If you will be attending college next year, it’s important that you file your FAFSA (the Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as soon as possible. Even if you don’t qualify for need-based aid, many students award scholarships and other funding based on the order of applications received.

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA is a free application to receive funding from the U.S. Government for financial aid to pay for college tuition and other expenses. Many states, colleges, and other scholarship foundations also use your FAFSA to distribute aid, so even if you don’t think your/your parents’ income is low enough to qualify for federal aid, it’s important to submit the FAFSA anyway- you might be surprised what you receive!

Most financial aid is distributed on a first come, first serve basis, so make sure to get your application as soon as possible.

Who should apply?

Any American student- undergraduate and graduate- who will be attending college in the in Fall 2018 or Spring 2019 should submit fill out FAFSA form.

How do I fill out the FAFSA form?

The ONLY place to submit an application is fafsa.gov. Beware: there are many scam websites who try to charge students to submit their FAFSA – don’t submit to any other website, especially one that charges. You can also download a printable copy of the application at the FAFSA website.

Watch this video for more information on applying for financial aid with FAFSA: