Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free—and it’s for more than just federal student aid. States, schools, and some private aid providers also use the information you provide on your FAFSA form to determine your eligibility for their financial aid programs.
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA ®) form is necessary for students to be eligible to receive federal student aid. We strongly recommend that your child (the student) start their own FAFSA form and complete their sections first to save time and prevent errors. We know that isn’t always how it happens, though.
All Help Topics Resources include information on different parts of the form and what to do before and after completing the FAFSA form.
For details on what happens next, check out our “Steps for Students Filling Out the FAFSA ® Form” article. If your parent is a required contributor, share the “Completing the FAFSA ® Form: Steps for Parents” article with them. We cover step-by-step instructions for parents, including how they’ll accept the invitation to your FAFSA form.
After completing your first child’s FAFSA form, you can return to Step 4 and follow the same steps to enter and complete another child’s FAFSA form. Once you complete one child’s form, we’ll prefill some of your information on other FAFSA forms you’re invited to for the same school year.