A Video Walkthrough of the 2019-20 FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available for the 2019-20 school year.

All students attending college in fall 2019 and/or spring 2020 should use this application to apply for financial aid.

Create FSA ID Before Completing FAFSA

Before you fill out the FAFSA, you’ll need to create an FSA ID if you haven’t already. The FSA ID replaced the FAFSA pin in May 2015 and serves as your legal signature.

Both the student and one parent need to create an FSA ID. Watch this video for help creating an FSA ID.

Once you’ve created an FSA ID (or retrieved yours from a prior year), you’re ready to fill out the FAFSA.

Instructions for filling out the FAFSA

Here’s a step-by-step breakdown with instructions of how to complete the FAFSA from Step Up Utah.

You should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible in order to secure financial aid. Once financial aid is gone, it’s gone, so the earlier you apply, the better.

Many colleges and states have financial aid deadlines in February or even sooner, so it’s best to get your form submitted right away.

Why you should complete the FAFSA

Remember, you need to complete the FAFSA every year in order to be eligible for financial aid.

The FAFSA becomes available on October 1 of the year prior to the fall semester for college. The FAFSA for the 2019-20 academic year became available on October 1, 2018.

If you don’t complete the FAFSA, you will not be eligible for federal financial aid. It’s also used for many state and college scholarships, so if you don’t apply, you risk losing out on free money for college.

Even if you think you’re not eligible for financial aid, you should still complete the FAFSA. Colleges have different ways to determine student need, and many offer merit scholarships not based on financial factors — but you still need to complete the form to be eligible.

We help students and families secure the most financial aid possible. If you want personalized help applying for financial aid, give our experts a call at 1-888-234-3907 or send us a message.