FAFSA for multiple college students - one form or separate applications for each child?

Each student needs their own separate FAFSA application, but you'll use the same parent information for both. The 2025-2026 FAFSA should open around October 1, 2024, and you'll create a unique FSA ID for each student, plus one for yourself as the parent. When you complete the second application, you can transfer your parental information from the first application, which saves time. Their different educational backgrounds don't affect the FAFSA itself, but the colleges will evaluate their admissions and aid packages individually based on their academic histories. Make sure both students list all schools they're considering on their individual FAFSAs so each institution receives their information.

my sister did this last year with her kids. separate fafsa for each kid but you only do your parent info once and then can copy it over. its actually not as bad as it seems once you get started!

As the others mentioned, each student needs their own FAFSA. One important thing to understand is that having multiple students in college simultaneously can significantly impact your Expected Family Contribution (now called the Student Aid Index or SAI). With two dependents in college, your SAI calculation will reflect that you're supporting two students, potentially increasing aid eligibility for both children. Make sure both FAFSAs accurately indicate there will be two family members attending college during the 2025-2026 academic year. This is one of the most important factors in the formula that determines aid eligibility.

i did fafsa for my kids last year and honestly it was a NIGHTMARE!!! kept getting stuck in verification and they asked for documents we already uploaded THREE TIMES. then the schools needed different things and none of them told us the same info. prepare for frustration lol

Don't forget that since your daughter took a year off to work, her income will be counted on the FAFSA and might affect her aid eligibility. The 2025-2026 FAFSA looks at the 2023 tax year (prior-prior year), so if she earned significant income in 2023, that could impact her SAI calculation. Also, make sure you understand the difference between grants (free money) and loans (must be repaid). Some award letters make loans look like scholarships if you don't read carefully.

One more important thing: since your daughter attended community college previously, she should request her official transcripts be sent to any universities she's applying to. This is separate from the FAFSA process, but equally important for determining her transfer credits and academic standing. The university might also need these transcripts to verify her Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) for financial aid purposes. Even though she didn't receive aid during community college, her academic record there could still factor into financial aid decisions at her new institution.

Just went through this with my triplets last year! Everyone else covered the basics but here's a time-saving tip - set aside a dedicated afternoon to create all the FSA IDs (one for each student plus one for you), then bookmark the login page and keep the credentials somewhere safe. You'll need to log in multiple times throughout the year, and it's frustrating when you forget the passwords. Also, set calendar reminders for priority financial aid deadlines at each school - they're often earlier than regular admissions deadlines!

forgot to say earlier but make sure u list both kids as being in college on both fafsas!! my sister almost missed this and it makes a huuuge difference in how much aid they get

Since you're new to the FAFSA process, I recommend reviewing the FSA website before October. They have improved the FAFSA form for 2025-2026 to be more streamlined, but it helps to understand concepts like the Student Aid Index (SAI) beforehand. Also, check if either university requires the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - many private universities use this additional form, which asks for more detailed financial information. Unlike the FAFSA, the CSS Profile has a fee (though fee waivers are available for eligible families).

Welcome to the FAFSA journey! As someone who just went through this process with my own kids, I wanted to add a few practical tips that really helped us stay organized. First, create a shared Google Drive folder (or similar) where you can store all the documents you'll need - tax returns, W-2s, bank statements, etc. This way both you and your twins can access everything from anywhere. Second, consider doing a "practice run" with one of the old FAFSA forms just to get familiar with the types of questions asked - it'll make the real thing much less intimidating. Finally, don't stress too much about making mistakes on the first submission - you can always go back and make corrections if needed. The fact that you're starting to think about this process now, months before the October deadline, puts you way ahead of many parents. You've got this!

Hi Emma! Don't feel embarrassed at all - everyone starts somewhere with FAFSA! I just want to add one thing that hasn't been mentioned yet: make sure to submit both FAFSAs as early as possible after October 1st. Some states and colleges award aid on a first-come, first-served basis, even if they have deadlines months later. Also, keep copies of everything you submit - screenshots of confirmation pages, printouts of the completed forms, etc. I learned this the hard way when my daughter's college claimed they never received her FAFSA (they had, but it took weeks to sort out). The verification process that others mentioned can be really tedious, so having your own records helps tremendously. You're asking all the right questions and being proactive - that's honestly half the battle won already!

Hi Emma! As someone who works in financial aid at a community college, I wanted to jump in with a few additional points that might help. Since one of your twins has community college credits, make sure to check if those credits will transfer to her four-year university and how that might affect her class standing (freshman vs sophomore status) for aid purposes. Also, keep in mind that if either student plans to live on campus vs commute, this will significantly impact their Cost of Attendance and potentially their aid eligibility - the FAFSA asks about housing plans for this reason. One last tip: if your family's financial situation has changed significantly since the 2023 tax year (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can contact the financial aid offices directly to discuss a "professional judgment" review after you receive your initial aid offers. Don't be afraid to advocate for your kids if circumstances warrant it!

Hi Emma! I just wanted to chime in as someone who went through this exact situation two years ago with my twin daughters. Reading through all these responses brings back memories - I was just as overwhelmed initially! One small but important detail I don't think anyone mentioned: when you're filling out the "number in household" and "number in college" sections, make sure you're consistent across both applications. I made a silly mistake on my first daughter's FAFSA by forgetting to include her sister in the "number in college" count, which threw off the calculations. Also, if either of your twins decides to change schools or housing plans after submitting the FAFSA, you can update that information later - it's not set in stone. The process really does get easier once you complete that first application, and having twins means you'll become a FAFSA pro by the time you're done! Wishing you and your twins the best of luck with both the financial aid process and their college journeys.

Hi Emma! I'm new to this community and also navigating FAFSA for the first time with my daughter who's starting college next year. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about so many of these details! I especially appreciate learning about the Student Aid Index and how having multiple kids in college can actually help with aid eligibility. One thing I'm curious about that I haven't seen mentioned - do you know if there are any good resources or workshops for parents who are completely new to this process? I'm feeling pretty overwhelmed even after reading all this great advice, and I wonder if there are any free seminars or online tutorials specifically designed for FAFSA beginners. Thanks for starting this conversation - it's been so educational for those of us just starting this journey!

Hi Emma! Welcome to the FAFSA journey - you're definitely not alone in feeling overwhelmed! I'm also navigating this process for the first time with my son who's starting college next fall. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly eye-opening. I had no idea about so many of these details, like the Student Aid Index calculations and how having multiple students in college can actually be beneficial for aid eligibility. One thing I'm wondering about that I haven't seen addressed yet - are there any good mobile apps or tools that can help keep track of all the different deadlines and requirements for each school? With all the different dates and documents everyone is mentioning, I'm already feeling like I need a better organizational system than just writing things down on random pieces of paper! Thanks for asking such great questions that are helping all of us newbies learn together.

Hi Emma! As someone who just completed the FAFSA process with my daughter last year, I wanted to add a couple of things that really helped us. First, don't worry about feeling clueless - literally everyone feels that way at first! The process seems much more intimidating than it actually is. One thing I wish I had known earlier is that you can start gathering documents now, even before October. Things like your 2023 tax return, W-2s, and bank statements won't change, so having them organized in a folder (physical or digital) will make the actual application process much smoother. Also, I'd recommend having both of your twins create their own StudentAid.gov accounts and FSA IDs a few weeks before the FAFSA opens - sometimes the system gets overwhelmed on October 1st with everyone trying to create accounts at once. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool that others mentioned is a game-changer - it automatically pulls your tax information, so you don't have to manually enter everything. Just make sure your name on the FAFSA exactly matches what's on your tax return or it won't work. You're already ahead of the game by starting to think about this now!

Hi Emma! As a newcomer to this community, I just wanted to say thank you for asking such thorough questions - reading through all these responses has been incredibly educational for those of us who are also new to the FAFSA process! One small thing I wanted to add that I learned from my older sister's experience: make sure to save confirmation numbers and take screenshots at each step of the FAFSA submission process. She had a technical glitch during her submission one year and having those confirmation numbers saved her a lot of headaches when she had to prove what information was submitted. Also, I've heard that some families find it helpful to complete both applications during the same sitting (or at least the same weekend) while all the parent information is fresh in your mind - that way you're less likely to accidentally enter different numbers on the two forms. It sounds like you're being wonderfully proactive by starting to learn about this process now. Best of luck to you and your twins!