Your Quick Guide to Filling Out the FAFSA

  • January 4, 2021

  • Read Time 3 mins

f you鈥檙e in the process of applying to college or renewing your financial aid for the next school year, you鈥檙e probably familiar with the term 鈥淔AFSA.鈥 FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is a form you fill out to determine eligibility for grants, loans, and work-study.

But how do you fill out the FAFSA? The form can be conveniently completed online! Read below to learn about what to expect and what documents you will need before you begin.

Step 1: Gather the information you鈥檒l need

Your financial information is used to determine aid eligibility. If you are a dependent, then your parent鈥檚 information will be used. Here is a list of information or documents you might need while filling out the form:

  • Social Security number
  • Parents鈥 Social Security numbers (for dependent students)
  • Driver鈥檚 license number
  • Alien Registration number (for non-U.S. citizens)
  • Federal tax information or tax returns
  • Parents鈥 federal tax information or tax returns (for dependent students)
  • Records of untaxed income such as child support, interest income, and veterans non-education benefits
  • Information on cash, saving and checking account balances, investments, and other assets

To make this process even easier, you may be able to use the IRS鈥 Data Retrieval Tool to automatically populate tax information into your form.

Step 2: Access the form

The FAFSA form is available starting October 1 of the previous year. This means that the 2021-22 form became available on October 2020. To access it you can visit聽聽or use the myStudentAid mobile app. If you don鈥檛 have a way to access the form online, you can request a printed version by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID.

Step 3: Fill out the form

For a preview of the questions on the form, you can read through the聽. Once you鈥檙e ready to start, access the FAFSA form and fill out all the required information. Here are some tips to avoid common mistakes:聽

  • Start early! Give yourself time to find require documents, check your numbers, and ask any questions.
  • Ensure you鈥檙e using the correct website! FAFSA is free to submit. If you鈥檙e asked to provide payment information, you鈥檙e not on the official government website.
  • Double check important fields such as Social Security numbers.
  • Use your legal name. The name listed on your FAFSA form should match that on your Social Security card.
  • Verify that your information is correct before submitting. Mistakes could cause delays or prevent you from getting aid.

For more information on what you can expect when filling out the FAFSA, please visit聽.

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WCU provides career guidance and assistance but cannot guarantee employment. The views and opinions expressed are those of the individuals and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or position of the school or of any instructor or student.