Filing the FAFSA isn’t as complicated or time-consuming as it seems – you only need about six documents and 22 minutes! So in the time it takes you to catch up on your Instagram feed, you can take the critical first step in getting the money you need to attend college!
Here’s a checklist of everything you and your parent need to fill out, sign and submit the FAFSA:
[ ] An FSA ID. Your FSA ID allows you to log in to your account, sign the FAFSA and make changes or add schools. You and your parent must create separate FSA IDs. Create this first!
[ ] You and your parent’s Social Security or Alien Registration number. Here’s what to do if your parent doesn’t have a Social Security number.
[ ] Driver’s license (if you have one)
[ ] Your and your parent’s federal income tax returns and W-2s from 2020 (you can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import this data!)
[ ] Bank statement
[ ] If applicable, other records of money earned, and records of investments and untaxed income
Don’t worry if you can’t find these materials right away: you can start the FAFSA and come back as many times as you need to update information or add schools. The important thing is to get started!
Want to know more? Use this worksheet to get a sneak preview of what the form looks like and the questions it asks, and check out the FAFSA YouTube channel for step-by-step instructions on creating an FSA ID and filling out the form. Your school’s financial aid office will help you with any questions you have at any time in the process, so don’t hesitate to contact them as well.
Our Office of Financial Aid will work with you to ensure you have access to the resources you need to pay for college. Our goal is to make sure all qualified applicants can invest in an education here.
If you have any questions about financial aid, need help filling out the FAFSA or encounter special financial circumstances your family is experiencing, please call us at (804) 123-5678 or email us.
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