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Your Ultimate Guide to the FAFSA 

Applying for Financial Aid to Fund Your Education

Tuition, housing, school supplies and textbooks – there’s a lot that goes into paying for college. Fortunately, you have many options when it comes to making your University of Arizona education more affordable.

One of the first steps to determine the financial aid you are eligible for is to complete your FAFSA. It’s free, it’s quick, and it gives you access to the most financial aid opportunity. But what exactly is it? And how do you fill it out? Don’t worry, we have all your FAFSA questions covered.

What is the FAFSA?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an online application that you should submit each year to apply for financial aid that can help provide support for your college educational expenses.

Where does FAFSA money come from?

All federal student aid programs are funded by the U.S. government. Each year, more than 13 million students complete the FAFSA, and the government awards more than $120 billion to them in the form of grants, work-study, and loans.

In addition, filing the FAFSA allows the University of Arizona to determine if you are eligible for other forms of financial aid including institutional grants and even some scholarships. This aid is funded various ways, including by the state of Arizona, the university, donors and private organizations.

How much money could I receive?

The amount of financial aid you could be eligible for depends on a number of factors like your cost of attendance, family’s size, income, and other details.

How do I complete the FAFSA?

Start by heading to studentaid.gov. You will be prompted to create an FSA ID with a username and password. Once your FSA ID is set up, you will be guided through a series of questions to complete the FAFSA.

Before submitting your form, you’ll be asked to include information about your colleges of interest. This is where you should be sure to include the University of Arizona’s school code: 001083.

What do I need to complete the FAFSA?

There are a few items that you will need when completing the FAFSA, including:

• Your social security number.
• Driver’s license (if you have one).
• Some financial documents like your family’s latest tax return.

If you are a dependent student as determined by the FAFSA, your parent will need to create their own FSA ID to sign your FAFSA in order to submit it. They’ll need to make sure they have their financial documents ready as well.

When is the FAFSA due?

If you are a newly admitted student planning to attend in the fall, it’s recommended that you complete the FAFSA by the university’s priority filing date of April 1 prior to the start of the semester. If you plan to start in the spring, complete your FAFSA by November 1.

Do I have to complete the FAFSA every year?

Yes. The FAFSA only applies to one academic year at a time, which means you will have to submit a new one each year you are attending Arizona. Make sure to use the same FSA ID every year.

Do you have any resources to help me with the FAFSA?

The Office of Scholarship and Financial Aid (OSFA) hosts Filing Your FAFSA Workshops to provide students and families with helpful resources and answer any questions you may have. Spots fill quickly, so be sure to RSVP to the workshop that works for your schedule.

What other resources can help me fund my Arizona education?

We want to make paying for college as easy as possible, which is why we’ll automatically consider you for merit-based scholarships once you apply. These awards are based on your academic performance in high school (specifically, your core unweighted sixth semester GPA) or your cumulative college GPA and total attempted college units if you are a transfer student.

Once you’re admitted to the university, you’ll also be able to utilize our scholarship-matching tool, Scholarship Universe, which can help you find even more money for your education. There are scholarships based on your major, achievements, career goals, interests, and many other areas.

For more details on the FAFSA, check out this list of frequently asked questions or learn how to get in touch with OSFA.

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