21 Answers To The Biggest FAFSA Questions

All questions on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can generally be answered in an hour or so, but some of the questions may be a bit confusing. And answering a question wrong can delay processing of the FAFSA or result in an error in the amount of financial aid you are awarded.

We gathered answers to 21 of the top FAFSA questions below, so you can avoid mistakes and other snags with FAFSA processing.

Is the FAFSA Free?

The FAFSA is free to fill out. If someone contacts you about paying a fee for the FAFSA form, it’s either a scam or a company offering services to help you fill it out for a fee. You can get free help filling out the FAFSA from your high school counselor, college financial aid office or by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243.

What Do I Do if I Haven’t Picked a College?

List your top 10 choices with state schools listed first. Ten is the maximum amount you can include when you file the FAFSA, but don’t worry, you can add more later if you decide to attend a school not on your original list. Each school will receive your financial information, including your family’s income and assets you included on the form.

Am I a Dependent or Independent Student?

Independent students don’t have to report parent income and assets, dependent students do. Thus, independent students may qualify for more financial aid if they aren’t working or earn less income.

To qualify as an independent student, you must meet one or more requirements, including:

• You’re at least 24 years old
• You’re a graduate student
• You’re a veteran of the U.S. armed forces
• You have children or other dependents who receive 50% or more of their support from you
• You’re an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship
• You’re married, or separated but not divorced
• At any point after age 13, your parents were both deceased

If My Parents Aren’t Paying for My College, Do I Still List Myself as a Dependent Student?

Whether or not your parents contribute financially to your college education doesn’t affect your status as a dependent student. You have to meet one of the criteria above in order to be considered independent. The FAFSA is based on your parents’ ability to pay.

Which Parent’s Income Do I Input on the FAFSA Form?

If you’re a dependent student, you’ll report income for both of your legal parents (biological or adopted) if they aren’t divorced or separated. It doesn’t matter if they were never married or are of the same sex.

If they divorced or separated, but still live together, then you report the income from both parents. If they divorced or separated and don’t live together, include the income from the parent you lived the most with over the last 12 months. Stepparent income counts, too, if they are married to your legal parent. Grandparents, or other people you may live with, don’t count for reporting purposes, unless they are your legal parents.

Independent students don’t have to list parental income.

What Do I Do if My Parents Won’t Report Their Income?

There are a select few reasons why you may not have to report your parent or parents’ income, including:

• One or both are incarcerated
• You left an abusive family environment
• You don’t know where your parents are and you weren’t adopted
• You’re between ages 21 and 24 and you are either homeless or could become homeless
• You’re an independent student

However, not reporting parent income may mean you won’t qualify for federal grants based on income. That’s because your expected family contribution, or EFC, won’t be calculated. That’s the U.S. Department of Education’s calculation for how much your family can hypothetically afford to pay for the next academic year of school. You’ll want to fully explain your situation in writing to your college’s financial aid office.

Why Does the FAFSA Care if My Parents Attended College?

Whether or not your parents attended college has no effect on your eligibility for federal financial aid. The FAFSA collects this information in case your state or college gives out scholarships if your biological or adoptive parents did not complete college. Often, schools offer extra services for first-generation college students, as well.

What Is the Selective Service System, and Why Am I Asked to Sign Up for it?

Men aged 18 to 25 were previously required to register for the Selective Service System, the formal name for the military draft, to be eligible for financial aid. However, starting with the 2022-23 FAFSA form, Selective Service registration will no longer affect financial aid eligibility.

If you have not signed up prior to filing the FAFSA, you can still choose to do so during the FAFSA application process. Registering does not mean you will be drafted (the draft was last used in 1973) and doesn’t mean you’ve agreed to join the military.

Can I Get Financial Aid for Multiple Bachelor’s or Master’s Degrees?

Yes, you can get financial aid for multiple degrees. General eligibility for FAFSA includes seeking a degree (or completion of a program in some cases). It doesn’t matter how many degrees you’ve had before. However, there are limits to the number of semesters you can receive a Pell Grant and maximum limits based on degree type for student loans.

Does My Family Make Too Much Money to Qualify for Financial Aid?

While income matters for need-based financial aid, scholarship and grant requirements vary by college, and there are no income limits in order to qualify for direct unsubsidized loans or PLUS loans issued to parents or grad students.

Do I Have to Fill Out the FAFSA Every Year?

If you want to qualify for federal financial aid, you need to renew your FAFSA each academic year.

Is the FAFSA Deadline the Same for All States and Schools?

The FAFSA opening date and FAFSA deadline is the same for everyone. The FAFSA for the 2023-24 academic year opened on Oct. 1, 2022. FAFSA forms must be submitted before July 1, 2024 to be eligible. State and college scholarship and grant deadlines may differ and vary widely. Be sure to check both state and college websites for specific deadline dates.

Can I Make Changes to My Form After Submitting it?

You can log back in anytime to make changes. However, since some awards are first-come, first-served, you’ll want to make changes as soon as possible to avoid limiting the amount of aid you receive.

Can I Skip FAFSA Questions About Assets?

You can only skip FAFSA questions about assets if you meet the qualifications to do so based on your answers to other questions on the application. However, that’s only because your asset information at that point doesn’t affect your eligibility for federal student aid. You may decide to fill it in anyway, because it may be necessary for some financial aid from your college choices.

When in doubt, sit with your high school counselor or go to a financial aid office at a community college nearby. Some community organizations may also offer free help.

Do I Have to be a U.S. Citizen to Receive Financial Aid?

You don’t have to be a U.S. citizen to fill out the FAFSA. Eligible non-U.S. citizens include U.S. nationals (American Samoa or Swains Island natives), green card holders and citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands or the Republic of Palau. Other immigrants may be able to apply as well, such as those with refugee or asylum-granted status. If you are an immigrant to the U.S., call the college’s financial aid office for help in figuring out whether you should fill out the FAFSA.

Should International Students Fill Out the FAFSA?

International students should fill out the FAFSA if they meet one of the qualifications above or if the college financial aid office advises them to do so. They may qualify for university or private scholarships without filling out the FAFSA as well.

Should I Fill Out the Form if I’m a DACA Student?

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and other undocumented students aren’t eligible for federal student aid. However, they may be eligible for state and college-specific aid. Students in this category should contact the college financial aid office to see if filling out the FAFSA is necessary for gathering financial information from the student. Whether from the FAFSA or other sources, schools will want to evaluate whether a student has financial need.

Do I Have to Accept All of the Financial Aid I’m Awarded?

You can pick and choose which financial aid you select. For instance, you may decide to accept grants and scholarships and reject federal student loans.

What Happens if I Take Out a Federal Student Loan and I No Longer Need it?

Once the loan is issued, you will incur an origination fee (a fee to borrow the money) even if you repay the loan the same day. The current origination fee for federal subsidized and unsubsidized loans issued directly to students is just over 1% of the loan amount, while PLUS loans issued to parents and grad students have an origination fee of over 4%. If you borrow $2,000 for less than 24 hours, you’d owe between $20 and $80.

Do I Need to Change Pre-populated Answers on the Renewal FAFSA?

Always review pre-populated information to make sure it is still accurate for your current situation. For instance, you may have changed your permanent address or you may transfer schools.

If FAFSA Is the Federal Form for Financial Aid, Does it Have Anything to do with Financial Aid from My College?

While the FAFSA form is for federal financial aid, it’s also a financial information gathering tool for colleges and states. Always fill out the FAFSA as a first step in seeking financial aid.