UCC will open at 10am today.
UCC will open at 10am today.
To receive financial aid, which may include federal and state grants, work-study, and student loans you will need to first complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens on October 1 each year. Although this financial aid form may seem complex, there are many free resources to help you with the application process.
When completing your FAFSA, you and your family if required to will be able to use completed tax returns from “prior-prior year” financial information. You can transfer your income data directly from the IRS website using the Data Retrieval Tool to your FAFSA, making it easier to accurately complete the FAFSA.
Be sure to complete your FAFSA on or as soon after it becomes available on October 1. Filling out your FAFSA as early as possible can help you get a jump on other financial aid applications (state or institutional aid) that may have early deadlines. It also will give you more information earlier about the financial aid you qualify for and will help you make an informed decision about which college is the best financial fit for you.
When you start your FAFSA using either the web application or the myStudentAid Mobile App, you will first need to create your FSA ID account by making a user ID name and password. These will become your online identifiers for all federal student aid programs. You will need to provide your own email address and password. (Parents will create their own account using a different email address and password). Set up your user ID and password before you start your FAFSA.
The FAFSA questions ask for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances (for instance, whether you’re a U.S. citizen or what tax form you used), you might need the following information or documents as you fill out the application: Click to view the documents you need to get started.
The FAFSA form is available on Oct. 1 for the next school year. It’s encouraged that you fill it out as soon as possible on or after Oct. 1 to meet FAFSA deadlines.
If you are starting the application for the first time on fafsa.gov, select “START HERE.” As you begin, keep the following in mind:
If you’re starting for the first time on the myStudentAid mobile app, you will select “START HERE” on the FAFSA tile, select your role, and then enter your FSA ID. You cannot fill out the FAFSA form on the mobile app without an FSA ID.
*If you’re a male between the ages of 18 and 25 and you haven’t registered with the Selective Service System, select “Yes” when you’re asked if you would like to be registered. Otherwise, you won’t be eligible to receive federal student aid. This requirement applies to any person assigned the sex of male at birth.
The following tips apply whether you’re filling out the form online or on the mobile app:
Near the beginning of the application, you’ll create a “save key,” a temporary password that you’ll use if you start your FAFSA form, save it without finishing it, then want to open it again later to finish it. One benefit of the save key is that students and parents can use this function to access the FAFSA form if they are completing the application in separate locations. (Unlike with the FSA ID, which needs to be kept private, it’s okay to tell your parent what your save key is.)
If you are applying for a summer session, contact the financial aid office at your college to find out which school year you should select when you complete your FAFSA form.
If you filled out a FAFSA form last year and want to renew it, select “LOG IN” on the FAFSA home page, select “I am the student,” enter your FSA ID, and be sure to select “FAFSA RENEWAL” once given the option. That way, many of the (nonfinancial) questions will be prefilled for you. Just be sure to update any information that has changed since last year.
Only the student can start a FAFSA renewal using his or her FSA ID. If you’re a dependent student and your parent helps you with your FAFSA form, you should start the FAFSA renewal, save it, and give the save key to your parent so he or she can access your FAFSA form.
If you’re using the mobile app and are eligible for a FAFSA renewal, your information will be prefilled.
Due to the coronavirus national emergency, processing of the FAFSA on Paper (PDF) may take longer than usual. We recommend filing your FAFSA form electronically to avoid processing delays.
While completing the FAFSA form, you must list at least one school to receive your information. The schools you list will use your FAFSA information to determine the types and amounts of aid you may receive. Use the Federal School Code Search to find the colleges you’re interested in including on your FAFSA form.
For purposes of federal student aid, it does not matter in what order you list the schools. However, to be considered for state aid, some states require you to list schools in a particular order (for instance, you might need to list a state school first). Find out whether your state has a requirement for the order in which you list schools on your FAFSA form.
You can list up to 10 schools online or in the mobile app or up to four schools on a FAFSA PDF. (You can add more schools to your FAFSA form later.) Schools you list on the application will automatically receive your FAFSA results electronically.
Note: Schools will not be able to see which other schools you listed on your FAFSA form.
You should add any school that you plan on applying to, or that you have applied to, even if you haven’t been accepted yet. In most cases, once a school accepts you, they will then work on developing your aid offer.
The FAFSA form asks a series of questions that determine whether you are a dependent or independent student for purposes of applying for federal student aid. If you are a dependent student, you must report parent information, as well as your own information, on your application. If you’re curious, you can find out now whether you’re a dependent student or not by reading below.
Dependent Student- A dependent student who does not meet any of the criteria for an independent student. An independent student is one of the following: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Independent Student- An independent student is one of the following: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor, or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
If you’re a dependent student, you’ll need to report parent information on your FAFSA form. Visit our page on reporting parent information to find out who counts as your parent, what to do if you don’t live with your parents, and what to do if you don’t have access to your parent(s) financial information.
The FAFSA form asks for financial information, including information from tax forms and balances of savings and checking accounts.
Note: If your or your family’s financial situation has changed significantly from what is reflected on your federal income tax return (for example, if you’ve lost a job or otherwise experienced a drop in income), you may be eligible to have your financial aid adjusted. Complete the FAFSA questions as instructed on the application (including the transfer of tax return and income information), submit your FAFSA form, then contact the school you plan to attend to discuss how your current financial situation has changed. Note that the school’s decision is final and cannot be appealed to the U.S. Department of Education.
Here are some tips for this type of situation using the example of the 2024–25 FAFSA form:
The FAFSA form asks for marital status “as of today” (the day it’s filled out). So if the student or parent is married now but wasn’t in 2022 (and therefore didn’t file taxes as married), the spouse’s 2022 income will need to be added to the FAFSA form.
Similarly, if the student or parent filed 2022 taxes as married but is no longer married when filling out the FAFSA form, the spouse’s income will need to be subtracted.
And if the student or parent was married when filing 2022 taxes, then got divorced and is now married to someone else, there’s a bit more math to do: Subtract the ex’s income, then add the new spouse’s income.
The FAFSA help text covers all these situations in more detail as you’re filling out the application.
The IRS DRT automatically transfers tax information into the FAFSA form. Be sure to consider this option if it’s offered to you. (If you requested an extension on filing your taxes and didn’t file until September or later, find out when your tax return information will likely be available using the IRS DRT.)
Try This Resource: Simple Steps to Transfer Tax Information Into Your FAFSA® Form graphic—Explains how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax information into the FAFSA form.
Here’s how the IRS DRT process works, assuming your tax information is available:
Using the IRS DRT saves you time and effort:
It’s strongly discourage clearing the information. The IRS DRT remains the fastest, most accurate way to input your tax return information into the FAFSA form. Additionally, using the IRS DRT to enter your tax information into the FAFSA form may reduce the amount of paperwork you need to provide to your school later.
If, despite this, you still want to clear the information transferred via the IRS DRT and enter your tax information manually—and you haven’t submitted the application or correction yet—you can select the “Reset FAFSA” button at the top of the page (or in the menu at the upper right of the mobile app screen). Just know that by doing so, the entire application or correction will be cleared, and you will have to start the entire application or correction over again.
Yes. Tax return information that’s entered manually will be visible on fafsa.gov, in the mobile app, and on your Student Aid Report.
Before your FAFSA form can be processed, you’ll need to sign and submit the application. Here are some tips as you finish your FAFSA form:
Once you’ve completed your FAFSA form, there are more steps you have to take before you receive financial aid. Make sure you know what happens after you submit your FAFSA form.
After the information you provided is analyzed, you will receive a SAR that contains the data you entered on the FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education will send this form to you either by email or by postal mail.
Review the SAR carefully for errors (the form highlights items that may need attention) and follow directions for making and submitting corrections. Submit corrections promptly. Make sure to keep a copy of the SAR for your records.
On the front page of the SAR, you’ll find a figure called the expected family contribution (EFC). Your EFC is an indicator of your family’s financial strength. It is sent to your state scholarship agency as well as to the colleges you listed on the FAFSA. They use this number to determine your financial aid award. Learn more about the EFC.
Many schools won’t begin the Aid Offer process for the next year’s fafsa application until after the first of the year
Be aware of how the school you have chosen communicates.
You might see an asterisk on your SAR, which means you’ve been selected for verification. Your college of choice will inform you that you’ve been selected. Verification is the process your college uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. If you’re selected for verification, your college will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported.
Don’t assume you’re being accused of doing anything wrong. Some people are selected for verification at random; and some schools verify all students’ FAFSA forms. All you need to do is provide the documentation your school asks for—and be sure to do so by the college’s deadline, or you won’t be able to get financial aid.
Make sure you submit any other additional financial aid forms and documents that your college of choice requires.
First, you’ll need to understand the aid that’s being offered. For instance, is it free money such as a grant or scholarship, or is it a loan that you’ll have to pay back? Next, decide what aid you really need, and then respond to the school’s aid offer within the deadline set by the school. Learn more about accepting aid.
If you were offered financial aid and you accepted it, the financial aid staff at your college or career school will explain exactly how and when your aid will be paid out. They’ll also tell you whether you need to fill out any more paperwork or meet other requirements. For instance, if you excepted a federal student loan for the first time, you should expect to be required to go through entrance counseling and sign a master promissory note (MPN). Be sure to keep in touch with your college’s financial aid office so that you understand the whole process of receiving your aid offer.
Once you’ve completed your FAFSA form, there are more steps you have to take before you receive financial aid. Make sure you know what happens after you submit your FAFSA form.
After the information you provided is analyzed, you will receive a SAR that contains the data you entered on the FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education will send this form to you either by email or by postal mail.
Review the SAR carefully for errors (the form highlights items that may need attention) and follow directions for making and submitting corrections. Submit corrections promptly. Make sure to keep a copy of the SAR for your records.
On the front page of the SAR, you’ll find a figure called the expected family contribution (EFC). Your EFC is an indicator of your family’s financial strength. It is sent to your state scholarship agency as well as to the colleges you listed on the FAFSA. They use this number to determine your financial aid award. Learn more about the EFC.
Many schools won’t begin the Aid Offer process for the next year’s fafsa application until after the first of the year
Be aware of how the school you have chosen communicates.
You might see an asterisk on your SAR, which means you’ve been selected for verification. Your college of choice will inform you that you’ve been selected. Verification is the process your college uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. If you’re selected for verification, your college will request additional documentation that supports the information you reported.
Don’t assume you’re being accused of doing anything wrong. Some people are selected for verification at random; and some schools verify all students’ FAFSA forms. All you need to do is provide the documentation your school asks for—and be sure to do so by the college’s deadline, or you won’t be able to get financial aid.
Make sure you submit any other additional financial aid forms and documents that your college of choice requires.
First, you’ll need to understand the aid that’s being offered. For instance, is it free money such as a grant or scholarship, or is it a loan that you’ll have to pay back? Next, decide what aid you really need, and then respond to the school’s aid offer within the deadline set by the school. Learn more about accepting aid.
If you were offered financial aid and you accepted it, the financial aid staff at your college or career school will explain exactly how and when your aid will be paid out. They’ll also tell you whether you need to fill out any more paperwork or meet other requirements. For instance, if you excepted a federal student loan for the first time, you should expect to be required to go through entrance counseling and sign a master promissory note (MPN). Be sure to keep in touch with your college’s financial aid office so that you understand the whole process of receiving your aid offer.
Umpqua Community Colleges Financial Aid Office is offering the opportunity to schedule a one on one Virtual Financial Aid Application Assistance appointment using Zoom. Click here for more information.
The Financial Aid Office at Umpqua Community College has available for those that have Financial Aid Questions to be Answered the chance to attend an open Q & A session that is held every Wednesday from 1 p.m. – 2 p.m. Click here for more information.
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