As a student, you must submit a new Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) each school year to learn the types of federal aid you qualify for, including federal student loans, grants, and work-study programs. Many colleges and states, as well as other student aid programs, use your FAFSA to determine what aid you may be eligible for. So the FAFSA is worth submitting even if you’re not expecting to receive federal aid.
The FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year opened on November 21, 2024, and it closes on June 30, 2026. However, it’s best to complete the form as soon as possible since some state and school scholarship programs have different deadlines.
Keep reading for detailed instructions on how to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA. We’ll walk you through the required fields and highlight changes from previous forms.
Key Points
• The 2025-2026 FAFSA application process, which is now open, has been streamlined and can be completed in less than an hour.
• Students must create an account on StudentAid.gov and gather necessary documents like Social Security numbers and tax returns before starting the application.
• The application requires personal, financial, and educational information, and students can select up to 20 colleges to receive their FAFSA information.
• Parents of dependent students must also create an account on StudentAid.gov and provide their financial information and consent to transfer tax data from the IRS.
• After submission, the online FAFSA is processed in 1-3 days, and applicants can track the status online.
Documents You’ll Need
Before you sit down to fill out the online FAFSA application , it’s best to have the following documents or information handy, especially if you want to fill out the FAFSA as quickly as possible. Documents needed include:
• Completed tax returns
• Parents’ SSNs if you’re a dependent student
• Child support records, if applicable
• Current cash, savings, and checking account balances
• Investment, business, or farm net worth
Recommended: Who Qualifies for FAFSA? FAFSA Requirements
How to Fill Out the FAFSA in 6 Steps
Ready to file the FAFSA? First, check your watch.
Make sure you have enough time to fill out the form. Most people find that it takes less than one hour to complete, including gathering the personal and financial information you need.
Here’s how to fill out the FAFSA step by step.
Step 1: Create an Account
The preferred way to complete the FAFSA is online. You can do this for free — you should never pay any site to file the FAFSA for you.
Create a StudentAid.gov account before you start the FAFSA. Ensure that your name and Social Security number (SSN) look exactly as they do on your Social Security card.
The individuals who must include information on the form — a spouse, a biological or adoptive parent, or your parent’s spouse — must all have an FSA ID (account username and password). However, contributors without an SSN can create an account to fill out their portion of the 2025-2026 form.
A contributor is anyone required to provide information and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly into the FAFSA form. This person, while not required to pay for a student’s college education, may include a student’s spouse, a biological or adoptive parent, or a stepparent.
Step 2: Provide Personal Information
After logging in, select either “student” or “parent,” depending on whether you are the student or parent filling out the form. We’ll assume that you’re filling it out as a dependent student for the next few steps.
What is a dependent student vs. independent student? Check out the full list of dependent vs. independent qualifications. Independent students will also answer the same basic set of questions and add spouse information if they are married.
You’ll start by filling out basic personal information, such as:
• Name
• Birthdate
• SSN
• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Mailing address
Next, as a dependent student, you’ll indicate personal circumstances, such as marital status, college or career school plans, and any unusual personal circumstances.
You’ll answer questions about your parents and family size and “invite” your parents to fill out the FAFSA information. You’ll also answer questions about:
• Gender identity (though you can select “prefer not to answer”)
• Race and ethnicity (you can also select “prefer not to answer” here)
• Citizenship status
• Parent education status
• Whether a parent was killed in the line of duty
• Student’s high school completion status
• High school information
• Any federal benefits received
Step 3: Add Dependent Student Financials
Next, you’ll fill out information about your tax filing status, tax returns, and assets (including any cash, savings, and checking accounts you have, or businesses, investments, farms, and/or real estate).
Step 4: Select Colleges
In this section, select the colleges you’re considering. You can choose up to 20 colleges or universities where you want your FAFSA recognized. You can search based on city, state, or college name.
Step 5: Review Page and Add Signature
The review page shows the responses you’ve added to the FAFSA. You can review all responses by clicking “Expand All” or show each section individually. Select the question’s hyperlink to edit. Once you invite a parent to the form, you can see the status of the parent invitation.
Finally, you acknowledge the terms and conditions of the FAFSA form and sign, which means you’ve submitted your section of the FAFSA form. It’s not considered complete, however, until a parent signs their portion.
Step 6: Parents Add Information
Once a dependent student invites a parent and they log in, the parent will receive information about onboarding. They will add their:
• Name
• Birthdate
• SSN (if they have one)
• Email address
• Mobile phone number
• Mailing address
The parent must provide consent to transfer federal tax information directly from the IRS into the Parent Financials section.
The FAFSA form will also ask the parent about:
• Demographic information
• Marital status
• State of legal residence
• Finances
• Federal benefits
• Tax filing status
• Family size
• Number of kids in college in the household
• Tax return information
• Assets
Next, the FAFSA will prompt questions about that parent’s spouse or partner, walk through a review page similar to the student review page, and ask for a signature where the parent acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA form. Finally, the parent signs that section.
Can a parent fill out the entire form on a student’s behalf, without student consent or signature?
Yes. A parent can fill out the entire FAFSA on behalf of the student indicating from the very beginning that they are filling it out as a parent.
If You Need Additional Help Filling Out the FAFSA
If you need help filling out the FAFSA form, you can click on the white question mark icon next to each FAFSA question to reveal a tip on how to answer that question. You can also learn more about the recently updated form and get the answers to frequently asked questions at the FAFSA Help Center, watch the FAFSA tutorial video, or chat with Aidan, the virtual assistant.
In addition, you can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center. The Department of Education says it has added more staff to address applicants’ questions, and expanded the hours to provide help.
You can also look at our FAFSA guide for information on the FAFSA process. Finally, you can get help through the financial aid office at the college or career/trade school you plan to attend. They will often walk through the form with you.
Recommended: Avoid These Common FAFSA Mistakes
What Happens After You Submit the FAFSA?
After you hit the “submit” button, your form should be processed in one to three days. At that point, you should receive a copy of your FAFSA submission summary, which summarizes the information you included on your FAFSA form. You can check the status of your FAFSA at any time by logging into your account at StudentAid.gov and clicking on your FAFSA submission in the “My Activity” section of your dashboard.
The FAFSA submission summary will also include your Student Aid Index (SAI), which lets schools determine the amount of aid you can receive. It also helps each school determine the financial aid you can receive from that particular institution. The financial aid office at each school will send you a financial aid award letter, which may include types of government aid such as:
• Direct Subsidized Loans
• Work-study
• TEACH Grants
• Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG)
Recommended: How Financial Aid Works
Who Should Complete the FAFSA?
Anyone who could benefit from college financial aid has nothing to lose by filling out the FAFSA. Many students leave money on the table every year by failing to complete it, and low-income families are often less likely to complete the form than wealthier ones.
Even if you’re not eligible for federal aid, it’s worth your while to complete the FAFSA because most schools and states use FAFSA information to award non-federal aid. Non-federal aid includes scholarships, state aid, employee-sponsored aid, and more. Our scholarship tool can help you find scholarships and other aid opportunities that may be available.
To qualify for federal grants, work-study, and different types of student loans, you must be a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. You’ll need a valid SSN, with few exceptions, and a high school diploma, GED, or another recognized equivalent. You’ll also need to enroll in an eligible educational program and maintain satisfactory academic progress.
You may become ineligible for federal aid if you owe money on a previous federal student grant or are in default on a previous federal student loan.
Some types of federal aid are available only to people who demonstrate financial need. This includes the Federal Pell Grant and Direct Subsidized Loans. For the latter, the government pays the accrued interest while the borrower is in college or during most of their deferment periods.
What If I Don’t Qualify for Any or Enough Aid?
The amount of FAFSA money you receive depends on a variety of factors, including the institution you’re applying to, your assets, your parents’ assets, and more.
Merit aid, based on academic excellence, talent, and/or certain achievements, is also available. Some colleges won’t consider you for any of their merit scholarships until you’ve submitted the FAFSA, according to the Department of Education. Businesses, nonprofits, cultural organizations, and local groups also offer merit scholarships.
In addition, you can look into state grants and scholarships. Every state has its own money and process for distributing aid. Some only require a completed FAFSA; others, a separate application.
Then, there are private student loans, which are issued by banks, credit unions, and online lenders (as opposed to the government). Although private student loans don’t come with the benefits and protections that federal student loans have — like income-driven repayment plans and federal forbearance — they may help bridge funding gaps.
You can check to see what various lenders offer and what types of student loans you’d qualify for.
The Takeaway
Completing the FAFSA application doesn’t have to take hours of your time. In fact, it typically takes less than an hour to complete from start to finish. Use our guide to walk through how to fill out the FAFSA step by step in order to see how much federal aid you’ll qualify for and what types of aid you’re eligible to receive.
If you’ve exhausted all federal student aid options, no-fee private student loans from SoFi can help you pay for school. The online application process is easy, and you can see rates and terms in just minutes. This can help you find an option that works for your financial plan and budget.
FAQ
What’s the due date for the new FAFSA?
The FAFSA form for the 2025-2026 academic year must be submitted by 11:59pm central time (CT) on June 30, 2026. You can submit corrections or updates by 11:59pm CT on Sept. 13, 2026.
Can I fill out FAFSA myself?
Yes, students can complete the FAFSA on their own. The new FAFSA application instructions are easier to understand, and the Department of Education says it has modernized the FAFSA process and improved the user experience and functionality in filling out the online form. You can then invite your parents to enter their information.
How long does it take to fill out the FAFSA?
It typically takes less than an hour to fill out the FAFSA, including reading the FAFSA application instructions. However, it may take you longer to complete if you don’t gather important information ahead of time, such as your Social Security numbers and tax returns.
What disqualifies you from getting FAFSA?
To file the FAFSA, you must meet certain FAFSA requirements. For example, you must demonstrate financial need for need-based federal student aid programs, be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen, have a valid SSN except in certain situations, be enrolled or accepted at an eligible institution as a regular student, maintain satisfactory academic progress, provide consent for federal tax information to go to the FAFSA, sign the certification statement on the FAFSA, and show you qualify to obtain higher education.
About the author
Melissa Brock
Melissa Brock is a higher education and personal finance expert with more than a decade of experience writing online content. She spent 12 years in college admission prior to switching to full-time freelance writing and editing. Read full bio.
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