The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is how you apply for federal grants, work-study and federal student loans. Many states and schools use it for their own aid too.
Good to know
- It's free: file only at StudentAid.gov, and never pay a company to do it
- File every year you're in school
- It usually opens in the fall for the next school year; state and school deadlines can be much earlier than the federal one
- Some aid is first-come, first-served, so filing early helps
Before you start
- Create your StudentAid.gov account (and a parent's, if you're a dependent student)
- Have tax information and records of savings handy
- List the schools you're considering
Rules and dates change; check StudentAid.gov. Pocket Change Hub isn't paid by any lender, card company, school or textbook seller.