Everything you need to know about FAFSA
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, can make it easier to pay for college and other post-secondary education. The information you provide on your FAFSA determines your eligibility to receive all kinds of financial aid, including federal grants, loans and work-study programs. FAFSA may help you qualify for scholarships, grants and loans offered by many state and local governments; nonprofit organizations; and trade schools, colleges and universities.
It's already time to start planning for the next academic year: If you are planning to attend college or career school between the dates of July 1, 2025 and June 30, 2026, you need to file a 2025-2026 FAFSA, which will open in December 2024.
More Michigan students can now attend CMU tuition-free through the CMU Tuition Advantage program.
CMU Tuition Advantage program infoWho should file a FAFSA?
Every student, regardless of income, can complete a FAFSA and be considered for federal, state and school financial aid. The types of aid available range from scholarships and grants, which do not have to be repaid, to loans and work-study programs.
Dependent students will also need their parent or spouse to complete information on the FAFSA form. Find out if you are a dependent or an independent student before completing the FAFSA.
How to file a FAFSA
It takes most people about one hour to complete the FAFSA. You can save time by taking these steps before you begin to complete the application:
- Determine if you will need to ask a parent (or parents) to contribute information to your application. Use the “Who counts as a parent on the FAFSA” form or complete the Personal Circumstance Questions to find out if you’re a dependent student.
- Create an account on the StudentAid.gov webpage. You and your parent or spouse will each need to create your own accounts.
- Gather your documents. You (and your FAFSA parent) will need:
- Your social security number
- Tax return documents
- Current balances of any checking, savings or cash accounts
- Net worth of any investments, businesses or farms
- Records of child support received
- Visit the FAFSA Apply for Aid page when you’re ready to log in to start a new form.
Add a school code to FAFSA
When you complete the FAFSA, you will be required to list at least one school to receive your information, and you can add as many as 20 schools using the online FAFSA. You should include any school that you have already or plan to apply to, even if you haven’t been accepted yet.
Remember: It’s free to use the form and to share your information with schools!
You can use the FAFSA School Search webpage to look up the school codes for colleges, universities and trade schools. Your school of choice may also list their federal school codes on their admissions website.
In some states, like Michigan, state aid may depend on which order you list the schools on your FAFSA. For example, Central Michigan University’s federal school code is 002243. If you list CMU’s school code first, initial state aid awards you are eligible to receive will be sent only to CMU.
When you should file a FAFSA
You should file your FAFSA as early as possible once it becomes available in order to be eligible for the most aid. According to the U.S. Department of Education website, the 2025-26 FAFSA form will be available on or before December 1, 2024.
Many schools offer competitive scholarships and grants that require a FAFSA to be submitted by a certain deadline. The earlier you complete your FAFSA, the more quickly you can begin to apply for those scholarships.
Tip: You must submit a FAFSA every year you plan to attend college to be eligible for aid.
FAFSA deadline
There are three deadlines to keep in mind when completing your FAFSA: the priority deadline for your school of choice, the deadline for state aid and the deadline for federal aid. State and federal deadlines are often later than deadlines set by career and trade schools, colleges and universities.
You can visit your preferred school’s financial aid webpage to find their deadlines for scholarships, grants and other forms of institutional aid. Many schools offer a priority deadline for students wishing to apply for competitive scholarships and grants.
Each state sets its own deadlines for state-based financial aid. For example, in Michigan, the deadline to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA is June 30, 2026. You can check your state’s deadlines by visiting the State FAFSA deadlines webpage.
The deadline to receive federal aid during the 2025-2026 academic year is June 30, 2026.
Find help for FAFSA
The Federal Student Aid website offers many tools and resources to help you complete the FAFSA. There are links for students who want to apply, for parents who want to help their student, and for individuals still thinking about continuing their education. You can use Aidan, the financial aid virtual assistant, to get help with your questions, or you can visit the FAFSA Help Center to call, email or chat with a FAFSA representative.
Many colleges and universities offer FAFSA workshops and support through their Financial Aid office. At Central Michigan University, the Office of Scholarships and Financial Aid has financial aid advisors who can assist you with completing the FAFSA.
Get help paying for school
Earning your degree or completing a training program can open doors to great careers. In fact, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that people who earn a bachelor’s degree can earn up to 66% more than individuals with only a high school diploma. Completing a FAFSA can help you significantly reduce the cost of your education. For example, Central Michigan University awards scholarships and other forms of financial aid to about 91% of undergraduate students!