International student confused about state field in FAFSA account setup - help needed!

wait why r u even filling out fafsa if ur international? pretty sure fafsa is only for us citizens and eligible non-citizens

The previous commenter is correct. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is only available to U.S. citizens and eligible non-citizens (such as permanent residents, refugees, etc). As an international student, you are not eligible to receive federal financial aid, which is what the FAFSA is used for. You should be looking at the CSS Profile instead, which many schools use for international student aid. Check with your university's financial aid office to confirm exactly which forms they need from you - there's likely been some miscommunication.

I HAD THE EXACT SAME PROBLEM last year!!! Turns out my advisor was confusing the FAFSA with the CSS Profile which I actually needed to fill out. You're probably eligible for institutional aid but NOT federal aid. The CSS Profile lets you enter international addresses no problem. But heads up - the CSS Profile costs like $25 for the first school and $16 for each additional school. Such a rip-off considering we're already struggling financially!!!!

Just to add some clarity: FAFSA = U.S. federal government aid (grants, loans, work-study) and requires U.S. citizenship or eligible non-citizen status. CSS Profile = institutional aid from individual colleges and can be used by international students. Some universities also have their own financial aid forms specifically for international students. You need to check exactly what your specific universities require. If you're confused about which forms to fill out, I'd suggest calling the financial aid office directly to get clarity.

my roommate is from Brazil and he just uses the CSS Profile, not FAFSA. pretty sure thats what you need. he says some schools also have special international student financial aid forms on their websites. check each school individually

I work in our university's financial aid office, and we see this confusion often. International students are not eligible for FAFSA. Here's what you need to do: 1. Check if your schools require the CSS Profile (many private institutions do) 2. Look for international student financial aid forms on each university's website 3. Contact each school's financial aid office to ask about scholarships specifically for international students Regarding CSS Profile fee waivers - they're typically only available to U.S. students who qualified for an SAT fee waiver. However, some schools will waive the application fee if you demonstrate significant financial need. You would need to contact each school directly about this possibility.

Hey AstroAce! I went through this exact same confusion when I was applying as an international student from India. The whole FAFSA vs CSS Profile thing is so confusing at first! Just wanted to add that when you do fill out the CSS Profile, make sure you have all your financial documents ready in USD equivalents - they'll ask for your family's income converted to US dollars. Also, some schools have their own supplemental financial aid forms for international students that are separate from both FAFSA and CSS Profile, so definitely check each university's international student aid page. The deadlines for these forms can be different from regular application deadlines too, so keep an eye on that. Good luck with your applications!