How to Apply for Aid

Yes, the 2025-2026 FAFSA® is now available online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa 

For the latest information and updates from Federal Student Aid, please visit https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/fafsa-support.

How to Prepare for the 2025-26 FAFSA:

• Create a StudentAid.gov account (if you don’t already have one).

• Learn about the documents you may need to fill out the FAFSA form.

• Determine your dependency status and whether your parent(s) or spouse will be required to contribute information on your FAFSA form.

• If you’re a dependent student, use the "Who’s My FAFSA Parent?" wizard to identify which parent(s) will be a required contributor on your form.

What are contributors on the FAFSA® 2024–25?

Contributor is a new term introduced on the 2024–25 FAFSA® form. It refers to the student, the student’s spouse, a biological or adopted parent, or the parent’s spouse (stepparent). A contributor is NOT a grandparent, foster parents, legal guardian, brother or sister, aunt, or uncle, even if they helped provide for or raise the student in some way. Please note, a contributor on the FAFSA® form doesn’t mean they are financially responsible for the student’s education costs.

What are the steps contributors must follow?

1. The contributors receive an email informing them that they’ve been identified as a contributor.
2. The contributor creates a StudentAid.gov account if they don’t already have one.
3. The contributor logs in to account using their FSA ID account username and password.
4. The contributor reviews information about completing their section of the FAFSA® form.
5. The contributor provides the required information on the student’s FAFSA® form.

What is consent, and why do I have to provide it when completing the FAFSA® 2024–25?

The Future Act requires that every contributor on the FAFSA® provide consent to share their taxes information in the application so that the IRS can share this information with Federal Student Aid (FSA). All parties whose Federal Tax Information (FTI) is included on a student’s FAFSA® form must consent annually.

The consent will be required when a student submits a FAFSA®, chooses Income-Driven Repayment (IDR) when starting loan repayment, or submits the Total and Permanent Disability discharge (TPD) within the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs for totally and permanently disabled students.

The consent is necessary not only for the Department of Education to request federal tax information from the IRS but also to use that FTI in the federal student aid application process, as well as do other things such as redisclose that information to certain eligible entities, such as higher education institutions.

What is the main difference between the SAI (starting FAFSA® 2024–25) and EFC (used until FAFSA® 2023–24)?

The Student Aid Index (SAI) represents a change in the methodology used to determine aid:

• Child support received will now count as an asset instead of income.
• Family farms and small businesses will now count as assets.
• The number of family members in college is no longer considered in the needs analysis formula, but it is still a required question on the FAFSA® form.