Are you unsure on how to fill out the FAFSA? Completing the FAFSA application can be made easy by following these steps! Be sure to take your time and read everything thoroughly and carefully.
*Disclaimer: The screenshots provided are from the previous year FAFSA application demo site. Be sure to read everything. You should be filling out the 2020-2021 FAFSA application and 2018 tax information. * Information in screenshots is not from real people.
Before You Start, You will need:
Social Security Card: Be sure to have this when completing the FAFSA application because in order to create a FSAID and complete the application, your SSN must be accurate.
Parent W2s: 2018 tax year
Student W2s (if applicable): 2018 tax year
2018 Tax documents
Parent and Student FSA ID
Bank statements (students and parents)
Step One: Create a FSA ID. Both the student and parent will need to create a FSAID.
Go to www.fsaid.ed.gov
Students will create a FSAID by following the steps on the webpage allowing them to create a username and password using their information ( name, address, phone number, etc...) . The student's username/email address is what will be used to log into the FAFSA application. (* This is the student's FSAID)
Be sure to remember your FSAID- You are required to file your FAFSA every year that you are enrolled in school.
Parent/s will complete the same steps to create their FSAID using their own information.
The parent/s FSAID will serve as their signature and access to the "Data Retrieval tool"( Discussed in later steps) when completing the FAFSA application.
Both students and parents will be asked to verify their FSAID through email. A code will be sent to the email that was provided and should be entered in the "security code" box.
Remember: Both the parent and student will need their own FSAID. No one can share a FSAID.
Step Two: Start your FAFSA application!
Go to www.fafsa.ed.gov
Click "Start Here"
On the next page, log in using your verified "STUDENT" FSAID : This is the student's financial aid application so be sure to log in using the student's FSAID.
A "Disclaimer" screen will appear. Click Accept to move to the next page.
Next you will need to select what "School Year" you will be applying for. You will need to select "2020-2021". It is very important that you put the correct school year when starting a application.
Once you have selected a school year, you will be prompted to create a "Save Key"
A "save key" is just another password that you will need to create in order to save your FAFSA application. This password is used if you have to stop your application at any time and come back to it later. You will not need to remember the save key once your FAFSA has been "successfully submitted".
Click Next. Now your at the "Introduction Page". You can read through the links for more information about the FAFSA but it is not required.
Click "Next" to move to the "Student Demographics" section of the FAFSA application.
In the "Student Demographics" portion, students will enter their student information. Specific fields will already be filled after entering your FSAID to login to the application.
Be sure that your SSN is accurate.
Within the student information section you will also be asked to tell if you have lived in Michigan for at least 5 years.
Click Next, Enter your gender. Providing your driver's license is optional.
Click Next. In this section the students will also be asked about there martial status. Even if the student has a boyfriend/girlfriend he/she is considered "Single".
Click "Next". The student will be asked to answer the question about citizenship.
Click "Next":
For the next question about completion status, you should answer " High school Diploma" or whatever applies to you.
For the next question "What will your college grade level be...?" you should answer "Never attended college/1st year"
Next you will be asked "What degree you will be working on...?". Select what applies to the type of institution you will attend in the fall.
4-year (MSU,U of M, Eastern, etc..)- Bachelors Degree, Master's, Doc.
2-year (Henry Ford, School craft, Wayne County)- Associates degree, certificate
Continue answering questions about Work Study, Foster Care and Parents highest level of education.
Students should always select "YES" for work-study.
You have made it to the School Selection portion. You will begin entering the name of the high school in the boxes.
Enter your high school.
Summit Academy North high school
Huron Township
Michigan
Click Confirm
Click "Select" next to " Summit Academy North high school"
Click Next.
In the school selection portion you also enter all the schools you have applied to and also schools you plan to apply to.
You can enter up to 10 schools
You must enter a college into the FAFSA in order to recieve any financial aid communication from schools you have been accepted to.
"Colleges will not recieve your FAFSA information unless you are accepted to the school. "
Search for schools that you would like to be added to your FAFSA by the name, state, city, or college Federal school code (this can be found on the school's financial aid webpage)
Once you have searched a school check the box next to the school you would like to add to your FAFSA.
Click " Add More Schools" until you have added up to 10 schools on your FAFSA. Continue to search schools as you did before.
Once you have added all of the schools that you desire to be put on your FAFSA application, Click Next.
Now you must select your housing plan for each schools that you have added to your application. Once you select one of the three options, Click Next.
You have reached the "Student Dependency Determination" portion of the application. This is where students will report their dependency status.
Answer the questions accurately and honestly
Dependent vs. Independent : Majority of students will be considered "Dependent".
If a student answers "No" to all of the questions he/she is a Dependent Student
If a student answers "Yes" to one or more of the questions he/ she is considered a Independent Student
If you still have questions about who is a parent/s after viewing the link above, be sure to click the blue highlighted "parent" link on the FAFSA application question.
When filling out this portion of the FAFSA application be sure to read everything thoroughly and answer questions based on the parent/s status as of the day you complete the FAFSA.
As a "Dependent Student", this is where you will begin to enter your parents information into the FAFSA.
Remember who is "Parent 1" and "Parent 2", if applicable
Click Next after entering parents information. Now you will enter your parent's email address and tell how many years your parent/s have lived in Michigan.
On this section, you will also have to provide household size information.
This is all of the individuals the live in your home including your parent/s and yourself.
Also include siblings that do not live with you in the household size ONLY IF if your parent/s provides more than half (50%) of support to that sibling, if applicable.
Also include any other relatives that live in your home that your parent/s provide more than half (50%) of support to in the household size, if applicable .
For the number of people in college, include yourself and siblings under the age of 24 years old. DO NOT INCLUDE YOUR PARENT/S, if applicable
Click Next, and now it's time to enter the parent/s tax information and students, if applicable.
You have reached the "Financial Information" portion of the application.
Parent/s will need to select from the three options regarding completing a tax return.
Now parent/s need to select one of the three options indicating their filing status according to their tax return.
Continue by answering the questions regarding foreign tax returns as it applies to your parent/s
Be honest and accurate: Be sure to have your tax information on hand to reduce errors.
Read the "?" hint next to the question if you are still unsure.
Parents will be prompted to "Link to IRS". You have reached the Data Retrieval tool for the FAFSA application.
Data Retrieval Tool ( DRT): This tool is designed to transfer parents tax information right off of the IRS data base. *This was created to reduce the amount of error that can occur when entering tax information into the FAFSA.
** It is highly encouraged to used the Data Retrieval tool on this portion of the FAFSA.**
Colleges recommend that you use the Data Retrieval Tool to reduce the chances of both parents and students providing additional documentation to a schools financial aid office once a FAFSA is submitted.
As a "Dependent Student" who entered one or both parents information into the FAFSA application, you will only need to use one parents FSAID to use the Data Retrieval tool.
If your parent/s areMarried and filed a Separate Tax Return, they will need to enter their tax information manually.
Continue using the IRS Data Retrieval tool if parent/s are married and filed jointly, filed head of household, single.
Once parent enters their FSAID, click "Proceed to IRS Site".
Parents will be asked to provide personal information that would reflect what was on the 2018 tax return.
Once the information is entered Click, Submit.
Once you click Submit, a page will prompt you to "Transfer my tax information into the FAFSA"
Check the box and click "Transfer Now"
You will automatically be directed back to your FAFSA application.
Parents who are married will be required to manually enter their income earned for work in 2018.
Continue answering question about parent/s being a "dislocated worker" as it applies to you.
Parents will continue to answer tax and income related questions as it pertains to the parents specific tax documents.
Be sure to use tax documents as a guide when you are filling out the financial information section of the FAFSA.
Parents will be asked to answer questions about their assets. Answer the question accordingly.
Once you have completed filling out the parent portion of the financial information section, you will move on to the student information portion of the financial information section.
If a student did work during the 2018 tax year, he/she will select "Not Going to File".
If a student worked during the 2018 tax year, he/she will enter tax information just as their parent has done in the previous section.
The student will then be prompted to answer a question regarding wages for the 2018 tax year even if he/she did not work during that tax year.
If the student did not have any income earning during the 2018 tax year, he/she will report "0" for the remaining corresponding questions regarding income and earnings.
Continue by answering the remaining financial information questions accordingly.
Next, the student will be asked to answers regarding assets.
Click Next. You have made it to the end of the FAFSA. You will be asked if you are a preparer. Select "NO".
Review your FAFSA application to be sure all the information was entered accurately.
Click Next, and it is time to Submit your FAFSA application.
Read through the terms and click "Agree". Then click, Next
Click Next and then click "Sign This FAFSA".
One parent will also need to sign the FAFSA using their FSAID as an electronic signature. Click "Provide Parent Signature".
Click " Sign as Parent.." button for the parent who has created a FSAID.
Move on to "Agree" to the terms as you have done for the student.
The parent will need to enter their FSAID and password.
IT'S TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA!!! Click "SUBMIT MY FAFSA NOW"
Once you have click the submit button you have successfully "submitted" your FAFSA.
Remember, your financial aid process is not necessarily done. Its time for you to view your Student Aid Report (SAR) and look for additional financial aid steps from colleges you have been accepted to.
Independent Student
Students are classified as "Independent" by the FAFSA when they answer "yes" to any of the dependency status questions.
Most students are classified as "Dependent" unless they fall under a special circumstance where the FAFSA classifies them as "Independent".
Independent students are able to answer questions about parents but are not required to do so.
"ALL" independent students will be selected for verification. Visit the link below and the verification section of this website to learn more about what verification means.
The remaining steps are the same as a dependent student minus parent/s information. Independent student will only need to provide their own signature on the FAFSA.