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NAMASTE
No stress. We are here to make FAFSA completion easier.
FAFSA FORM | HOME & LOGIN
Let's start with the basics.
Below are visuals of studentaid.gov to familiarize yourself with what to look for and how to create a new account and login.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | FAFSA FORM LANDING PAGE
FAFSA FORM LANDING PAGE
- This is the main FAFSA form landing page.
- This page directs students to "Start a New Form" or "Edit Existing Form."
- For the purpose of this presentation, the student is beginning a new application.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | LOGIN
LOGIN PAGE
- If the student selects "Start a New Form" from the FAFSA landing page and is not logged in to StudentAid.gov, they are taken to the “Log In” page to enter their login credentials.
- To access the FAFSA form, all students are required to have an FSA ID (account username and password).
- If students don't have an FSA ID, they can select "Create an Account."
STEP 01 | DEPENDENT STUDENT ROLES
To help prepare for the FAFSA, we have provided a preview of the FAFSA Form. Remember! Even if your state and school deadlines aren’t for a while, you should complete the FAFSA form as soon as possible. Some states and schools run out of financial aid early and have limited funds. So, don’t wait until the last minute to apply!
DEPENDENT STUDENT | ROLES
I AM STARTING THE FAFSA AS A
- After logging in, the student can select the applicable role to fill out the FAFSA form: “Student “ or "Parent.“
- The student selects “Student."
STEP 02 | STUDENT ONBOARDING
The Student Onboarding section provides a comprehensive guide to completing the FAFSA, including information on student and parent contributions, what to expect during the process, and follow-up steps after completing the FAFSA.
STUDENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 01
WHAT IS THE FAFSA FORM?
- When students start the 2024–25 FAFSA form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process.
- The first onboarding page provides an overview of the FAFSA form and an accompanying video.
- WATCH STUDENTAID.GOV FAFSA OVERVIEW >
STUDENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 02
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FAFSA FORM
- The second FAFSA onboarding page provides information about the different roles that may be required to participate in the student’s FAFSA form and documents that may be needed to complete the form.
STUDENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 03
WHAT TO EXPECT
- The third FAFSA onboarding page provides information about the types of questions the student can expect to see and how they can get additional help with filling out the FAFSA form.
STUDENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 04
AFTER SUBMITTING THE FAFSA FORM
- The last FAFSA onboarding page provides information about what to expect once the FAFSA form is completed and submitted.
- On this page, the student can select "Start the FAFSA form" to begin.
STEP 03 | DEPENDENT STUDENT IDENTITY
The Student Identity Information section includes your name, date of birth, etc. If you either completed the FAFSA form in the past or logged into the FAFSA form with your FSA ID, most of your personal information will pre-populate to save you time. Be sure to enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. (That’s right, no nicknames.)
DEPENDENT STUDENT | IDENTITY INFORMATION
STUDENT IDENTITY INFORMATION
- This is the first page within the student section.
- The student can verify that their personal information is correct.
- To update any of the personal information, the student must access their Account Settings on StudentAid.gov.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PERMANENT MAILING ADDRESS
STUDENT PERMANENT MAILING ADDRESS
- For fields related to the student’s mailing address, the student can edit them directly on this page.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | STATE OF LEGAL RESIDENCE
STUDENT STATE OF LEGAL RESIDENCE
- The student is asked about their state of legal residence.
- The student selects the state from a dropdown box and provides the month and year they became legal resident.
STEP 04 | DEPENDENT STUDENT PROVIDES CONSENT
Dependent Student must consent to retrieve and disclose Federal Tax Information (FTI). Student consent allows studentaid.gov to obtain tax return information from the IRS automatically. By providing consent, students become eligible for federal student aid, which includes grants and loans.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PROVIDES CONSENT
STUDENT PROVIDING CONSENT FOR FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION (FTI)
- This page informs the student about consent and their federal tax information.
- By providing consent, the student’s federal tax information is transferred directly into the FAFSA form from the IRS to help complete the Student Financials section.
- The student selects "Approve" to provide consent and is taken to the next page.
- If you decline consent and approval, you must manually provide your income information, and you will not be eligible for federal student aid.
STEP 05 | DEPENDENT PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
Tell us about your marital status, financial dependencies, plans for college, and any special circumstances that may affect your aid eligibility.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
YOUR PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCES
- This is the first page within the Student Personal Circumstances section.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | MARITAL STATUS
STUDENT MARITAL STATUS
- The student is asked about their marital status.
- The student selects the "Single (Never Married)" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | COLLEGE OR CAREER SCHOOL PLANS
STUDENT COLLEGE OR CAREER SCHOOL PLANS
- The student is asked about their college grade level for the 2024–25 school year and if they will have their first bachelor’s degree.
- For this example, the student selects that they will be a "First Year (freshman)" and that they will not have their first bachelor’s degree.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE
STUDENT PERSONAL CIRCUMSTANCE
- The student is asked if any of the listed personal circumstances apply to them.
- For this example, the student selects the "None of these apply" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES
STUDENT OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES
- The student is asked if they were homeless or at risk of being homeless.
- For this example, the student selects "No."
DEPENDENT STUDENT | UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES
STUDENT UNUSUAL CIRCUMSTANCES
- The student is asked if unusual circumstances prevent them from contacting their parent(s).
- For this example, the student selects "No."
STEP 06 | DEPENDENT STUDENT DEPENDENCY STATUS
The student is asked if they want the financial aid office to determine their eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan. This is an alternative option if the student's parents are reluctant to provide information and financial support.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | DEPENDENCY STATUS
STUDENT DEPENDENCY STATUS
- Based on the answers provided by the student, they are considered a dependent student.
- The student is asked if they want a financial aid administrator to determine their eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan only.
- This is an option if the student’s parents are unwilling to provide information.
- The student selects "No."
DEPENDENT STUDENT | ABOUT YOUR PARENTS
TELL US ABOUT YOUR PARENTS
- As the student is considered dependent, they are asked to provide information about their parents.
- The FAFSA form considers their “Parent” to be their legal (biological or adoptive) parent.
- The student is asked if their parents are married.
- The student selects "Yes" and is required to invite their parents to their FAFSA form to complete the required parent sections.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | INVITES PARENTS TO THE FAFSA FORM
INVITE PARENTS TO THE FAFSA FORM
- The student is asked to enter personal information about their parents to send them an invite to their FAFSA form.
- In this scenario, the student invites one parent.
STEP 07 | DEPENDENT STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
Dependent students will need to answer information about themselves and their parents. Some of these questions will help determine how much federal student aid they may be eligible to receive for college.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | DEMOGRAPHICS INTRODUCTION
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS
- This is the first view within the Student Demographics section.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | DEMOGRAPHICS INFORMATION
STUDENT DEMOGRAPHICS INFORMATION
- The student is asked about their gender identity and if they are transgender. The student selects their response from the options for both questions.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | RACE & ETHNICITY
STUDENT RACE & ETHNICITY
- The student is asked if they are of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin.
- They are also asked about their race.
- The student selects checkboxes to answer both questions.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | CITIZENSHIP
STUDENT CITIZENSHIP
- The student is asked about their citizenship status.
- The student selects the "U.S. Citizen or National" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT EDUCATION
PARENT EDUCATION STATUS
- The student is asked about their parents’ education status.
- The student selects the “No” option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY
PARENT KILLED IN LINE OF DUTY
- The student is asked if their parent was killed in the line of duty.
- The student selects "No" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION STATUS
STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL COMPLETION STATUS
- The student is asked about what their high school completion status will be when they start the 2024–25 school year.
- The student selects the "High School Diploma" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION
STUDENT HIGH SCHOOL INFORMATION
- The student is asked which high school they did or will graduate from.
- The student enters their high school’s state and city.
- After selecting "Search," they select the correct high school from the search results.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | CONFIRM HIGH SCHOOL
CONFIRM YOUR HIGH SCHOOL
- The student can edit the high school information presented on this page by selecting "Edit," which will return them to the high school information page.
- The student confirms their high school information and selects "Continue" to proceed to the next section.
STEP 08 | DEPENDENT STUDENT FINANCIALS
The FAFSA form assesses the student's ability to pay for college, including personal investments, real estate, and other assets, excluding financial aid and state/federal benefits.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | FINANCIALS INTRODUCTION
STUDENT FINANCES
- This is the first page within the Student Financials section.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | TAX RETURN INFORMATION
STUDENT TAX RETURN INFORMATION
- The student is asked questions about their recent tax return.
- The student enters a response in each entry field.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | ASSETS
STUDENT ASSETS
- The student is asked about their assets.
- The student enters a response in each entry field.
STEP 09 | DEPENDENT STUDENT SELECT COLLEGES
In this section, students can search and select schools they consider attending. Once the student has completed their FAFSA, the selected schools will automatically receive an electronic copy.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | SELECT COLLEGES
STUDENT SELECTS COLLEGES
- This is the first page in the Select Colleges section, which is the final part of the FAFSA form’s student section to require information.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | COLLEGE SEARCH
SENDING THE FAFSA TO WHAT COLLEGES
- The student is asked to search for the colleges and/or career schools they would like to receive their FAFSA information.
- The student searches for a school by entering a state, city, and/or school name.
- After selecting "Search," they select the correct school from the search results.
- Students can select to send their FAFSA information to a maximum of 20 schools.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | SELECTED COLLEGES
SELECTED COLLEGES
- The student can view which colleges and/or career schools they have selected.
- If the student has not selected 20 schools, they have the option to search and select more schools, and for students in some states, they have the option to change the position of their selected schools.
- When the student selects "Continue," they will have completed entering the required student information for their section and can proceed to review and sign their form.
STEP 10 | DEPENDENT STUDENT REVIEW PAGE
Students should review the information entered. Incorrect information could prolong the FAFSA process.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | REVIEW PAGE
REVIEWING INFORMATION BEFORE SIGNING
- The review page displays the student's responses in the FAFSA form.
- The student can view all their responses by selecting "Expand All" or expanding each section individually.
- To edit a response, the student can select the question’s hyperlink and will be taken to the corresponding page.
- Additionally, since the student invited their parent into the form, they see the parent contributor section and the status of their parent’s invite.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | SIGNATURE
SIGN AND COMPLETE STUDENT PART
- On this page, the student acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA form and signs their section.
- After agreeing and signing, the student is able to submit their section of the FAFSA form.
- Since parent information has not been provided, the FAFSA form is not considered complete and can’t be processed yet.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | SECTION COMPLETE
THE STUDENT SECTION IS COMPLETE
- Upon signing the student section, the student is presented with the student section complete page.
- This page displays information for the student about next steps, including tracking their FAFSA form.
- The student is reminded that their form is not completed and can’t be submitted until the parent completes the contributor section of the form and signs it.
- Next, the student’s invited parent will enter the FAFSA form and complete the parent section in this scenario.
STEP 11 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT EMAIL
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT EMAIL
PARENT FAFSA EMAIL INVITATION
- This is NOT a view within StudentAid.gov nor the FAFSA form.
- This view demonstrates a parent opening the FAFSA invitation from their email.
- The parent selects “Log In" and is taken to StudentAid.gov.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT LOGIN
PARENT FAFSA LOGIN
- The parent is taken to the “Log In” page from their email to enter their login credentials.
- To access the FAFSA form, all users are required to have an FSA ID (account username and password).
- If the parent doesn't have an FSA ID, they can select "Create an Account."
PARENT STATUS CENTER | MY ACTIVITY
PARENT ADDED AS CONTRIBUTOR TO DEPENDENT STUDENT FAFSA FORM
- After successfully logging in, the parent is taken to their “My Activity” page.
- The parent sees an invitation to be a contributor on the student’s FAFSA form.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO FAFSA FORM
PARENT CONTRIBUTING TO DEPENDENT STUDENT FAFSA FORM
- This page provides information about being a contributor on a FAFSA form.
STEP 12 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT ONBOARDING
The Parent Onboarding section provides a comprehensive guide to completing the FAFSA, including information on student and parent contributions, what to expect during the process, and follow-up steps after completing the FAFSA.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 1
WHAT IS THE FAFSA FORM?
- When the parent enters a 2024–25 FAFSA form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process.
- The first onboarding page provides an overview of the FAFSA form and an accompanying video.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 2
CONTRIBUTORS TO THE FAFSA
- The second FAFSA onboarding page provides information about the different roles that may be required to complete the student’s FAFSA form and the documents that may be needed to fill out the form.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 3
WHAT TO EXPECT
- The third onboarding page provides information about the types of questions the parent can expect to see and how they can get help in filling out the FAFSA form.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT ONBOARDING | SECTION 4
AFTER SUBMITTING THE FAFSA FORM
- The last onboarding page provides information about what to expect once the FAFSA form is completed and submitted.
- On this page, the parent selects "Start the FAFSA Form" to begin the parent section.
STEP 13 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT IDENTITY
The Parent Identity Information section includes your name, date of birth, etc. If you either completed the FAFSA form in the past or logged into the FAFSA form with your FSA ID, most of your personal information will pre-populate to save you time. Be sure to enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your Social Security card.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT IDENTITY INFORMATION
PARENT IDENTITY INFORMATION
- This is the first page within the parent section.
- The parent can verify that their personal information is correct.
- To update any of the personal information, the parent must access their Account Settings on StudentAid.gov.
- For fields related to the parent’s mailing address, the parent can edit them directly on this page.
STEP 14 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT PROVIDES CONSENT
The parent must consent to retrieve and disclose Federal Tax Information (FTI). Parent consent allows studentaid.gov to obtain tax return information from the IRS automatically. By providing consent, student eligibility is determined for federal student aid, which includes grants and loans.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT PROVIDES CONSENT
PARENT PROVIDING CONSENT FOR FEDERAL TAX INFORMATION (FTI)
- This page informs the parent about consent and their federal tax information.
- By providing consent, the parent’s federal tax information is transferred directly into the FAFSA form from the IRS to help complete the Parent Financials section.
- The parent selects "Approve" to provide consent and is taken to the next page.
- If you decline consent and approval, you must manually provide your income information, and the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.
STEP 15 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS
The parent will need to answer information about themselves. Some of these questions will help determine how much federal student aid may be eligible to receive for college.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS INTRODUCTION
PARENT DEMOGRAPHICS
- This is the first view within the Parent Demographics section.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT CURRENT MARITAL STATUS
PARENT CURRENT MARITAL STATUS
- The parent is asked about their current marital status.
- They select the "Married (not Separated)" option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT STATE OF LEGAL RESIDENCE
PARENT STATE OF LEGAL RESIDENCE
- The parent is asked about their state of legal residence.
- The parent selects the state from a dropdown box and provides the month and year when they became a legal resident.
STEP 16 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT FINANCIALS
The parent will need to answer information about themselves. Some of these questions will help determine how much federal student aid may be eligible to receive for college.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT FINANCIALS
PARENT FINANCIAL SECTION
- This is the first page within the Parent Financials section.
- It provides an overview of the section.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT FEDERAL BENEFITS
PARENT FEDERAL BENEFITS RECEIVED
- This page asks the parent if they or anyone in their family has received federal benefits.
- The parent selects "None of these apply."
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT TAX FILING STATUS
PARENT TAX FILING STATUS
- This page asks the parent about their tax filing status.
- The parent selects "Yes" to "Did or will the parent file a 2022 joint tax return with their current spouse?"
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT FAMILY SIZE
PARENT FAMILY SIZE
- This page asks the parent if their family size has changed.
- The parent selects the “Yes“ option.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT NUMBER IN COLLEGE
PARENT NUMBER IN COLLEGE
- This page asks the parent how many people in the family will be in college between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.
- The parent enters a response into the entry field.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT TAX RETURN INFORMATION
PARENT TAX RETURN INFORMATION
- The parent is asked questions about their 2022 tax return.
- The parent enters a response in each entry field.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT ASSETS
PARENT ASSETS
- The parent is asked about their assets.
- The parent enters a response in each entry field.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | OTHER PARENT INFORMATION
OTHER PARENT INFORMATION
- The parent is asked to provide information about their spouse or partner.
STEP 17 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT REVIEW
The parent will need to answer information about themselves. Some of these questions will help determine how much federal student aid may be eligible to receive for college.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT PAGE REVIEW
PARENT PAGE REVIEW
- The review page displays the responses that the parent has provided in the FAFSA form.
- In this scenario, the parent can only view responses within the parent section of the student’s FAFSA form.
- The parent can view all their responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually.
- To edit a response, the parent can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.
STEP 18 | DEPENDENT STUDENT'S PARENT SIGNATURE
Parents should carefully review the information entered before signing.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | PARENT SIGNATURE
PARENT SIGNATURE
- On this page, the parent acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA form and signs their section.
- Since all required sections are complete, the parent can both sign and submit the student’s FAFSA form.
STEP 19 | DEPENDENT STUDENT FAFSA CONFIRMATION
Congratulations! You have completed your FAFSA! Now you will receive your confirmation email, Notification of FAFSA Processing, and updates and notifications from colleges.
DEPENDENT STUDENT | FAFSA CONFIRMATION
FAFSA CONFIRMATION
- Upon submitting the student’s FAFSA form, the parent has an abbreviated confirmation page.
- This page displays information about tracking the student’s FAFSA form and next steps.
- The student will receive an email with the full, detailed confirmation.
- With the student and parent sections completed and signed, the FAFSA form is now considered complete and submitted for processing.
FAFSA SUBMISSION SUMMARY
The student will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary and will review Eligibility Overview, FAFSA Form Answers, School Information, and Next Steps. It is important to review and update any information that may need correction.
LANDING PAGE
LANDING PAGE
- The student receives a FAFSA Submission Summary for their processed FAFSA form and any subsequent corrections that they submit.
- The FAFSA Submission Summary is broken into four tabs:
- Eligibility Overview
- FAFSA Form Answers
- School Information
- Next Steps
- At the top, the student will see information about when their form was received and processed.
- They also have the option to print their FAFSA Submission Summary to keep for their records.
ELIGIBILITY OVERVIEW
ELIGIBILITY OVERVIEW
- On the Eligibility Overview tab, the student sees information about what federal student aid they may be eligible for, such as a Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loans.
- They are also able to view the Student Aid Index.
- Any amount of financial aid that is displayed on this tab are estimates and are not guaranteed.
- Final determination of the student’s financial aid eligibility is provided by their school’s financial aid office.
FAFSA FORM ASWERS
FAFSA FORM ANSWERS
- On the FAFSA Form Answers tab, the student sees the answers that they and, if applicable, their contributor(s) provided on their FAFSA form.
- If any of the provided answers are incorrect, the student can choose to start a correction.
SCHOOL INFORMATION
SCHOOL INFORMATION
- On the School Information tab, the student sees information about the college(s) and/or career school(s) that they selected to send their FAFSA information.
- The student can compare the graduation rate, retention rate, transfer rate, default rate, median debt upon completion, and the average annual cost of their selected schools.
NEXT STEPS
NEXT STEPS
- On the Next Steps tab, the student sees comments that pertain to their FAFSA form.
- Some comments may require the student to start a correction or send
additional documentation to their school. - Other comments may be informational and do not require any further action from the student.
MORE RESOURCES
MORE RESOURCES
- Lastly, along the right side of their FAFSA Submission Summary, the student can choose from additional resources, including visiting Aid Summary or College Scorecard.
QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE PLANNING?
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