After months of delays, it’s finally FAFSA season.
That’s the federal form that can help students and families get state and federal money for higher education.
The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is fully available after being in a “soft launch” period. This new version, released Dec. 30, has big changes in an attempt to streamline the process. Some glitches and other problems were being reported during the early days of the rollout.
College Now Greater Cleveland is encouraging local residents to complete the form now. Check out the guide below for a few big things to keep in mind as you get ready to navigate the annual process.
What do I need to complete the FAFSA?
Students and families need to do a little homework before they sit down to file. Here are some of the major items you’ll need:
- Apply for and secure a Federal Student Assistance ID account. You can do that by visiting this federal website. Heads up: it can take a few days for this process to get completed, so you’ll want to complete it first. A new change this year is that students and/or parents will each need their own accounts.
- Speaking of, dependent students should read this explainer laying out how financial aid officials explicitly define “parent.” This allows students to know who they may need to ask to contribute information. This year, parents’ spouses or stepparents may need to participate.
- Once you’ve nailed down who’s filing, you’ll need identifying information, including Social Security numbers for those who have them as well as some financial information, such as tax returns and how much is in checking and/or savings accounts. Here is a full list from the Federal Student Aid office.
- Officials with College Now encourage both parents and students to use personal email accounts, as those associated with schools may get deleted over time.
Where do I file the FAFSA?
The process is completed online at FAFSA.gov.
What if I encounter an error or make a mistake on the FAFSA?
College Now’s been reporting bugs or errors to the Federal Student Aid department, according to Kate Schwab, College Now’s senior director of advising programs and services. Others are too. You can check out this page to see any current issues the department knows about as well as any possible fixes.
She also encourages folks to take their time while completing the form. If a mistake is made, it can’t be corrected until the student receives a full summary report via email later in January, she added.
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Where can I get help completing my FAFSA?
College Now is hosting a series of events if you’d like some hands-on help.
- Jan. 20, 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. : FAFSA completion workshop at College Now, 1500 West 3rd Street, Suite 125, Cleveland (register here)
- Jan. 24, 5 p.m. – 7 p.m., Cuyahoga County Public Library – Brooklyn (register here)
- Jan. 25, 6:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Lorain Public Library – Avon Library (register here)
- Jan. 31, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m., Cuyahoga County Public Library – Parma Heights (register here)
- College Now is also offering several upcoming online training sessions. Find out more by visiting this link.
Update: This story was updated Jan. 9 to reflect that the FAFSA is now out of its “soft launch” period.