Can I add University of Tampa to processed FAFSA after submission?
I'm so confused about what to do now! My daughter just finished her FAFSA (shows as "processed" on studentaid.gov) but now she's decided she wants to apply to University of Tampa too. We didn't include that school when we submitted the application. Will I be able to add Tampa to her school list or is it too late because it's already processed? Do we need to start over with a new application? This college decision process is giving me gray hairs!
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Finley Garrett
Don't worry! You can definitely add more schools even after your FAFSA has been processed. Just log into your daughter's studentaid.gov account, go to the FAFSA form section, and select "Add or Delete a School." You can add up to 10 schools total. The system will let you make this change without having to submit an entirely new application. Your daughter's SAI score won't change - the additional school will just receive her information too.
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Cass Green
•Thank you SO MUCH! That's such a relief to hear. I was afraid we'd messed up her whole financial aid opportunity for Tampa. So I just log in and add the school... do I need her FSA ID to do this or can I use my parent login? I usually do all this stuff on her behalf since she's so busy with AP classes.
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Madison Tipne
I did the same thing last year with my son!!!! You can add schools up to 10 total i think but u need to do it kinda fast bc some schools have early deadlines for scholaships based on fafsa
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Cass Green
•Oh good point about scholarships! Do you know if University of Tampa has early deadlines? I'm going to check their website right now. Thanks for the reminder!
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Holly Lascelles
Just a heads up - University of Tampa is a private school and they might require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA. Many private universities use both to determine institutional aid packages. Check their financial aid website ASAP to see if you need to complete that too. CSS Profile has a fee unless you qualify for a fee waiver.
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Cass Green
•Oh no! I had no idea about the CSS Profile thing. We've only been looking at state schools until now. Is that a whole separate application? How much more complicated is it than the FAFSA? I feel like I'm drowning in paperwork!
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Malia Ponder
I work in financial aid at a private university similar to Tampa. Yes, you can absolutely add schools after FAFSA processing. Log in with YOUR parent credentials (since you're the contributor) and select "Make FAFSA Corrections" then navigate to the school codes section. Regarding CSS Profile - not all private schools require it, but many do. Tampa specifically requires CSS Profile ONLY for students seeking merit scholarships, not for regular financial aid. It's more detailed than FAFSA and asks about assets FAFSA doesn't consider (home equity, small business value, etc.). Their priority deadline for financial aid consideration is March 1st, 2026, but I always recommend getting everything submitted by December for the best packages.
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Holly Lascelles
•This is excellent information - thanks for the clarity about Tampa specifically. I should have checked before making a blanket statement about private schools and CSS Profile. This is why it's always good to verify requirements directly with each institution!
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Kyle Wallace
why is fafsa so COMPLICATED!!!! i literally had to resubmit mine 3 times because they kept saying my verification was wrong and then when i called the number I was on hold for 2 HOURS and then got disconnected🤬🤬 i gave up and just took out more loans
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Ryder Ross
•I feel your pain about the phone system! I had the same experience trying to reach someone about my daughter's verification issues. After getting disconnected three times, I discovered this service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that holds your place in line and calls you back when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Seriously worth it when you need to actually speak to someone at FSA about verification or SAI calculation issues.
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Cass Green
Update: I was able to add University of Tampa to my daughter's FAFSA! It was actually pretty simple. I logged in with my parent FSA ID, clicked on "Make FAFSA Corrections" and then went to the school selection page. Tampa's school code is 001538. The FAFSA is now reprocessing but should be sent to Tampa in 3-5 days according to the confirmation page. Also, I checked their financial aid website and they do require the CSS Profile for merit scholarships, but not for need-based aid. Now I just need to figure out if we need to submit that too since she has pretty good grades. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Finley Garrett
•That's great news! Glad to hear it worked out smoothly. For the CSS Profile, if your daughter's GPA and test scores are competitive for Tampa's merit scholarships, it's probably worth completing. Merit aid can significantly reduce costs at private universities, sometimes making them comparable to state schools. The CSS Profile is more detailed but not terribly difficult if you have all your financial information handy.
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Madison Tipne
good job mama!!! college stuff is so complicated these days, way harder than when we went to school lol. my son ended up at his 5th choice school and loves it, so sometimes things work out in unexpected ways!
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