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What is the FAFSA and why should I submit it?

  • Any student that is thinking of continuing their education at a technical/trade school, a 2-year community college, or a 4-year college or university should file a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).

  • This application should be completed before the year the student plans to enroll. This means that if a student plans on going to a post-secondary institution immediately after high school, the FAFSA will need to be completed during the student's senior year.

  • Completing the FAFSA makes you eligible to receive federal financial aid, and you will need to complete it each year that you will be in college. It also helps determine how much aid you will receive from a college in your financial aid package.

  • To learn more about the FAFSA and file (starting on Oct. 1), visit studentaid.gov or download the MyStudentAid mobile app.

FAFSA

Fast Facts:

1.

The FAFSA opens on *October 1st every year. Each college may have its own priority filing deadline, but it's best to file as soon as you can. Most colleges award need-based aid on a first come, first served basis.

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*Due to changes for the FAFSA, it is not set to be open until December 2024

2.

To start the FAFSA, the student and their guardian each need to first create an FSAID.

3.

The FAFSA uses tax information from the prior-prior year, so two years prior to the year you plan to enroll.

4.

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows you to securely transfer all your tax-based information directly from the IRS. 

The FAFSA and State Aid

  • Once you have completed the FAFSA, you will want to complete the application for PHEAA.

  • PHEAA is the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency, and filling out this application will allow you to be eligible for PA state aid.

  • Immediately after submitting the FAFSA, choose to submit your State Application on the confirmation page.

FAFSA Verification

What does it mean if I am "selected for verification?" To ensure the accuracy of the information provided by students and families on the FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education sometimes requires colleges to verify a family's financial and other demographic information. Verification of FAFSA data helps colleges accurately and fairly determine the types and amounts of federal, state, and institutional aid that a student receives. 

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How do I know if I was selected? You may be selected for verification either by the Department of Education or by the school's financial aid office. If you are selected by the Dept. of Ed., there will be an asterisk next to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) on your Student Aid Report (SAR). If you are selected for verification by the college's financial aid office, you will be notified on your financial aid award letter - this isn't always highlighted information, so be sure to read your letter carefully!

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Why was I selected for verification? Often, families are selected for verification randomly - around 1/3 of FAFSAs submitted are selected. Other reasons for needing verification include: the FAFSA you submitted was incomplete, your FAFSA contains estimated information, or the data you provided on the FAFSA is inconsistent. You are also very likely to be selected for verification if you choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (for this reason, we highly recommend using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if you are able).

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I’ve been selected, what do I do next? The college’s financial aid office will ask you (and your family, if you’re a dependent student) to provide documentation to support specific fields on the FAFSA. This often includes one or all of the following: a tax transcript, W2s, or copies of tax returns. They may also ask you to complete one or more verification forms. Be sure to pay very close attention to deadlines and don't wait to send these documents. Unless you successfully complete the verification process, you will not be given aid.

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