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Student FAFSA Guide

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, known as the FAFSA, is your key to unlocking hundreds or thousands of dollars in aid to pay for college. If you’re a college-bound senior or a current college student, this guide is your one-stop-shop for all things FAFSA, including what to know, how to fill it out and how to troubleshoot common errors.

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Important FAFSA dates

For the 2024-2025 academic year
  • June 30, 2025: FAFSA application deadline.
  • September 13, 2025: Deadline for corrections and updates to your FAFSA.
For the 2025-2026 academic year
  • June 30, 2026: FAFSA application deadline.
  • September 12, 2026: Deadline for corrections and updates to your FAFSA.
For the 2026-2027 academic year
  • October 1, 2025 – June 30, 2027: FAFSA application timeline.

Keep in mind that individual states, as well as colleges, universities and trade schools, may have different deadline dates. Check with your state and school to make sure you meet the correct deadline. 

Some federal aid sources, like grants, are awarded first-come, first-served, so the earlier you fill out the FAFSA, the better.

FAFSA guide for the 2025-2026 academic year

Key changes to take note

  • SAI replaces EFC
  • No more sibling discount
  • “Contributor” used to denote anyone who will submit financial information
  • “Nonbinary” and “Prefer not to answer” options have been removed 

Student Aid Index

The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) to determine a student's financial aid eligibility and need in 2023, but schools had up until the 2024-2025 school year to make that change. With EFC discontinued entirely, all schools will use SAI for 2025-2026. 

Sibling discount

The sibling discount, which took into consideration how many siblings attended college simultaneously, is not available in SAI. Students with a higher financial need will get a lower SAI that can go as low as -1,500, which will increase their opportunity for grants and other aid.

New terminology

“Contributor” is a new term being used for any person who should provide personal and financial information on the FAFSA. This includes the student, as well as their spouse, biological or adoptive parent or their parent's spouse or partner, depending on their parent's relationship and living situation. Each contributor needs their own FSA ID.

Can only identify as male or female

Additionally, the FASFA form for the 2025-2026 academic year provides only two options for question #11, which is about the applicant's sex. The applicant can only choose male or female. “Nonbinary" and “Prefer not to answer” were removed in February 2025 to comply with the President's Executive Order. 

Students who have already submitted a FAFSA for 2024-2025 or 2025-2026 do not need to make any corrections. Students who have yet to submit their FAFSA or need to make other corrections will need to respond to the updated question with the updated answers.


Types of aid available through the FAFSA

By filling out the FAFSA, students gain access to potentially thousands of dollars through grants, student loans and more. 

Grants

Grants are a type of free money based on financial need. Federal and state grants are available through the FAFSA.


Features
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    Most common federal grant is the Pell Grant

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    Grants are usually awarded based on financial need

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    State grants may have early or different deadlines

Work-study

Work-study is need-based federal financial aid that lets students work a part-time job while still enrolled in school.


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    Work-study is awarded based on financial need

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    Work is usually related to the student's major

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    Jobs pay at least the federal minimum wage

Student loans

Federal student loans can cover thousands of dollars in academic costs, but they must be repaid with interest.


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    Federal student loans have no credit score requirements

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    Some loans subsidize interest while student is enrolled

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    Amounts depend on loan type and grade level

Frequently asked questions about the FAFSA


Completing the FAFSA

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What to know before filling out the FAFSA

From its opening date to its deadline, the time given to submit the FAFSA for each academic year lasts 21 months. Although you’ll have plenty of time to fill it out, it’s always best to do it as soon as possible, since some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

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What to know while filling out the FAFSA

A new FAFSA takes less than an hour to complete, while a renewal takes about 30 minutes. To fill it out, you’ll need your FSA ID, Social Security number or Alien Registration Number, driver’s license and most recent federal tax information. If you’re a dependent student, you’ll also need your parents’ (aka contributors') Social Security numbers and tax information. 

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What to expect after submitting the FAFSA

The Department of Education will process your FAFSA in three to 10 business days, then send both you and the schools listed on your FAFSA Submission Summary. Your actual award offers will be included in the financial aid award letters you receive from the colleges that accepted you.

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Completing the FAFSA if you have a nontraditional family

Many FAFSA questions center around who in the family needs to be included on the form, especially when the student comes from a nontraditional family. It’s important to understand what information is required, based on your particular circumstances and family dynamic. The Department of Education has a FAFSA Parent wizard that helps students identify who to include on their form. The following information can also help:

What to do if your federal aid runs short

Federal financial aid may not cover your entire cost of attendance, so it's not uncommon for students to turn to other resources when financing their higher education. 

Those resources may include:


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