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Funding College - FAFSA

The 2024-2025 FAFSA opens in December 2023 and provides funding for Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Summer 2025 .

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is the first step in funding college or graduate school. In just two easy steps and entirely online, you can access federal Pell Grant dollars up to $7,395, work study, and student loan options to help fund your college plans. You will need to reapply to the FAFSA each year that you are in college.

The Pell Grant is money provided by the federal government to help pay for college. The Federal Student Aid Estimator provides an estimate what federal student aid you may be eligible for. Additionally, these tables provide an estimate of how many Pell dollars you may be eligible to receive. Check out the NCAC article Breaking Down the 2024-25 Pell Look-Up Tables (Vallejo, 2023) for more information.

  • Step 1:

    Create an FSA ID before December 2023 to be prepared to complete the application when it opens. BOTH you as the student and your “contributor(s)” need to create an FSA ID.

    Who is a “contributor”? One or both of your parents/guardians or your spouse. Follow the chart below to see which parent(s) to include. If you are an independent student, your application will not include contributors.

Contributors without a Social Security Number can now create an FSA ID through identity verification and will take place through the FSA portal.

  • Step 2:

    Complete the FAFSA form. Both the student and their contributor(s) will need to complete their portions of the form, which include separate sets of required questions.

    Students that are not eligible to complete the FAFSA form

    Students without a Social Security Number cannot complete the FAFSA form.

    Many schools, including the UArizona, Arizona State University, and Northern Arizona University, will accept the College Board CSS Profile instead of the FAFSA to determine eligibility for need-based institutional financial aid. Check out the 24-25 list of participating schools and institutions.

UArizona CSS code: 4832

Arizona State University: 4007

Northern Arizona University: 4006