Before you can file the FAFSA, you will need to create a Federal Student Aid Account. When you create your account, you’ll set up a FSA ID. Your FSA ID is the username and password you will use to access all Federal Student Aid websites, including StudentAid.gov. Your FSA ID must be created and matched by the Social Security Administration before you can file your FAFSA, so create your FSA ID early.
Gather Your Information for the 2024-2025 FAFSA
You will need to gather some information before you begin filling out the FAFSA. For the 2024–2025 school year, you will need your 2022 income information.
If you are a DEPENDENT STUDENT, you will need the following info for you and your parent(s):
- FSA ID
- Social Security number (SSN), legal name, date of birth, and email address
- 2022 federal income tax returns (including all applicable schedules)
- Assets
If applicable, you will also need:
- Current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, and stock, bond, and other investment records
If you aren’t a U.S. citizen, you’ll also need:
- Your U.S. Permanent Resident Card (Form I-151 or I-551C) or Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) with an eligible status
If you are NOT A DEPENDENT STUDENT, you will need:
- Your FSA ID. To create one, go to StudentAid.gov and click on “Create Account.” If you are married but you and your spouse file separate tax returns, your spouse will also need an FSA ID.
- Your social security number (SSN)
- Your (and if married, your spouse’s) 2022 federal income tax return (including all applicable schedules), 2022 W-2 forms, and other records of money earned.
- Assets
If applicable, you will also need:
- Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, and stock, bond, and other investment records
- Your Permanent Resident Card (Form I-151 or I-551C) or Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) with an eligible status (if you are an eligible non-U.S. citizen)
Before You Begin the 2024-2025 FAFSA
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Filing the FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid and is a requirement for students who plan to pay for education after high school with the help of federal, state, or institutional aid such as grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans. You can complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA anytime after it is released in December 2023. (The exact date has not yet been announced.) Completing and submitting the FAFSA is FREE – be sure to apply at StudentAid.gov.
The FSA ID is a Federal Student Aid username and password that you will need to access Federal Student Aid websites, including StudentAid.gov. Your FSA ID is also needed to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) and to sign your FAFSA electronically. If parent information is required on your FAFSA, one parent will also need to create his or her own FSA ID to electronically sign your FAFSA. To create an FSA ID, go to StudentAid.gov and click on “Create Account.” Be sure that you (and your parents, if applicable) have access to your email and/or can receive a text on your mobile phone when creating your FSA ID. In order to create an FSA ID, you must be able to verify that you have access to either your email or mobile phone.
Your FSA ID must be created and matched by the Social Security Administration 1 to 3 days before you can start your FAFSA, so create your FSA ID early. You can create an FSA ID now at StudentAid.gov.
Keep track of your FSA ID information using UCC’s Students: Create Your Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) sheet. Parents should use UCC’s Parents: Create Your Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) sheet. Keep these sheets in a secure location — for example, where you keep tax return information.
Yes. Because eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one year to the next, you need to fill out the FAFSA each year you are a student.
Your eligibility for financial aid can differ from year to year for various reasons, including your family’s financial situation.
On UCC’s website! Learn about financial aid basics, comparing financial aid offers from different schools, borrowing to pay for college, and more. Use UCC’s Scholarship webpage to find scholarships to apply for.