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To help you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), prepare all of the required documents and follow our question-by-question guide. If you need more help from our financial aid expert, sign up here for a free printable FAFSA guide.
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Learn how to answer the question
If you are having trouble with one of the questions, email us at mike@nitrocollege.com. We'd be happy to help answer any FAFSA-related questions you may have.
Once you submit your FAFSA, plan ahead by applying to scholarships that fit your qualifications. To find the perfect fit, use our free college scholarship guides to sort through scholarships based on your eligibility, award amount and if you qualify for need-based aid.
Input the email that you used to create a FSA ID. If you don't have a FSA ID, you can create one here.
Input the password that you set for your FSA ID. If you don't have a FSA ID, you can create one here.
Input your first name exactly how it appears on your Social Security card.
Input your last name exactly how it appears on your Social Security card. If your name has a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between your last name and suffix.
Input your Social Security Number (SSN). Confirm that you enter your SSN accurately before moving on in the process.
Input your date of birth (month / day / year).
Select "accept" if you agree with the disclaimer.
If you submitted a 2017-2018 FAFSA, select "FAFSA Renewal" for the information from that application to be used to renew your 2018-2019 FAFSA.
If you didn't submit a 2017-2018 FAFSA, select "Start New FAFSA."
Input the email or username that you used to create a FSA ID. If you don't have a FSA ID, you can create one here.
Input the password that you set for your FSA ID. If you don't have a FSA ID, you can create one here.
Create a save key that's between 4 and 8 characters long. It can contain any combination of numbers and/or uppercase and lowercase letters.
Re-enter the save key.
You can use the "next" and "back" buttons to move through the FAFSA, but make sure to save your entries to avoid losing any data throughout the process.
Input your last name exactly how it appears on your Social Security card. If your name has a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between your last name and suffix.
Input your middle initial exactly how it appears on your Social Security card.
Input your Social Security Number (SSN). Confirm that you enter your SSN accurately before moving on in the process.
Answer this question “Male” or “Female” with reference to your gender assignment at birth. You are asked to answer about your gender in this question as a way to determine whether or not you are legally required to register for Selective Service.
Input the number and street, including the apt. number, of your permanent mailing address. Although you may use your college’s mailing address after you are an enrolled student, you'll need to use your home address when filing the FAFSA.
Select "yes" if this is your state of legal residence and you have living there for 5 years or more. This state will represent your state of legal residence, which is where you reside and have a true, fixed, and permanent home. If you moved into this state for the sole purpose of attending a school, do not count this state as your state of legal residence.
Input your most accessible phone number without spaces or dashes. This can be your home phone number or your cell phone number.
If you provide your email address, you will be contacted electronically. For example, when your FAFSA has been processed, you will be notified by email. Your email address will also be shared with your state and the colleges listed on your FAFSA to allow them to contact you. Leave this field blank if you don't have an email address.
Select your marital status as of today from the dropdown. You are asked about your marital status in order to determine if you will be required to provide any spouse’s information along with your own throughout the application.
If you have a driver's license, select yes input your driver's license number without spaces or dashes. Providing this information allows for further confirmation of your identity to the Department of Education. If you have a state-issued ID card, you do not want to enter this information instead, as it may cause a mismatch when the application is processed.
Select if you're a U.S. citizen from the dropdown. The Department of Education requires that you meet certain citizenship criteria in order to receive Federal financial aid. You are automatically eligible if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. national (natives of American Samoa or Swain’s Island). If you are neither a citizen nor an eligible noncitizen, you are not eligible for federal student aid, but you may still qualify for local state grants. For this reason, you will still want to continue and complete the FAFSA.
This section aims to determine your level of high school completion prior to enrolling in an institute of higher learning. This will help to determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.
This section aims to determine your level of undergraduate, graduate, or professional schooling prior to enrolling in an institute of higher learning. This will help to determine your dependency status, which will also determine your eligibility for federal financial aid.
The Department of Education wants to know what area of study you intend to undertake academically while receiving federal funding.
Answering “Yes” or “No” to this question will indicate to the school(s) in which you are applying that you are interested in the Federal Work Study program or not. Indicating your interest in Federal Work Study does not guarantee a job on campus for every school. If you change your mind about Federal Work Study, you may decline it.
Select "yes" or "no" based on your degree level in 2018-2019. Undergraduate programs offer different types of aid and different amounts of federal financial aid compared to graduate types and amounts.
Select "yes" or "no" based on if you were in the foster care system or not. If you are not sure if you were in foster care, check with your state child welfare agency. You can find out the contact information for your state child welfare agency here.
Some states and colleges offer aid based on the level of schooling your parent's completed. Select the highest school completed by parent 1 from the dropdown.
Some states and colleges offer aid based on the level of schooling your parent's completed. Select the highest school completed by parent 2 from the dropdown.
Select the state that your high school is located in from the dropdown.
You may select up to ten schools that you're interested in attending. To do so, enter the city, state, and name of the college.
Enter the Federal School Code for up to ten schools. If you do not know your intended college’s Federal School Code, and would prefer to use it rather than the search feature, you will most likely be able to find it on the intended college’s financial aid website.
Enter your housing plan for each school selection. If you plan to live in a dorm, your housing costs will be calculated using the amount that the school charges. If you live off-campus, you'll be awarded a housing allowance.
Select "Yes" if you were born prior to January 1, 1995, and "No" if you were not. This is to determine if you would be considered an independent student.
Insert your marital status as of today. You are asked about your marital status in order to determine if you will be required to provide any spouse’s information along with your own throughout the application.
Select "yes" or "no" based on your degree level in 2018-2019. Master's and doctorate programs offer different types of aid and different amounts of federal financial aid compared to undergraduate types and amounts.
Select "Yes" if you have children, or are expecting children in the year for which you are applying for aid. Select "No" if not.
Select "Yes" if you have a dependent (someone who may not be your own child, or possibly even a parent), AND you also provide more than 50% of their living expenses. Select "No" if not.
Select "Yes" if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces, National Guard or Reserves on active duty for other than training purposes, select "No" if you aren't.
Select "Yes" if you are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces, select "No" if you aren't.
Wards of the Court are considered to be “independent” students and as such, are not expected to provide any parental (or legal guardian) financial information on the FAFSA.
This question is asked to determine if you are considered a dependent or an emancipated minor. An emancipated minor is a student who has been legally removed from their biological parent's custody through a court order, gets married, or enters military service.
If you have a legal guardian who is not a biological parent and deemed as such by a court, then you will be considered “independent.” This means that you do not have to provide any biological parent (or guardian) information in your FAFSA, and may move along. Otherwise, even if you are over the age of 18, you are still considered a “dependent” student for Federal financial aid purposes. This will remain the case even if your relationship with your parent(s) is not intact.
Homeless means lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing, which includes living in shelters, motels, cars, or parks, or temporarily living with other people because you had nowhere else to go.
Select if you will or will not provide parental information. If you have a legal guardian, you are not obligated to report their financial information in "Parent" section, but you will want to report any financial support provided to you in the "Student Untaxed Income" section of the FAFSA.
Select the marital status of your parents from the dropdown. As a point of clarification, if one of your biological parents is divorced from the other, you will only need to report the financial information of the parent who has legal custody of you.
Include the month and date that your legal parents were married, remarried, separated, divorced or widowed, if applicable.
You may choose whichever of your parents for either field, but do not mix “Parent 1” figures with “Parent 2” as this may cause an error in your application. If your parent does not have a Social Security Number, you must enter 000-00-0000.
Includes your parents last name as it appears on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s). If the name includes a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between the last name and suffix.
Include your parents first initial as it appears in their first name on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s).
Includes your parents date of birth as it appears on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s). Enter two digits for each day and month (e.g., for May 31, enter 05 31).
You may choose whichever of your parents for either field, but do not mix “Parent 1” figures with “Parent 2” as this may cause an error in your application. If your parent does not have a Social Security Number, you must enter 000-00-0000.
Includes your parents last name as it appears on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s). If the name includes a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between the last name and suffix.
Include your parents first initial as it appears in their first name on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s).
Includes your parents date of birth as it appears on their Social Security card(s) and birth certificate(s). Enter two digits for each day and month (e.g., for May 31, enter 05 31).
Input your parent's email address.
Select "yes" if this is the state of your parents legal residence for 5 years or more. This state will represent their state of legal residence, which is where they reside and have a true, fixed, and permanent home. If your legal parents (biological and / or adoptive) have different states of legal residence, answer for the parent that you lived with most during the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, provide information about the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.
You will want to count the number of people living in your household/home, beginning with yourself, then your parent(s), and any other siblings or relatives for whom your parent(s) pay 50% or more of their financial support.
Count yourself, but also include any siblings who will attend and be enrolled as part-time students, as well. You do not want to include your parents in this section, even if they are in college or a degree-seeking program. Adults who have already earned a degree, are in graduate or professional programs, or who are over the age of 24 will not be counted as simultaneously being in college during the same period as you.
This specific question asks your parent/parent's what their tax filing status is for the tax year 2016. You may select from the drop menu whether your parent/parents: “Already Completed”, “Will File”, or “Not Going to File.” There is no wrong answer, but it is important to be as accurate as possible.
Select what your parent/parent's tax filing status is according to their 2016 tax return.
You will select “Yes” if it is determined that your parents could have filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return for 2016. You will select "No" if they didn't.
By using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, parents who are eligible can automatically transfer their tax information into the FAFSA. This will prevent errors and help avoid any processing delays.
Select "Transfer Now" if you agree to transferring your tax information into the FAFSA via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Select "Do Not Transfer" if you don't want to transfer your tax information into the FAFSA via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
Select your parent's tax filing status according to their tax return in 2016. You will not have reached this question if you had answered “Not going to file” for the previous question.
This figure can be found on either Line 37 (1040), Line 21 (1040A), or Line 4 (1040EZ) of their Federal tax return. Parents who are married, but file separate returns will need to combine their AGIs from their individual return for this field. If your parent/parents are eligible and choose to use the IRS Data Retrieval tool, the fields in this section will automatically be populated for them.
For either tax return, use the following to impute their earnings: IRS Form 1040: Use Lines 7 + 12 + 18* + Box 14 of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); IRS Form 1040A: Use Line 7; IRS Form 1040EZ: Use Line 1.
For either tax return, use the following to impute their earnings: IRS Form 1040: Use Lines 7 + 12 + 18* + Box 14 of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); IRS Form 1040A: Use Line 7; IRS Form 1040EZ: Use Line 1.
If your parent/parent's select "Yes" to this question, they may be asked to provide proof of their status as a dislocated worker. This can be in the form of their termination notice, a recent reciept of their unemployment benefits or a letter from the employer.
Depending on which form they used to file their tax return, here is where they can find where these figures are located within the form: IRS Form 1040: Subtract line 46 from line 56 and enter the total; IRS Form 1040A: Subtract line 36 from line 28 and enter the total; IRS Form 1040EZ: Use Line 10.
In order to fill out this section, students will need to refer to their parent or parent’s tax form(s) and look to add information from the following spaces for each return: IRS Form 1040: Use Line 6d; IRS Form 1040A: Use Line 6d; IRS Form 1040EZ: If they didn't check either box on line 5, enter 1 if they are single or 2 if they are married.
Fill in your parent/parent's additional financial information based on the five categories.
Fill in your parent/parent's additional financial information based on the six categories.
If your parent/parent's total assets exceed $21,800.00, select "yes." This figure should reflect that total amount on the day you file your FAFSA.
You will need to answer this question based on whether or not you (the student) did, have not yet, or will not file a tax return. You should answer this question based on your current tax filing status for the previous year.
By using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, students who are eligible can automatically transfer their tax information into the FAFSA. This will prevent errors and help avoid any processing delays.
By using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, parents who are eligible can automatically transfer their tax information into the FAFSA. This will prevent errors and help avoid any processing delays.
This figure can be found on either Line 37 (1040), Line 21 (1040A), or Line 4 (1040EZ) of your Federal tax return. Students who are married, but file separate returns will need to combine their AGIs from their individual return for this field. Your Adjusted Gross Income is considered to be your true income after certain deductions.
Answer the questions whether or not a tax return was filed. This information may be on the W-2 forms or on the tax return selected in question 33: IRS Form 1040—lines 7 + 12 + 18 + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); 1040A—line 7; or 1040EZ—line 1. If any individual earning item is negative, do not include that item in your calculation.
Enter your (and spouse’s) income tax for 2016. Income tax amount is on IRS Form 1040—line 56 minus line 46; 1040A—line 28 minus line 36; or 1040EZ—line 10.
Enter your (and spouse’s) exemptions for 2016. Exemptions are on IRS Form 1040—line 6d or Form 1040A—line 6d. This question asks about how many exemptions you (and your spouse) claimed on your tax return, if any. These exemptions are the total amount of personal and dependent exemptions you can claim that will help to reduce your overall income on which you'll be taxed.
If a student receives income from any of these categories, they must check each applicable box. If students are married and have a spouse, they should also report their spouse’s information (such as taxable earnings from need-based employment programs and combat pay) along with their own.
If a student had untaxed income in any of the following categories during the past year, they must check each of the appropriate boxes that apply to them. In all of the above scenarios, if students are married and have a spouse, they should also report their spouse’s information on the FAFSA alongside their own.
Include the current total of your cash-in-hand, and totals of your checking and savings accounts.
Include the net worth of your investments, including real estate.
Include the total value of your (and your spouse’s) total investments. To do this, you will add the current value of all investments, subtracting any debts currently owed on them.
Select "Agree" if you agree with the terms.
Input the email or username that you used to create a FSA ID.
Input the password that you set for your FSA ID.
Select if your parent is signing as Parent 1 or Parent 2.
Have your parent select "Agree" if they agree with the terms. If you or your family paid a fee for someone to fill out this form or to advise you on how to fill it out, that person must complete the preparer section of this question.
Have your parent input the email or username that they used to create a FSA ID.
Have your parent input the password that they set for your FSA ID.
Here's A Step-By-Step Guide From Our Financial Aid Expert!
