Complete the FAFSA
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in the financial aid process and gives you access to federal grants, student loans, and work-study.
The sooner you fill out your FAFSA, the better. Many types of financial aid are distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis, so it’s to your advantage to file as early as possible. Check with your college and file in time to meet the earliest deadline.
You must complete a FAFSA every school year.
Get Your Studentaid.gov Account (FSA ID)
Visit http://www.studentaid.gov
- The studentaid.gov account (FSA ID) allows you to access and sign the FAFSA. Everyone who will contribute information on the FAFSA (students and parent(s)) will need their own studentaid.gov account.
- Creating a studentaid.gov account is easy and takes less than 15 minutes. Click here for a full video on the quick and easy process.
Gather This Information
- Your Social Security Number
- Your A-Number (if you're not a U.S. citizen)
- Federal income tax returns, records of child support received; and your current balance of cash, savings, and checking accounts (Note: You must provide consent and approval to disclose your federal tax information to be eligible for federal student aid)
- Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable), net worth of investments, businesses, and farms
- Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
- An FSA ID (account username and password) to log in to StudentAid.gov and start the FAFSA form electronically
Use the IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX)
All FAFSA contributors are now required to consent to the IRS Direct Data Exchange. This new feature allows FSA to use information from previous tax returns on the FAFSA form. This helps simplify the application process for students and reduce the number of potential errors.
What Happens Next
- You’ll get a Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizing your FAFSA and indicating your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Review it and make any corrections needed.
- Watch for email notices. HESC will email news to you about your TAP application and award status or ask for more information.
- After you are accepted at college, you’ll get an award letter from your college showing the financial aid you can expect if you attend that school. Consider the options outlined in the letter including grants, scholarships, loans and work-study programs.
- Talk to a financial aid professional at the college if you have any questions about your financial aid award letter. You should accept or decline the aid package by the deadline and complete any other forms required by the school.
Beware!
The FAFSA is a free application. Be wary of organizations that charge a fee to find you money for school.