FAFSA

FAFSA, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is a form used in the United States to determine a student’s eligibility for federal financial aid for college or career school. It is administered by Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, and is open to U.S. citizens and eligible noncitizens planning to enroll in postsecondary education.

Submitting the FAFSA determines eligibility for federal aid programs, including the Pell Grant, Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized Loans, and Federal Work-Study, as well as some state and institutional aid. Since the 2024-25 award year, the form calculates assistance using the Student Aid Index (SAI), which replaces the previous Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as the measure of financial need.

Applicants must complete the FAFSA annually. It can be submitted online at studentaid.gov. A Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) is required to sign the form, and much of the income information can be pulled from the IRS via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Federal deadlines are June 30 of the award year, though states and institutions may set earlier deadlines.

Eligibility is largely determined by citizenship or eligible noncitizen status, enrollment in an approved program, and financial need as calculated by the SAI. Dependency status affects whether parental information is included. Completing the FAFSA does not guarantee aid, and aid offers depend on the policies of the schools the student attends.

After filing, schools use the FAFSA data to assemble a financial aid package that may include federal grants and loans, work-study opportunities, and any state or college aid. Loan programs have fixed interest rates and terms and may require repayment after enrollment.