1. Why is filing the FAFSA so important?
FAFSA – or Free Application for Federal Student Aid – is a form that students must fill out to apply for financial aid if they need help paying for college. This aid can come from the federal government, state governments and individual colleges.
Completing the FAFSA is crucial because it determines a student’s eligibility for various types of financial aid, including:
- Scholarships and grants: Money that doesn’t need to be repaid once a student graduates from college.
- Loans: Money that does need to be repaid, often with low interest rates.
- Federal Work-Study Programs: Part-time jobs for students who demonstrate financial need.
There is no cost to submit the FAFSA. If you don’t apply, you won’t be eligible to receive financial aid.
2. What information is needed to fill out the FAFSA?
The FAFSA filing process goes a lot smoother if you have the following financial information handy while you’re completing the form:
- Social security numbers for student and parent/guardian
- Federal income tax returns, W2s and other records of money earned from the previous year
- Bank statements and investment records
- Other financial documents
3. How often does the FAFSA need to be completed?
The FAFSA form needs to be filled out for each year you are interested in receiving financial aid as your eligibility can change over time. For example, the FAFSA form officially opened for the 2025-26 academic year on Nov. 21, 2024. Schools have varying priority deadlines for receiving applications. SNC’s is Jan. 1, 2025.
Our school code is 003892.
4. What happens after my student's FAFSA is submitted?
Here are the steps your FAFSA form will go through once complete. Just to note, you can check the status of your form at any time by visiting
studentaid.gov.
- The U.S. Department of Education processes your form. This typically takes 1-3 days if submitted online or 7-10 if submitted by paper.
- You’ll receive a copy of your FAFSA Submission Summary, including an SAI (Student Aid Index). This can also be reviewed on studentaid.gov.
- Your ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record) will be sent to the colleges you specified on your FAFSA form.
- The schools you listed will use the FAFSA information you provided and SAI to determine your eligibility for financial aid. A financial aid package will be created and sent to you.
- You must formally accept any aid you wish to receive.
5. I don't think my student will qualify for aid. Should the form still be submitted?
Yes! Your financial aid eligibility is based on multiple factors, including income, family size and other circumstances. And there are different types of aid you can qualify for – grants, loans and work-study – so while you may not qualify for one, you could qualify for another.
Plus, many colleges use FAFSA information to determine eligibility for state and institutional aid. Even if you don’t qualify for federal aid, you could be eligible for these types.
Additionally, there are some merit-based scholarships and other funding options that require a FAFSA on file to determine eligibility.
