FAFSA for beginners - need simple step-by-step instructions please!

First create a FSA ID at studentaid.gov (both u and ur parent need one if ur dependent). Then click FAFSA form on the website. Fill out ur personal info, then school info, then all the tax/money stuff. U need tax returns, W-2s, and bank statements. Takes like an hour maybe. SAI = Student Aid Index, its just wat they call the number that decides how much aid u get. Lower number = more aid. Good luck!

I help students with FAFSA applications regularly, so let me break this down into super simple steps: 1) Create an FSA ID at studentaid.gov (you AND a parent will each need your own if you're under 24, unmarried, have no dependents, etc.) 2) Gather these documents: - Your Social Security Number - Your parents' Social Security Numbers - Your driver's license number (if you have one) - Federal tax returns and W-2s for you and your parents - Records of untaxed income (if applicable) - Bank statements and investment records 3) Go to studentaid.gov and click "Apply for Aid" then "Complete the FAFSA form" 4) Work through each section carefully, saving as you go 5) Sign electronically using your FSA IDs and submit The whole process typically takes 45-60 minutes if you have all documents ready, but plan for longer your first time. Your SAI (Student Aid Index) will be calculated based on your information and determines how much need-based aid you qualify for. Don't wait until the last minute - technical issues happen! Complete it at least a week before your deadline.

Let me add some important info others haven't mentioned. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they made significant changes to the form, so even advice from last year might be outdated. The most important changes: 1. They simplified the form from 100+ questions to about 36 questions 2. The system now directly imports tax data from the IRS using the Data Retrieval Tool 3. Students can list up to 20 schools (increased from 10) 4. They now use the Student Aid Index (SAI) instead of the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC) 5. Divorced/separated parents - you'll provide info for the parent who provided more financial support in the past 12 months Also worth noting: if you're having trouble reaching Federal Student Aid on the phone for help (and you probably will), I recently used a service called Claimyr that got me through to an actual person in about 15 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. Check out their demo: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ or visit claimyr.com. Saved me so much frustration!

@profile8 Yes, it's completely legitimate. I was skeptical too, but after my fifth attempt trying to reach someone about my verification issues, I tried it. They basically keep dialing for you and then call you when they get through to an agent. Saved me hours of frustration. With the new FAFSA rollout, everyone's trying to call at once.

One other critical point about FAFSA that others haven't mentioned: pay very close attention to THREE different deadlines: 1. Federal FAFSA deadline (June 30, 2026 for the 2025-2026 school year) 2. Your STATE's FAFSA deadline (often much earlier than federal - some are as early as February!) 3. Your COLLEGE'S priority deadline (typically the earliest of all - as early as November/December of the prior year for some schools) Missing your college's priority deadline can cost you THOUSANDS in potential institutional aid, even if you meet the federal deadline. The earlier you file, the better position you'll be in for maximum aid consideration.

FAFSA IS THE WORST!!!!! I tried doing mine last week and the stupid website kept giving me error codes. Then it told me my dad's FSA ID was wrong even though HE JUST MADE IT. Then when we finally got through all the questions it just said "processing" for DAYS with no confirmation. The whole system is designed to make you fail I swear. And don't even get me started on the "help" line that just disconnects you after 2 hours on hold. My advice? Set aside a WHOLE DAY, not just an hour. Have ALL your documents ready. Take screenshots of EVERYTHING. And if something goes wrong, try again at like 2am when the site isn't crashed from too many users.

am i the only one whos parents refused to provide their info for fafsa?? my dad said its "invasive" and wont give me his tax info so now i cant even apply for financial aid. anyone know if u can do fafsa without parent info somehow??

Thank you all SO MUCH for all this advice! I think I understand the process now: 1. First, my mom and I both need to create FSA IDs 2. Gather all our financial documents 3. Set aside several hours when we're both available 4. Complete the form on studentaid.gov 5. Double-check all numbers match exactly with our tax forms 6. Submit well before my school's deadline (I'll verify what that actually is) I'm still nervous but feel way more prepared now. Will let you all know how it goes! 🙏