College Financial Aid Information
High school seniors are able to file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) beginning in the fall of their senior year. Students will be required to report household income information from an earlier tax year.
FAFSA Filing Directions
1. Students and parents/guardians should register online for a FAFSA Personal Identification Number (PIN). Get a PIN here.
2. Complete the file and Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as early as possible to meet all deadlines. File online at here — you MUST complete the online FAFSA to qualify for federal, state, and most college-offered financial aid.
- If you or your child has not yet filed your tax returns, it is okay to carefully estimate the amounts that will be on your tax forms on the FAFSA. You will need to go back into your account and correct those amounts once you have filed your taxes.
- You can call 1-800-4-FED-AD for "Live Help."
- Don't forget to save and/or print your confirmation page.
4. Watch for e-mails or letters from the schools you listed on your FAFSA. Be sure to complete any additional paperwork the colleges request and meet all deadlines or you can miss out on aid.
5. You will receive an award letter from each school you listed on your FAFSA around the end of April which will show how much aid you can receive from that school. Once you decide which school to attend, keep in touch with the financial aid office to find out when and how you will get your aid.
How much federal aid can I get?
The amount of federal aid you receive depends on your financial need. Financial need is determined by your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and cost of attendance (COA). The EFC comes from what you report on the FAFSA. COA is tuition, fees, room and board, transportation, etc.