log in. Each person “submits” their own completed section. The parent contributor will see a question about family size. Martin says it’s OK if your family size doesn’t match your 2025 tax return. There’s a question that will ask about changes to family size; answering yes enables you to manually enter the correct number. For parents who recently divorced or separated, your 2025 tax-filing status may not line up with your marital status. The FAFSA will “put you on a path to manually enter your information,” Martin says. You can still submit the form online. ## 5\. Add your list of schools While you’re filling out the form, you can list up to 20 schools. Your FAFSA gets sent to schools at no cost, so list any of interest even if you haven’t applied or been accepted. You can add new ones later if needed. You’ll also need to include the federal school code for each college you list. If you live in a state that awards state financial aid, you should list any in-state schools first. ## 6\. Watch out for common mistakes Today’s FAFSA is much shorter and easier to navigate than it was in the past, but it can still feel formal and intimidating. Take your time reading each question carefully to avoid making simple mistakes, especially if you have a complex family situation or tax return. Use FSA’s virtual assistant (an owl named Aidan) in the bottom right-hand corner to ask questions, or select the question mark icon next to each line item for additional information on that item. Watch out for these particularly common mistakes: - Typos in the personal information section. Using a nickname, misspelling your name or mistyping your Social Security number can cause processing delays. Double check these entries. - Leaving blank fields. Fill a 0 or N/A to avoid miscalculations. - Listing a parent- or student-owned 529 account as a student asset. The student’s 529 account should always be listed in the parent section. Parents should list only one student’s 529 account, not those for siblings. Also, don’t include 529 plans owned by grandparents or other relatives. - Reporting retirement account balances (money in a 401(k), IRA or Roth IRA, for example). Money in qualified retirement accounts is exempt and doesn’t need to be reported. But money intended for retirement that’s stashed in a non-retirement account does need to be reported. - Including the home equity value of your family’s primary home. Don’t report this value. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators has additional tips and mistakes to watch for [here](https://www.nasfaa.org/fafsa_tips). ## 7\. Check your work before you submit the FAFSA application At the end of the student and parent section, you’ll each have a chance to review your information before signing and submitting. It’s an important step. Making corrections after you submit the aid application can be a pain and may even delay your financial aid offer. Proofread all your information and look for extra zeros on those reported asset amounts. ## 8\. Review your FAFSA Submission Summary and make corrections if needed The Education Department recently launched real-time processing, so most students can get their full FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly Student Aid Report), with official financial aid eligibility details, immediately. Others may have to wait for a day or two. Once the form is processed, you’ll see your Pell Grant eligibility and your Student Aid Index, or SAI. This figure — formerly called the Expected Family Contribution or EFC — is the key to all financial aid. Colleges use the SAI to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible for from federal, state and institutional sources. Your financial need is usually equal to a college’s cost of attendance minus your SAI. But keep in mind, many colleges don’t offer enough financial aid to meet needs. As you might expect from its name, the Submission Summary also summarizes all the information you submitted, though you won’t be able to see your income information. You can make corrections electronically at this time. However, if your income has changed from 2025, you’ll need to contact your schools’ financial aid offices to ask for a “change of circumstance” form. Finally, be aware that the Submission Summary is not the same thing as a financial aid award letter, which comes after you’ve been accepted to colleges. Those letters (from the colleges themselves) will break down the financial aid package a college is offering. It could include federal, state and institutional aid. ## 9\. Follow through on the verification process if selected Unfortunately, this is not the end of the FAFSA application process for every student. Some applications every year are flagged for an audit-like process called verification. If you’re selected, don’t assume this means you made a mistake. Some students are selected at random. Each college financial aid office handles verification on its own, but you’ll likely be asked for additional forms to support the submitted information. You might be contacted directly by one of your colleges. Submit the information as quickly as you can to avoid delays in accessing your financial aid. For most families, FAFSA is an easy process. It now takes a typical contributor about 12 minutes to complete their portion of the form, Federal Student Aid reports. If you need help while you’re filling out the form, watch [these videos](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLtr3wy4M_CJ2Hrd0UwCAWJOgOPu8l_ZLf) or try these [resources](https://www.ncan.org/Web/FAFSA/2027-2028-FAFSA/Federal-Student-Aid-FAFSA-Resources.aspx) from the National College Attainment Network. The Federal Student Aid Information Center also has a helpline at 1-800-433-3243. ## Compare Student Loan companies to find the right fit ### Cover up to 100% of your college costs ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/24903/medium_b6089714-807b-4b5a-88f9-defb35d74711.png) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/96e8546bb88b?bidid=4170823957&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=676977509&ptoken=2284667d9b74be62c449f09ed00e6667&apxa1=homepage) ### Apply online in minutes ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/29957/medium_1bf2c50c-d2fe-4492-bad2-f4bca2475954.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/98197406f20e?bidid=4170823955&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=676977509&ptoken=d0ee8d2bf3ae8a1711dbaaf7ef4746ce&apxa1=homepage) ### No fees ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38573/medium_5a7ddb75-a315-44cf-8526-1594057ec7d6.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/cadae5047341?bidid=4170823962&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=676977509&ptoken=88b6ca0a23c6c0eabbff5b26c82605e5&apxa1=homepage) ### Provides customized private loan options for students ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38575/medium_3b0e137f-8ec1-4f32-a340-85efa53e0aab.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/4e84c09eb53e?bidid=4170823959&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=676977509&ptoken=6b08e7b5528d0a84c740dd00cd5eec8b&apxa1=homepage) ### Rates starting at 2.99% ![View Rates](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/38576/medium_d3a42618-1276-44ce-95cf-561a8f89efa8.webp) Our Partner [View Rates](https://money.com/go/bbd7514834f5?bidid=4170823964&pmeta=p129-c550-u24512&ptid=676977509&ptoken=96b00dee4ae447857231ee4718e03bfa&apxa1=homepage) ## How to Apply for FAFSA FAQs ### Do I have to fill out the FAFSA every year? You should fill out the aid application every year you are enrolled. Even if you didn’t qualify for scholarships in the past, it’s worth submitting the FAFSA. Your financial profile could have changed, or your institution’s financial aid budget could have been adjusted. If nothing else, it gives you the flexibility to take out federal student loans or accept a work-study job. ### Can I file the FAFSA without my parents? Most students younger than 24 cannot apply without a parent’s financial information. To file the form without parents, you need to be classified as an independent student, which means you’re 24 or older, married or have a child of your own. Some student populations, like foster youth or students experiencing homelessness, are also considered independent for financial aid purposes. ### What if my parents refuse to fill out the FAFSA? You cannot be considered independent just because your parents will not fill out the form. Try explaining to your parents that filling out the form does not obligate them to pay anything toward your college degree. If they still will not cooperate, you’ll be ineligible for need-based financial aid, and you’ll only be able to borrow unsubsidized federal loans. You should explain the situation to your college to see whether there are merit scholarships you can apply for without parental input. ### Does the FAFSA cover trade school and short-term job training? Yes, so long as the school is accredited by the Education Department and the job training leads to a credential. Funding for these programs should grow dramatically in the coming years, thanks to the start of [Workforce Pell](https://money.com/workforce-pell-grants-changes-2026/), which opens up the need-based federal grants to short-term, skills-focused programs. ### Can graduate students fill out the FAFSA? Graduate students have to fill out the FAFSA to borrow federal student loans. Some schools will also require it for institutional scholarships. If you’ve secured a graduate assistantship or fellowship that is funded by the school, that is usually separate from the FAFSA. ![](https://s3.consumersadvocate.org/prd/image/image/24903/medium_b6089714-807b-4b5a-88f9-defb35d74711.png) Reach new academic heights with College Ave [View Rates](https://money.com/pr/y61180a308af?ap_referrer=%2Fhow-to-apply-for-fafsa%2F&apxa1=homepage) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "@id": "https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/#breadcrumb", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://money.com" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Education", "item": "https://money.com/education/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Student Financial Aid", "item": "https://money.com/student-financial-aid/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "How to Apply for FAFSA" } ] }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://money.com/#website", "url": "https://money.com", "name": "Money", "publisher": { "@id": "https://money.com/#organization" } }, { "@type": "WebPage", "@id": "https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/#webpage", "url": "https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/", "name": "How to Apply for FAFSA", "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://money.com/#website" }, "datePublished": "2026-10-01T20:37:21.000Z", "mainEntity": { "@id": "https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/" }, "inLanguage": "en-US", "breadcrumb": { "@id": "https://money.com/how-to-apply-for-fafsa/#breadcrumb" }, "dateModified": "2026-10-01T20:37:21.000Z" }, { "@type": "Article", "headline": "How to Apply for FAFSA", "articleSection": "Education", "image": [ { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://img.money.com/2021/09/College-FAFSA-Everything-To-Know-2021.jpg", "width": 2880, "height": 1920, "caption": "College-FAFSA-Everything-To-Know-2021" } ], "author": [ { "@type": "Person", "name": "Joanna Nesbit", "url": "https://money.com/author/joanna-nesbit/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/joanna-nesbit/#author" }, { "@type": "Person", "name": "Kaitlin Mulhere", "url": "https://money.com/author/kaitlin-mulhere/", "@id": "https://money.com/author/kaitlin-mulhere/#author", "description": "Kaitlin Mulhere is an editor at Money.com. 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