Financial Aid
What is FAFSA?
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by the U.S. Department of Education to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) by conducting a “need analysis” based on financial information, such as income, assets and other household information, which you (and your parents if you are a dependent student) will be asked to provide. The form is submitted to, and processed by, a federal processor contracted by the U.S. Department of Education (ED), and the results are electronically transmitted to the financial aid offices of the schools that you list on your application.
FAFSA is the application used by nearly all colleges and universities to determine eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs.
FAFSA Online
The U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid has made the Free Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) available online.
In addition, they have recently added the
FAFSA4caster, a new Web tool designed to assist high school juniors and their families plan for education beyond high school. Students can receive an estimated Expected Family Contribution (EFC) by entering their information into FAFSA4caster, a simplified version of the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA4caster also provides guidance on next steps for applying for admission, applying for federal student aid, and paying for education beyond high school.
If you have any questions about FAFSA4caster, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).