Tips for filling our your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The FAFSA determines if you are eligible for Federal Pell grants and/or Direct Student Loans

IF YOU ARE EVER ASKED TO PAY FOR A FAFSA APPLICATION, YOU ARE ON THE WRONG WEBSITE! CLOSE OUT AND START OVER AT FAFSA.ED.GOV

STEP 1 – Before you begin, you will need the following information about you and your spouse if you are married.  You will need your parent’s information if you will be considered a DEPENDENT STUDENT (for FAFSA, this generally means you are under age 24 and single with no dependents).  

• Name (as it appears on your Social Security Card)
• Address and email
• Social Security Number
• Date of Birth
• TAX INFORMATION FROM 2021  IF YOU HAVE FILED YOUR 2022 TAXES, you will be able to access your tax information while on the FAFSA website if you do not have a copy.) If you have not filed taxes, you must do so to apply for financial aid.
• 2021 W-2 Forms for all employment
• Print out from the employment office

If you will be considered an INDEPENDENT STUDENT (age 24 or over, married, veteran, have dependents or have been emancipated or orphaned) and had no wages or income in 2021, you must provide documentation showing how you survived financially.

Examples:

• • Welfare benefits
  • Social Security and or Disability
  • Any other cash assistance provided to you
  • Letter from parents/relatives/friends stating that they provided support for you in 2021.

STEP 2 –

• Go to:  www.fafsa.ed.gov
• Click Start a New FAFSA.
• Enter the student’s information.
• Click Next and Start 2022/2023 FAFSA.
• You will create a save key to return to your information if you have to stop while attempting to complete the FAFSA.
• When you get to the question about what degree you will be attempting to complete, you will enter Certificate or Diploma less than 2 years.
• At the end of the tax information, you will create an FSA ID# (User name and password)
• One of your parents will also have to apply for a FSA ID # if you are a DEPENDENT student.
• WRITE or PRINT THIS Username and Password, AND KEEP IT IN A SAFE PLACE. THIS WILL BE YOUR FEDERAL ID FOR GRANTS AND LOANS.
• USE THE IRS TOOL (Link to IRS tab) to import your tax returns and your parent’s taxes. This may take up to 3 days to be able to complete as your information must be verified with the IRS prior to having access to this feature.

Things You Should Know:

• Log in as requested and continue through the form, reading instructions carefully, answering all questions.
• Note: IF YOU ARE A DEPENDENT STUDENT AND HAD NO WAGES OR INCOME, YOU WILL MARK THAT YOU DID NOT FILE A TAX FORM, AND PUT “0” IN THE STUDENT INCOME SECTION, THEN HAVE YOUR PARENTS FILL IN THEIR INCOME SECTION
• When you get towards the end of the form, you will be asked to select the college(s) you want to receive your FAFSA information.  Phagans’ Federal School Codes:   
  • Bend: 012347
  • Corvallis: 012348
  • Grants Pass: 031853
  • Medford: 010122
  • Salem: 012351

Please contact us when you have completed your FAFSA to schedule a Financial Planning Meeting.  FAFSA’s can take up to two weeks to be fully processed and sent to the school(s) you chose.