What is FAFSA?

FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is the government form that determines your financial need to attend college.

You will need to have your income tax information for the past year to fill out the FAFSA. If you are a dependent student, you will also need to submit your parent(s) tax information as well.

Once you submit the FAFSA, the government will calculate as to how much your family can afford to pay towards college costs including tuition, fees, room and board, and books. This amount stays the same no matter the cost of the school you are attending. The FAFSA will determine whether you qualify for federal financial aid like Pell Grants and Stafford Student Loans.

The FAFSA is also used to determine the scholarships, grants, and work study programs that they will offer you as part of your overall financial aid package. Except for merit based grants that do not depend on financial need, the FAFSA report will determine how much money you will get from each college.

Warning:  FAFSA.gov is a safe and secure government website. The application is completely FREE, so please be cautious of any websites that ask for credit card information.

Important Changes to FAFSA Website!

Beginning May 10, 2015, the Federal Student Aid PIN will be replaced with the FSA ID. The new FSA ID consists of a user-created username and password to electronically access personal information on Federal Student Aid Web sites. Once FSA ID has been implemented, you will be directed to create your username and password.

What is an FSA ID?

An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. Your FSA ID identifies you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) at fafsa.gov.

If you are a parent of a dependent student, you will need your own FSA ID if you want to sign your child's FAFSA electronically. If you have more than one child attending college, you can use the same FSA ID to sign all applications. Please note: Each FSA ID user must have a unique e-mail address.

Your FSA ID is used to sign legally binding documents electronically. It has the same legal status as a written signature. Don't give your FSA ID to anyone—not even to someone helping you fill out the FAFSA. Sharing your FSA ID could put you at risk of identity theft!

What happened to the Federal Student Aid PIN?

The FSA ID replaces the Federal Student Aid PIN. If you already have a PIN, you can link your information to your new FSA ID by entering your PIN while registering for your FSA ID. (This will save you time when registering for your FSA ID.) However, a PIN is not required to create an FSA ID.

How do I create an FSA ID?

Step 1: Login to the FAFSA website and click the link to create an FSA ID.

Step 2: Create a username and password, and enter your email address.

Step 3: Enter your name, DOB, SSN, contact information, and challenge questions and answers.

Step 4: Review your information, and read and accept the terms and conditions.

Step 6: Confirm your email address and phone number using the secure code, which will be sent to the email address you entered when you created your FSA ID. Once you verify your email address, you can use it instead of your username to login to the website.

Please contact the financial aid office with any questions.