What Is the FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form you need to fill out to get any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. Each year, over 13 million students who file the FAFSA get more than $120 billion in grants, work-study, and low-interest loans from the U.S. Department of Education.

FAFSA Facts

• Submitting the FAFSA is the most important thing you can do if you want financial aid.
• The FAFSA is free—you don’t need to pay anyone to prepare it for you.
• You need to submit a new FAFSA before each academic year in which you want to get aid. If you plan to apply for aid throughout college, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA each year.
• Be sure to use a permanent email address on the form, not your high school email, so you can use your FAFSA account throughout college.
• Completing the FAFSA is one of six steps you need to take to qualify for a $40,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship.
• You qualify for a $1,000 College Board Opportunity Scholarship just by submitting your FAFSA.