Even if you do not think you qualify for any aid, the FAFSA is required to receive federal student loans. Also, a lot of schools require you to complete the FAFSA to be considered for scholarships or state grants.

Who Should Fill Out the FAFSA?

The student is responsible for filling out the FAFSA. The FAFSA belongs to the student, and the student is who will accept/decline the financial aid and be responsible for making payments in the case of loans.

What do I Need to Fill Out the FAFSA?

You will need tax returns for you and your parents (if applicable), your Social Security number and your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID to complete the FAFSA. The parents’ tax return is required if the student is considered a dependent student according to FAFSA dependency status.

If the student’s parents are divorced, the tax information from the parent who provided the majority of financial support for the student will be used. You will need your tax return for two years prior to your school start date.

Who is Considered Independent?

Students who:

• Are age 24 or older by Jan. 1 of the school year for which they are applying for financial aid
• Are married
• Are working toward a master’s or doctorate degree
• Have children (or other dependents) who receive more than half of their support from the student
• Are serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces or are a veteran of the U.S. armed forces
• Are an emancipated minor
• Are homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless
• After the age of 13, both parents were deceased, were in foster care or were a ward or dependent of the court

How to Get Started

Go to https://studentaid.gov to get started. The FAFSA always will be free to fill out; avoid sites that want payment for completing the FAFSA.

For students completing the FAFSA for the first time, you and your parent each will need to create your own FSA ID. This ID will be used to log in to your FAFSA each year that you fill one out, so make sure to write it down in a place you will remember it. Go to https://fsaid.ed.gov to create your FSA ID.

The FAFSA is available every year on Oct. 1 for the following school year. Fill it out as early as possible because most colleges have priority deadlines and some scholarships/grants are on a first-come, first-served basis.

Candace Kornelsen, Graduate Assistant
North Dakota State University

Carrie Johnson, Ph.D., AFC^®
NDSU Extension Specialist and Associate Professor