FAFSA deadline approaching - tips for returning student who never used aid before?

Welcome back to the wonderful world of FAFSA! So at 24, you're automatically considered an independent student - that's actually great news because it means you won't need to include any parent information. For documents, you'll definitely need your 2023 tax return, W-2 forms, and current bank statements. The new FAFSA is much simpler than what you might remember from 6 years ago - it's called the Better FAFSA and has about 36 questions instead of 108. Make sure you create your FSA ID if you don't remember your old login - that alone can take 1-3 days to process. One tip: your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) will be calculated based on your income alone, which might qualify you for more aid than you expected!

omg i did the same thing!! didnt use my fafsa in hs and then went back at 26. its way easier than you think, just have your tax stuff ready. the new one is shorter too

As someone who's filled out the FAFSA for years, here's my advice: 1) Don't rush through it. Careless errors will delay processing. 2) The system now directly imports tax info from the IRS using the Data Retrieval Tool - USE THIS! It prevents mistakes. 3) Have ALL your documents before starting: 2023 tax return, W-2s, 1099s, bank statements, investment records. 4) Since you're 24, you're independent (huge advantage). 5) Submit BEFORE the priority deadline - some aid is first-come, first-served. 6) After submitting, check your SAI score - that determines your Pell Grant eligibility. 7) SAVE YOUR CONFIRMATION PAGE!!! Can't stress this enough. Good luck!

I work in financial aid at a community college and see returning students in your situation all the time. One thing to be aware of: the priority deadline is important but it's not the end of the world if you miss it. The ABSOLUTE deadline isn't until June 30, 2026 for the 2025-2026 academic year. That said, definitely try to meet your school's priority deadline because certain campus-based funds (FSEOG grants, etc.) are limited and distributed first-come, first-served. Also, since you're returning after 6 years, check if you need to complete entrance counseling for federal loans - it's required even if you did it years ago but never used the loans. And yes, at 24, you're considered independent for FAFSA purposes, which is typically beneficial for aid eligibility.

I had SUCH a nightmare trying to contact the Federal Student Aid people when I had questions about my SAI calculation. Busy signals for DAYS. Finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual human at FSA in about 15 minutes. They have a demo video of how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Totally worth it for my sanity, especially since I had a complicated situation with multiple income sources. The FAFSA helpline people were actually really knowledgeable once I could actually reach them.

EVERYONE MAKES THE FAFSA SOUND SO EASY BUT IT'S NOT!!! I'm a returning student too and I got completely screwed last year because I didn't realize I needed to list my 401k from my old job. They counted it as an asset and my SAI went through the roof even though I can't touch that money without penalties!!! The whole system is designed to confuse people and deny aid. And don't even get me started on the verification process - they randomly select people and make them provide MOUNTAINS of extra documentation. Be prepared for that possibility. 😡

Double check if your school has any supplemental financial aid forms besides the FAFSA. Many private colleges require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA, and that deadline might be different. Also, if you're going for nursing specifically, look into the NURSE Corps Scholarship Program and your state's nursing workforce programs - they often have separate applications but can provide significant funding. As for being independent, yes at 24 you qualify automatically, but make sure to check the exact wording of that question anyway - sometimes the birthday cutoff date matters.

btw when u get ur SAI score dont freak out if it seems high. mine was like 9500 and i still got a decent pell grant. the numbers are weird now with the new formula

anyone know if you can update fafsa info after submitting? i always mess something up and have to fix it later

One final tip - since you mentioned nursing specifically, be sure to carefully answer the question about interest in federal TEACH grants. These aren't relevant for nursing programs and selecting 'yes' by mistake can cause confusion in your aid package. Also, once you submit your FAFSA, immediately contact your school's financial aid office to let them know you're a returning student. Sometimes they can flag your file for special consideration or point you toward additional nursing-specific campus scholarships that don't appear in the general application process. Good luck with your nursing program!