Toolkit
FAFSA Submission Support Resources
Adaptable, ready-to-use content to encourage FAFSA submissions
Our analysts have observed a meaningful and multi-year slowdown in FASFA submissions nationwide, due in part to the on-going impacts of the pandemic. Many high school seniors are still navigating their fall semesters with limited guidance counselor interaction, creating concern that there is a continued risk of fewer families submitting FAFSAs.
Though there are many reasons students and families do not submit the FAFSA, research suggests that better instruction, support, and encouragement can help. Our student communication and financial aid experts have created a suite of adaptable, ready-to-use content you can use on your website and in your communications stream to encourage FAFSA submissions, as well as a training toolkit to help onboard financial aid associates to your team.
This resource is part of our larger research initiative, focusing on DEIJ initiatives.
To make the submission resources easy to use, we made them available with:
- Multiple editable formats (PDF and HTML)
- 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.
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.
Or
- 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.
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.
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.
5 recommendations to create urgency around FAFSA submissions
Encouraging students and their families to file their FAFSAs, while also offering the resources they need to do so, is more critical this year than ever.
