The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available!
It’s the key you need to unlock money that will help you pay for college or other education after high school. Students often ask if the FAFSA is a scholarship, it’s not. The FAFSA is simply a statement about a family’s financial situation, and it’s used to determine how much federal financial aid a student may be eligible to receive.
A new FAFSA is available October 1 each year. You can submit your FAFSA even if you haven’t applied to any colleges yet. In fact, if you’re not sure which college you want to attend, you can request that your FAFSA information be shared with up to 10 different campuses that you may want to learn more about. Every student who may need money for college for the 2021-22 school year should complete this FAFSA.
The current FAFSA is available online at FAFSA.gov.
Need some guidance to get started on your FAFSA? Check out our resources:
FAFSA in Five Steps: This publication explains the steps to completing the application and provides reminders for additional materials you might need.
FAFSA Modules: These five PowerPoint presentations walk through the details of each step of the FAFSA process.
FAFSA and Financial Aid Video: Sometimes it helps to hear someone explain the FAFSA process. Our new FAFSA video walks students through common FAFSA questions.
If you’re still wondering why the FAFSA is so important, keep in mind that during the 2018-2019 school year, $2.6B dollars in federal financial aid for college was left unclaimed by students. They would have been qualified to receive the aid, but they didn’t simply because they didn’t submit a FAFSA. Discover what you’re eligible for by submitting your FAFSA today!
Students will make many decisions, from picking a college to choosing a major, but something students should never debate is completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA determines a student’s eligibility for various types of federal financial aid, which comes in the form of grants, work-study and student loans. While some students believe they won’t qualify for financial aid, all students should submit a FAFSA. Make sure these common myths aren’t holding you back.
Grades are a factor. Some may think good grades are required to submit the FAFSA, but that isn’t true. The application doesn’t ask about grades, your GPA or class ranking. Instead, it seeks to gather your financial information to determine your eligibility for various forms of federal and state aid.
Your parents make too much. A common statement is, “My parents make too much money, so I won’t get any aid.” Until you submit the FAFSA, you won’t know your eligibility for financial aid. Before counting yourself out, complete the FAFSA to learn about your aid options. Most students are eligible to receive some type of financial assistance.
One time isn’t enough. Unlike an admission application that you submit once, the FAFSA must be completed each year you’d like to receive financial aid. This tip is specifically for returning college students. Renew your application each year after Oct. 1 so you can receive as much financial aid as possible for the next academic year.
Adult learners aren’t included. Financial aid isn’t just for recent high school graduates, it’s for all college students – which includes adult learners. Whether you’re returning to school after many years or immediately diving into a graduate program after completing your bachelor’s degree, be sure to submit the FAFSA to determine your aid eligibility. If your child is going to college and you’ve submitted a FAFSA for them, you’ll still need to submit your own application. This will help the college financial aid office create an aid award for you and a separate award for your child.
Remember, you won’t know how much aid you can receive until you submit the FAFSA. Don’t leave it up to chance. Submit your FAFSA as soon as possible after Oct. 1 each year. To learn more about the FAFSA and how to apply, visit FAFSA.gov.
It’s almost time to start the 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA! This application will help determine your financial aid eligibility if you plan to attend college in the fall of 2021. We’ve created a helpful list of steps to guide you through the application process.
- Gather Materials: Before getting started, you’ll need to make sure you have your Social Security card, current bank statements, and your 2019 W2 and tax return. If you’re a dependent student, you’ll also need your parent(s)’ financial information and 2019 tax returns.
- Create an FSA ID: The FSA ID, or Federal Student Aid ID, is a username and password that you’ll use to log-in to your FAFSA. It will also serve as your electronic signature for completing the application. To create an FSA ID, visit fsaid.ed.gov. Remember to use our FSA ID Worksheet (also available in Spanish) to keep track of your username and password. If you are a dependent student, a parent or guardian will also need to create a FSA ID.
- Fill It Out: Starting Oct. 1, you can access the new FAFSA at FAFSA.gov.
- Sign & Submit: Enter your FSA ID for your electronic signature. If you’re a dependent student, remember a parent will have to provide their electronic signature, as well. Don’t forget to click ‘submit’ at the bottom of the screen!
- Follow Up: Keep an eye out for a Student Aid Report (SAR) email, as well as information from the colleges you applied to. Sometimes campuses ask for additional paperwork, so watch for possible requests. If you have any questions after receiving your financial aid offer, follow up with the financial aid office at your campus.
For more details, check out the Finish the FAFSA in Five Steps guide or watch the Finish the FAFSA in Five videos on the StartWithFAFSA website, available in both English and Spanish.
you submitted your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you listed
one or more college codes that represent the schools that interest you. Once your FAFSA’s been processed, you may begin
to receive financial aid offers from these schools sent electronically or via
the US Postal Service. It’s important to read each offer carefully, as they
describe the types and amounts of financial aid a college or career technology
center can provide to help you pay for one year of higher education.
your financial aid offer you’ll see:
total Cost of Attendance (COA) – An estimate of what it costs to go to that
school for one year
Family Contribution (EFC) – A number calculated from your FAFSA that’s used by
the school to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive (most
likely not the amount you’ll be expected to pay)
and amounts of aid the school can offer you; this list is often called a ‘financial
aid package’. Your offer may consist of:
– aid based on financial need that typically doesn’t have to be repaid
– gift aid awarded to you by colleges, state agencies, foundations, tribal and
work-study – an opportunity for you to work on or off campus to earn money for
student loans – funds awarded based on financial eligibility that must be
repaid, with interest
PLUS loan – a loan your parent(s) may borrow to help you pay for college; your
parent(s) are expected to repay the loan (credit check required)
subtract all of the financial aid shown on the offer from your Cost of Attendance.
This will determine your estimated Net Cost, which is the out-of-pocket amount
you’ll be expected to pay. If you should end up with a negative amount, the Net
Cost would be zero.
options are available to help you cover the Net Cost?
scholarships – You don’t have to be a straight A student or a sports star to
qualify for many different kinds of scholarships. OKcollegestart.org and UCanGo2.org are great places to
begin your scholarship search.
529 College Savings Plan – visit ok4saving.org for more information
benefits – visit military.com/education/gi-bill to learn more
monthly payment plan approved by your school
don’t have to accept all financial aid offered to you, especially when it comes
to borrowing student loans. Using a monthly payment plan while you’re in
college can be less expensive than a monthly loan payment with added interest
after you’ve graduated. If you’re unable to make a monthly payment to the
school, consider making smaller monthly interest payments on any unsubsidized
student loan(s). This will decrease your overall student loan debt once you
graduate or leave school.
attention to deadlines. Accept or decline your financial aid offer before the
you receive more than one financial aid offer, you may want to determine what
your net cost would be at each college. Ultimately, you’ll want to choose the
school that’s the best fit for you.
add more school codes to your FAFSA, log in as a returning user at studentaid.gov.
Family Contribution (EFC) is a number that’s used to help determine your
eligibility for financial aid for college. Each school that you selected to
share your information with on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) will use the EFC to determine how much aid you may receive at their
individual institution. Your EFC is calculated through a formula that uses your
family’s taxed and untaxed income, assets and benefits. The size of your family,
the number of family members who will attend college during the academic year
and the age of your older parent will also influence your EFC.
Financial aid administrators will
subtract the EFC from the student’s cost of attendance to determine their need for
the following federal student aid programs:
- Federal Pell Grants
- Federal Subsidized Student Loans
- Federal Supplemental Educational
- Federal Work-Study
Other federal and state scholarship
programs will also use the EFC to determine your eligibility for additional
aid. For a detailed guide on exactly how an EFC is calculated, you can check
out The EFC Formula.
It’s important to know that your EFC
is not the guaranteed amount of money you or your family will be required to
contribute to your cost of attendance. It’s only a number used by your school
to calculated your financial aid eligibility.
The EFC is a very influential
calculation, so it’s important to complete your FAFSA sooner than later. You
can find the FAFSA online at FAFSA.gov.
It’s award letter season! An award letter is an electronic or paper notification sent by a college, university or career tech after you’ve completed a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) and applied for financial assistance. These award letters indicate the amount of financial aid you may receive for your education for the 2019-2020 academic year. After reviewing your letter(s), you might find that the amount of aid awarded to you in the form of federal and/or state grants, known as free money, won’t cover the total cost of college. Before opting for federal student loans to help with expenses, start (or keep) researching available scholarships. A scholarship is another form of free money for college that doesn’t have to be paid back. Scholarships are often competitive, but by putting in the work, you may be able to shrink your remaining school balance and limit – or eliminate – the need for a student loan!
There are many ways to search for scholarships. First, check the school you’ll be attending. Many campuses have foundation offices that provide scholarships to eligible students. Look for these scholarships each year you plan to attend. Your college’s financial aid office can also help you identify different types of scholarships.
Other sources of scholarships include private businesses, employers, churches and community organizations (YMCA/YWCA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Rotary and Elks clubs, etc.). These scholarships are often posted online and typically require an application specific to each award. Save time by accessing the free and trusted databases at OKcollegestart.org and UCanGo2.org. Both sites compile thousands of scholarships available to students in Oklahoma and nationwide.
Only after you’ve exhausted all options for free money should you consider student loans. Remember, student loans must be repaid with interest, even if you don’t complete a degree, while free money from grants and scholarships does not have to be repaid.
For more information about scholarships, see our “Scholarship Success Guide.”
For more information about student loans, review “Borrow Smart from the Start.”
Submitting your FAFSA to find out your eligibility for federal and state aid is definitely a huge step in the financial aid process, but it’s only the first step. After your FAFSA has been processed and you’ve visited with the financial aid office at your school(s) of interest, watch for an Award Letter from one or more of those institutions. The letter may be sent electronically or via the US Postal service. It’s important that you read each Award Letter carefully, for it describes the types and amounts of financial aid the college or career tech can offer to help you pay for one year of higher education.
On your award letter you will see:
- The total Cost of Attendance (COA) – what it costs to go to that school for one year
- Expected Family Contribution (EFC) – a number used by the school to determine how much financial aid you’re eligible to receive (most likely not the amount you’ll be expected to pay)
- Types and amounts of aid the school can offer you; this list is often called a financial aid ‘package’.
- Grants – gift aid that comes from federal, state and tribal governments, usually based on financial need
- Scholarships – can be based on need, merit or your interests; awarded by colleges, state agencies, companies, foundations, tribal and private organizations
- Federal work-study – there may be an opportunity for you to work on or off campus to earn some of your financial aid
- Federal student loans – money that you borrow to help you pay for college; loans must be repaid, with interest
- Federal PLUS loan – an undergraduate loan your parent(s) may qualify to borrow to help you pay for college, subject to credit history requirements; your parent(s) are expected to repay the loan
Now, do a simple calculation. Subtract all of the financial aid shown on your Award Letter from your Cost of Attendance. This will determine your estimated Net Cost. The Net Cost is the out-of-pocket amount you’ll be expected to pay. You may hear this referred to as unmet need, or ‘the gap’. It’s possible that your Net Cost could be zero if your financial aid package covers your whole Cost of Attendance (a negative amount would count as a zero).
What options are available to help you pay the Net Cost?
- You don’t have to accept all of the aid offered to you, especially when it comes to borrowing student loans. A monthly payment during college may be less expensive than a loan payment with added interest after you’ve completed your education.
- Each award letter will give you a deadline to accept or decline some or all of the aid by a specified date. Always keep track of deadlines.
- If you receive more than one Award Letter, be sure to determine what your Net Cost would be at each school. The schools will most likely have different packages to offer.
After you complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), be on the lookout for your Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR is an electronic or paper document that summarizes the data you put on your FAFSA. It also provides some basic information about your eligibility for federal student financial aid. If you completed, signed and submitted your FAFSA electronically, this document will be sent to your email address within 3-5 days. If you did not include an email address, a paper version of the SAR will be mailed to your postal address in approximately 2-3 weeks. You can also access your SAR by logging in to your account at FAFSA.gov.
The SAR contains important information, like your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and your Data Release Number (DRN). The EFC is a measure of your family’s financial strength and is calculated according to a formula established by law. It’s based on the information provided on the FAFSA, but the EFC is NOT the amount of money your family will have to pay for college. It’s a number used by your school to calculate the amount of federal student aid you are eligible to receive.
Your DRN is located below your EFC on the SAR and is needed if you want your college or career school to change certain types of information on your FAFSA. Speak with someone at your college Financial Aid office if there has been a significant change in income for you or your parents or you have a special circumstance you need to discuss with the aid administrator.
Your SAR might indicate that you’ve been selected for verification. This is a process schools use to confirm the information on your FAFSA is correct. Your college financial aid office will notify you if additional paperwork is needed to fulfill this requirement.
Review the remainder of your SAR for any errors. If you find anything that should be corrected, log back in to FAFSA.gov, access your FAFSA, and make the necessary changes. Then enter the appropriate FSA IDs and submit your FAFSA again.
After you’ve been accepted to a college, university or career technology center, and you’ve completed your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), you will receive a financial aid award letter from the school. This letter is very important, so be sure you’re watching for it to arrive! The award letter will notify you of the types of federal and state financial aid you can receive to pay for college.
Most financial aid award letters are sent to you electronically, but a few schools may provide paper documents. Be sure you know the system your school uses so you don’t miss out on any deadlines. Award letters will list the amount of financial aid you can receive, but you will likely be required to accept or decline this money by a specific date. If you miss the deadline, you may be missing out on money for college!
Keep in mind you don’t have to accept everything listed on the award letter. Research the aid programs you’re offered and make an educated decision. Remember, grants and scholarships are typically considered free money, work-study offers you the chance to work for your funds and student loans must be paid back in full with interest. If you have accumulated several grants and scholarships and don’t need loan money, then don’t accept it! Loan funds that are declined will most likely still be available if you learn you need additional money later in the school year.
If you’ve been accepted to more than one school, you’ll receive award letters from each institution. Be sure to compare the offers, keeping in mind the costs associated with each school as you make your decision.
If you have questions about the aid you’re awarded, please contact the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend. To learn more about financial aid programs, visit UCanGo2.org or StudentAid.ed.gov.
The 2018-2019 FAFSA opened on October 1, and students are encouraged to complete the application as soon as possible. After submitting the FAFSA online, you may be wondering what your next steps are. Here’s what to expect.
Upon submitting the FAFSA, you will see a confirmation page on the screen. You will also receive a confirmation email, sent to the address listed on your FAFSA. This lets you know your FAFSA was submitted and is being processed.
After a few days, you’ll receive your Student Aid Report, or SAR, by email as well. The SAR is a summary of the information you listed on your FAFSA. Be sure to review your SAR and correct any errors.
When your FAFSA is processed, it is sent to the schools you listed on the application. Watch for communication from the financial aid offices at those schools. They will let you know if any additional documentation is needed. Financial aid offices at those schools will also send you an award letter after you’ve been accepted. Award letters explain what financial aid is available to you. Read this letter carefully as there may be additional steps you need to take to accept or decline certain types of aid.
Watch this short video from Federal Student Aid to learn more!