FAFSA Submission Support Resources
Adaptable, ready-to-use content to encourage FAFSA submissions
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Need help communicating with students and families about the FAFSA delay?
See the “Communication Resources” section below for starter content.
Year two of the FAFSA change and rollout challenges will have major impacts on your prospective and returning students and their families, and subsequently, your communication and financial aid strategy.
The planned incremental rollout should make the FAFSA easier to complete, and hopefully, increase the number of filings, as well as expand access to Pell Grants. But for this to happen, families need to be made aware of these upcoming changes.
Our student communication and financial aid experts are creating a suite of adaptable, ready-to-use content you can use on your website and in your communications stream to walk students and families through the changes and encourage FAFSA submissions, as well as a training toolkit to help onboard financial aid associates to your team.
These tools are being added as more information becomes available. Please check back often for the latest materials.
To make the submission resources easy to use, we made them available with:
- Pre-built logo and branding customizations
- Colloquial and easy-to-understand verbiage
- English and Spanish versions
We hope your team and prospective families benefit from these tools, which take our best practices from student communication and apply them to the financial aid process.
Instructions for use
Watch this video for PDF customization instructions
Instructions for saving the PDF after editing:
- In the top menu, select File > Print.
- Select the PDF printer (The Adobe PDF printer should be installed with Adobe Acrobat. Numerous free PDF printer drivers are also available for download from the internet.)
- Select OK.
- Specify location to save the printed, “flattened” version of the form.
- Select save.
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- In the top menu, select file > Export to.
- Select export to > Microsoft Word.
- Specify location to save the document.
Submission resources
Concise, accessible content that addresses obstacles we’ve identified as the most common barriers to FAFSA submission or to successfully navigating the financial aid process, particularly for underrepresented minorities and first-generation students. Each can be used as stand-alone content or piecemeal to augment your existing financial aid resources.
The Top 5 Sources for Financial Aid Advice
This template lists the best places for students to turn to for questions about the financial aid process.
- English: PDF
7 Big Things to Know About the Streamlined FAFSA
This customizable template outlines the seven most impactful changes to FAFSA and how they’ll improve the financial aid process for students and families.
- English: PDF
FAFSA Facts and Fiction: Get the Truth – and the Money You Need for College
FAFSA Filing Kit
This resource addresses the misconception that the FAFSA takes a long time to complete and requires documentation that is difficult to access.
How to Speak Financial Aid
This glossary explains common acronyms and terms in the financial aid process.
A Second Look: Appealing Your Aid Award When Family Finances Shift
This guide addresses the professional judgment/special circumstances appeal process and how to indicate on the FAFSA that a parent is unemployed.
FAFSA Verification: Don’t Panic and Don’t Wait
This resource provides simple steps for students selected for the FAFSA verification process.
Apples to Apples: 3 Steps to Finding the Best College Deal
This worksheet helps students calculate cost and compare colleges they’re most interested in.
Parent PLUS Loans: Are They Right for You?
Communication resources
Student-focused email, SMS and social media content that centers on FAFSA filing, priority date awareness and counseling outreach that can be used to enhance your existing communications stream.
FAFSA Rollout Delay Content
These content blocks provide a starting point for messaging to students and families addressing FAFSA reporting, as well as tips for creating effective communications during this disruption.
- English: Download the guide
- Spanish: Download the guide
FAFSA Email Copy Content
This sample content includes various approaches to general FAFSA awareness, priority dates and counseling outreach. It is designed to be sent from your financial aid office, though the content could be modified to send from admissions as well.
FAFSA Social Media Content
These examples include platform-specific messaging for Instagram/Facebook and Twitter to help you boost your presence on social media.
FAFSA SMS Content
This content includes both responsive and static examples of action-oriented messaging.
Training toolkit
Amalgamated content for financial aid professionals on providing clear and concise guidance to students and families, answers to the most common questions asked about financial aid and affordability, and guides on how financial aid is used to enroll and retain students.
More Resources
The Great Opt-Out
Understanding the High School Counselor Perspective
