FAFSA Online: Your First Step
The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is the jumping off point for all federal financial aid. In other words, you must submit a FAFSA to be considered for grants, work-study, and federal student loans, including Federal Stafford and Federal Parent PLUS loans.
The FAFSA examines your family’s financial situation and evaluates your eligibility for student financial aid based on U.S. Department of Education Guidelines.
The official deadline for submitting a FAFSA varies from state to state. To be safe, though, and to increase your chances of receiving financial aid, submit your FAFSA as soon after January 1 as possible. You can submit the FAFSA via regular mail, or you can complete the FAFSA online.
Keep in mind—funds are limited for need-based financial aid, so you’ll want to apply as soon after January 1 as possible to increase your chances of getting financial aid.
To complete a FAFSA, use FAFSA on the Web at www.FAFSA.ed.gov or call (800) 801-0576 to order FAFSA Express software. Or, you can submit a FAFSA through your high school or college financial aid office.
The application process takes about four to six weeks. Use this time to start investigating scholarships using the award-winning NextStudent Scholarship Search Engine.
Completing the FAFSA
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