Do I need to fill out a completely new FAFSA each year for returning college students?

u dont have 2 start from scratch! theres a renewal option - just log in with ur FSA ID and most of your info will carry over. still gotta update the tax info & stuff but WAY faster than starting over

There's a renewal process that makes it much easier in subsequent years! When you log into studentaid.gov with your FSA ID, you'll select the renewal option. The system pre-fills about 80% of the information from your previous application, so you'll just need to update: • Current tax/income information for 2023 tax year • Any changes to assets or family situation • Updates to the list of schools you want to receive your information The 2025-2026 FAFSA will be available October 1, 2024. I recommend submitting it as early as possible since some aid is first-come, first-served. Even with the renewal process, set aside at least 45-60 minutes to complete it properly.

I've been through this 3 times now with my kids. Yes, you have to reapply each year BUT it's definitely easier after the first time! The renewal FAFSA pre-fills a lot of the basic information, but you still need to update your tax info and answer the financial questions again. One thing to watch out for: make sure you're actually doing a renewal and not accidentally starting a brand new application. I made that mistake my second time around and wasted an entire evening! Also, be prepared for your daughter's aid package to change year-to-year, even if your finances stay relatively stable. My son's SAI calculation changed by almost $2,800 between freshman and sophomore year despite our income only changing slightly. The financial aid formulas are... mysterious!

You absolutely need to reapply each year, but the renewal process makes it significantly easier. Log in with your FSA ID at studentaid.gov and select "Renew My FAFSA." For the 2025-2026 school year, you'll need your 2023 tax information ready. Here are some important notes: 1. The renewal FAFSA becomes available October 1, 2024 2. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) will be recalculated each year based on updated information 3. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool can automatically transfer your tax information 4. Schools often have their own priority deadlines earlier than the federal deadline I recommend setting a calendar reminder for September 30th to gather all your documents, then submitting on October 1st. Many schools award aid on a first-come, first-served basis for certain grants and work-study opportunities.

omg the renewal is soooo much easier than starting over!!! but last year i still got stuck trying to call FSA for help when the system wouldn't accept my tax info. kept getting disconnected after waiting for like an hour each time. total nightmare.

The 'renewal' FAFSA is honestly just marketing speak. You still have to verify all the information and re-enter a bunch of stuff. And if anything in your financial situation has changed, you'll spend just as much time as the first application. Plus, with the new FAFSA changes, I wouldn't trust anything about the process to be simple. Our family income dropped about $12K last year due to my husband's job change, and I thought the renewal would be quick. NOPE! Had to provide all kinds of additional verification, ended up speaking to 3 different financial aid officers, and the whole process took MONTHS. My son almost lost his housing reservation waiting for it all to process.

Quick tip: Take screenshots of EVERYTHING during the FAFSA process! I learned this the hard way. Last year the system glitched after I submitted and there was no confirmation, but it deducted the application from my total. The school said they never received it, but I had no proof I'd completed it. Had to start all over again two weeks before the deadline. Now I document every single step with screenshots.

To answer your most recent question - yes, you will receive a confirmation email when your FAFSA is successfully processed. You'll also get a Student Aid Report (SAR) within 3-5 days if you provided an email address. However, I strongly second the recommendation to take screenshots throughout the process. The system has been known to have technical issues, especially during peak submission periods (early October). After submission, you should be able to log in and see your confirmation number immediately. Write this down or screenshot it. The confirmation page will also show an estimated SAI (Student Aid Index), which gives you a preliminary idea of your aid eligibility.

Just wanted to add something I learned the hard way - make sure you check your state's deadline too! The federal FAFSA deadline is pretty generous, but my state (California) has a much earlier deadline for state grant money. I almost missed out on a Cal Grant because I didn't realize the state deadline was different from the federal one. Each state has its own rules for when you need to submit by to be considered for state aid programs. Worth looking up your state's specific requirements so you don't leave money on the table!