The FAFSA
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA gets you access to grants, scholarships ,and loans and is the most important thing you can do to make college more affordable for yourself. The FAFSA uses your family income information and some very complicated math to come up with your "Expected Family Contribution" or EFC. The Expected Family Contribution is not how much your parents should give you to go to college. It is an arbitrary number that colleges and the government use to determine how much financial aid you are eligible for!
When can I file the FAFSA?
The FAFSA will open on October 1st of your Senior Year. You should file your FAFSA as soon as possible to make sure that you're getting the full amount of financial aid that you are eligible for.
Michigan's deadline for FAFSA is March 1st. If you don't file by March 1st, you will definitely lose out on some financial aid. However, if you miss the March 1st deadline, you can still file as long as it's submitted by June 30th. You just won't get as much financial aid as you could've, so again, it's really good to do it as early as possible!
You will need to file your FAFSA each year you are in college. The deadlines will still be the same, so don't forget to do it!
Michigan's deadline for FAFSA is March 1st. If you don't file by March 1st, you will definitely lose out on some financial aid. However, if you miss the March 1st deadline, you can still file as long as it's submitted by June 30th. You just won't get as much financial aid as you could've, so again, it's really good to do it as early as possible!
You will need to file your FAFSA each year you are in college. The deadlines will still be the same, so don't forget to do it!
How do I file the FAFSA?
You can file the FAFSA online at fafsa.ed.gov or you can file on paper (click here to access a printable paper copy). It is recommended that you file online because it will be processed faster and it can't be lost in the mail. Although filing online can take longer the first time you file the FAFSA because you have to make accounts, it will be faster the next time you have to do it because it will keep all of your information from last year. You'll only need to update it.
If you're filing online, the first thing you will have to do is make an FSAID. This is the username and password you will use to log into your FAFSA. You can make your FSAID at fsaid.ed.gov. FSAIDs can be very difficult to recover, so be sure to write down your login information somewhere!
To make your FSAID, you will need:
If you are a dependent student, you will also need a parent to make an FSAID. The process is exactly the same as it is for you. If you have an older sibling in college who filed a FAFSA, your parent will need to use the same FSAID they made for your sibling. They will be unable to make a new account!
If you're filing online, the first thing you will have to do is make an FSAID. This is the username and password you will use to log into your FAFSA. You can make your FSAID at fsaid.ed.gov. FSAIDs can be very difficult to recover, so be sure to write down your login information somewhere!
To make your FSAID, you will need:
- A valid, NON-SCHOOL email address - why? Your school email will be deactivated once you graduate. If you forget your username or password, it it will be very difficult to recover your account
- Your Social Security Number
If you are a dependent student, you will also need a parent to make an FSAID. The process is exactly the same as it is for you. If you have an older sibling in college who filed a FAFSA, your parent will need to use the same FSAID they made for your sibling. They will be unable to make a new account!
How do I know if I need my parents' information?
Most students will have to provide information about their parents on the FAFSA. However, if you meet one or more of the following conditions, you will be considered an Independent Student and will not have to provide parental information on the FAFSA.
- Student is older than 24
- Student is married
- Student is working on a Master's or Doctorate program
- Student is in the military
- Student is a veteran
- Student has experienced foster care after turning 13, student has been a Ward of the Court, or both of student's parents are deceased
- Student is legally an emancipated minor
- Student is under legal guardianship of someone other than a parent or step-parent
- Student has been determined to be homeless or an unaccompanied youth
What will I need to file my FAFSA?
Here is a list of all the documents you may need in order to file your FAFSA.
- Valid email for student
- Valid email for parent (if student is dependent)
- Student's Social Security Number
- Parent's Social Security Number (If student is dependent)
- Student's 2018 tax return (if the student filed taxes in 2018)
- Parent's 2018 tax return (if the parent filed taxes in 2018 and the student is dependent)
- Student's 2018 W-2s (if the student worked)
- Parent's 2018 W-2s (if the parent worked and the student is dependent)
- Records of child support paid or received
My parents aren't together. How do I know which parent to use on the FAFSA?
If your biological parents are not together, you will use whichever parent you live with more out of the year.
If you spend half your time with one parent and half your time with the other, choose the parent with less income so that you can get more financial aid.
If the parent you are putting on your FAFSA has remarried, you will also have to include their spouse on your FAFSA.
A note: it does NOT matter which parents claim you on your taxes. You should report the parent that you live with more unless you spend an equal amount of time with both parents.
If you spend half your time with one parent and half your time with the other, choose the parent with less income so that you can get more financial aid.
If the parent you are putting on your FAFSA has remarried, you will also have to include their spouse on your FAFSA.
A note: it does NOT matter which parents claim you on your taxes. You should report the parent that you live with more unless you spend an equal amount of time with both parents.
What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool?
The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is a tool that retrieves tax information from the IRS for you so that you don't have to input your tax information manually. To get it to work, you will need to put in your information EXACTLY as it appeared on your taxes. For example, if your address is 123 Main Street as reported on your taxes, you will need to type 123 Main Street into the address box in order to get it to work. If you type 123 Main St or 123 Main, the Data Retrieval tool will NOT work.
If you are not able to get the DRT to work, no worries! You can still file your FAFSA. It will just take a bit longer to complete. Most questions will tell you what form and what line of the form the answer to the questions are on.
If you are not able to get the DRT to work, no worries! You can still file your FAFSA. It will just take a bit longer to complete. Most questions will tell you what form and what line of the form the answer to the questions are on.
What do I do if my parents' income has changed since 2018?
You will still need to use 2018 financial information on your FAFSA, but most colleges will allow you to adjust your financial aid due to a change in income. Once you have decided which college you want to attend, contact their financial aid department and let them know that your household has had a change of income. They will let you know what you need to do next!
What should I do if I need help with my FAFSA?
See your College Adviser!! I can help you with any of your FAFSA needs! Find my contact information here.
Call the FAFSA helpline at 1-800-433-3243
You can also contact your college's financial aid department to ask for help!
Call the FAFSA helpline at 1-800-433-3243
You can also contact your college's financial aid department to ask for help!
I finished my FAFSA! Now what?
- After your FAFSA has been processed, visit your College Adviser to go over your Student Aid Report. The Student Aid Report (SAR) tells you what you are eligible for in financial aid from the federal government. It will also tell you whether or not you need to make corrections or verify any of the information you put on your FAFSA. This can be hard to spot, so take it to your College Adviser for help!
- Watch for emails saying that you've been selected for verification. These will usually come from your colleges and will request specific forms from you (typically a copy of your parent's taxes). If you are selected for verification, act fast! You don't want to lose financial aid because you didn't turn these documents in on time!
- Wait for your financial aid award letter. These also usually come from your colleges. Sometimes they come in the mail, through email, or are stored in your student portal for that college. Be sure to check all three of these places for your award letter!
- See your College Adviser if you have questions!