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THE FAFSA TOOLKIT | FOR PARENTS & STUDENTS

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT THE FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)
WHAT IS FAFSA?

It is the application that is required to be used by all schools in awarding federal and institutional student aid. Completing the FAFSA can qualify students for federal loans, federal grants, and federal work-study.

 
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SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT

Talk with RISLA's College Planning experts! They can answer any questions you may have and assist with the FAFSA completion process.

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COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP

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FAFSA DELAYED FOR 2023

The release of this year's Free Application for Federal Student Aid, also known as FAFSA, has been delayed by the Department of Education. This delay will affect both current college students and the high school Class of 2024.

Click to receive additional updates: FAFSA NOTIFICATION

HOW TO GET STARTED WITH YOUR FAFSA

PARENTS & STUDENTS MUST CREATE A FSA ID

For parents and students, having a FSA ID prior to starting the FAFSA is the fastest way to sign your application and have it processed. It’s also the only way to access or correct your information online or to prefill an online FAFSA form with information from your previous year’s FAFSA form.

FSA ID | CREATE AN ACCOUNT
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CREATE AN ACCOUNT


PRO TIPS

Required for Parent(s) and Students
  • First and Last Name: Must match exactly what is on your SSN Card
  • Date of Birth
  • Social Security Number: Parent(s) and student must have a SSN
  • Email Address: Email cannot be shared by parent(s) and student or used multiple times.
  • Physical Address
  • Mobile Phone Number
FSA ID | STEP 1 | PERSONAL INFORMATION
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PERSONAL INFORMATION

  • Parent(s) and Students: Enter your name, birthdate, and social security number.

PRO TIP

  • Remember it must exactly match your social security card! 
FSA ID | STEP 2 | ACCOUNT INFORMATION
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ACCOUNT INFORMATION

  • Parent(s) and Students: Create a username, email address, and password.

PRO TIPS

  • Remember to safely store your usernames and password!
  • Use an active, non-school email address.
FSA ID | STEP 3 | CONTACT INFORMATION
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CONTACT INFORMATION

  • Parent(s) and Students: Enter your current permanent address.

PRO TIP

  • Have your mobile phone ready when completing your FSA ID. You will have to verify your information via email and mobile.
FSA ID | STEP 4 | COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES
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COMMUNICATION PREFERENCES

  • Parent(s) and Students: Here you will choose how you will choose your preference of communication: by email or by postal mail. 

PRO TIP

  • It is strongly recommended to choose "by email".
FSA ID | STEP 5 | CHALLENGE QUESTIONS
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CHALLENGE QUESTIONS

  • Parent(s) and Students: This is information to retrieve your username and password.

PRO TIP

  • This information is usually personal. It is suggested that you take a screenshot of the information when complete or safely store the information to use when needed.
FSA ID | STEP 6 | CONFIRM & VERIFY
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CONFIRM & VERIFY

  • Parent(s) and Students: Confirm that the information provided is correct and edit if needed.
FSA ID | STEP 7 | ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | NOT VERIFIED
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ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | NOT VERIFIED

  • Parent(s) and Students: You will need your mobile phone, desktop, or laptop computer to receive an email verification.
FSA ID | STEP 7 | ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | VERIFIED
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ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | VERIFIED

  • Parent(s) and Students: You have been verified! When you sign in you will be sent a secure code to make sure it is really you!
FSA ID | STEP 7 | ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | BACKUP CODE
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ENABLE TWO-STEP VERIFICATION | BACKUP CODE

  • Parent(s) and Students: Safely store this code where you can access it when you can not use the two-step verification method.
FSA ID | ACCOUNT SUCCESSFULLY CREATED
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ACCOUNT SUCCESSFULLY CREATED

  • Parent(s) and Students: This is the final confirmation that your account has been successfully created and you can log in.
FSA ID | VIDEO TUTORIAL

 

FAFSA COMPLETION GUIDE

A step-by-step preview of the FAFSA form.

Take a detailed preview of the FAFSA form before you complete it for yourself. We have created a step-by-step preview of each section of the FAFSA. We have provided easy-to-read directions and pro tips from RISLA's College Planning Center team of experts.

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FAFSA COMPLETION GUIDE


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A FREE SEARCH TOOL FOR SCHOLARSHIPS

WHY SHOULD I FILL OUT THE FAFSA?

It's time to start applying for financial aid for college. This means, FAFSA season is here and can be overwhelming to many. So, let’s break this down into the basic need-to-know facts one by one.

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FACT 1

FAFSA IS FREE! 

FREE! It’s even included in the name.  Free Application For Federal Student Aid.

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FACT 2

FILING EARLY

Filing earlier is better.  You may receive your school's award letters sooner, leaving you with more time to compare all your school offers and research options to help fill the “gap” for unmet needs.

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FACT 3

INSTITUTIONAL AID

Used to determine more than just Federal Aid.  Schools require the FAFSA when awarding institutional aid if they are not requiring completion of the CSS Profile.

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FACT 4

WORK-STUDY

Determines eligibility for Work Study.  Federal Work-Study provides part-time jobs for undergraduate and graduate students with financial needs allowing them to earn money to help pay education expenses.

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FACT 5

YEARLY REQUIREMENT 

FAFSA is required to be completed yearly. Federal aid (including eligibility for Federal student loans) is granted on a yearly basis. Therefore, FAFSA completion is required for aid to be granted each year.

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FACT 6

RI PROMISE ELIGIBILITY

Determines eligibility for RI Promise Scholarship. Through the Promise scholarship, all Rhode Islanders coming right out of high school are eligible to pursue associate degrees at CCRI tuition-free.

COLLEGE PLANNING SCHEDULE APPOINTMENT
QUESTIONS ABOUT COLLEGE PLANNING?

Schedule an appointment with one of our experts.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR FAFSA

Money for college starts with FAFSA

Everyone should complete the FAFSA which can qualify students for grants, scholarships, federal student loans, and work-study.

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ACCOUNT BALANCES

Balances of checking & saving accounts for parent(s) and student.

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COLLEGE LIST

A list of schools that students will be applying to.

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TAX RETURN
Printed copies are required for parent(s) and student.
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W2 OR PAY STUBS

Printed copies are required for parent(s) and student.

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MARRIAGE & DIVORCE

Parents are required to provide the date of marriage or divorce. 

IT'S NEVER TOO EARLY TO START
COLLEGE PLANNING

If you need assistance at any point in the college planning process, free help is available.

Simply schedule an appointment with the RISLA College Planning Center. The counselors can walk you through every step of the way, help you access financial aid, and answer your difficult college planning questions.

For high school seniors, it's not to late, we can catch you up quickly with the college planning timeline provided below. 

5 MYTHS ABOUT FAFSA

LEARN MORE ABOUT FAFSA MYTHS

FILING YOUR FAFSA

A FEW MORE TIPS TO HELP YOU START TO FINISH
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FAFSA & DIVORCED

How to complete the FAFSA for divorced or special circumstances.

LEARN MORE

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8 FAFSA FACTS

What happens if your information changes or is incorrectly entered?

LEARN MORE

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FAFSA VERIFICATION

What to do if you are asked to verify your FAFSA.

LEARN MORE

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CSS PROFILE

Find out who needs to complete the CSS Profile.

LEARN MORE

ADDITIONAL INFORMATIONAL WEBSITES

RISLA PRODUCTS & SERVICES
COLLEGE PLANNING CENTER

Students and families can be overwhelmed with planning and how to pay for college.  We have experienced counselors that offer one on one assistance helping families understand all their options start to finish.

EDUCATION LOANS

We have been offering low cost, fix rate education loans for almost 30 years.  Helping students and families borrower responsibly to help achieve their higher education dreams.

REFINANCE

Refinancing may help you simplify and save when repaying student loans.  Combining outstanding balances, and securing a low interest rate with RISLA may reduce your overall repayment amount and possibly your monthly payment.

EMPLOYER REPAY

Employer Student Loan Repayment assistance is a tax-free benefit allowing employers to contribute towards the repayment of employee student loans.  This newest in-demand employee benefit helps reduce financial stress for employees while increasing retention and loyalty to employers.