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Completing the FAFSA

It is important to file the “Free” Application for Federal Student Aid FAFSA each year. After completing the FAFSA, the student will be considered for many institutional and federal aid programs. Additionally, some scholarships will ask for information from the student’s FAFSA during the application process. If you have any additional questions about the FAFSA application, please call 1-800-433-3243.

  • If you or your parent has not completed a FAFSA FSA ID, review our FAFSA FSA ID web page for helpful instructions to get started.

2024-2025 FAFSA

The 2024-2025 FAFSA will be delayed in opening until December 2023, as the U.S. Department of Education updates the application process. Students enrolling for the 2024-2025 academic year should file the FAFSA as soon as possible after the application opens. First-year students must submit their FAFSA by February 1, 2024 for consideration for priority aid, such as ISU Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants. Transfer students and currently-enrolled students must submit their FAFSA by February 29, 2024 for consideration for priority aid.

Why is the January 3 deadline important for the 2023-2024 FAFSA?

Financial Aid programs like the ISU Grant and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity grants are all subject to meeting the priority deadline of January 3, 2023, for 2023-2024.  Filing after January 3, 2023, for the 2023-24 FAFSA could mean you miss out on hundreds, if not thousands of dollars. You will still be considered for Federal Direct Loans and the Pell Grant, regardless of when you file your FAFSA.

Before Starting

  • The official FAFSA website is studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa. Remember, the first F in “FAFSA” stands for “Free” — so use the official Federal site to submit your application.
  • For the 2023-24 FAFSA, students must file their FAFSA by January 3, 2023, to be considered for eligibility in ISU Priority Aid programs with limited funding.

Documents to Have Available

  • The student’s Social Security Number (SSN), and the parent SSN(s), if the student is dependent
  • The student Driver’s License, if available
  • The student Alien Registration or Permanent Resident Card (if the student is not a U.S. citizen)

The items listed below will be required for the student and parent (if the student is dependent). If the student is married, the spouse will also need these items.

2023 – 2024

  • The 2023-2024 FAFSA will use information from the 2021 IRS tax year
    • If you are able to, please use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when filling out the FAFSA
    • If you are unable to use the tool, please have your complete 2021 Federal 1040 or your complete 2021 Tax Return Transcript available to enter tax data manually
    • Please also have copies of your 2021 W-2s available to enter in information to the FAFSA
  • For those who did not file in 2021, please have the following available to enter information into the FAFSA
    • 2021 W-2s and/or other 2021 income statements
  • Current bank statements
  • Current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
    • Please refer to the FAFSA Asset Page when entering asset information to make sure you are reporting accurate information

Filling Out the FAFSA

  • Read the instructions carefully. The words “you” and “your” always refer to the student, whereas questions for parents will be specified
  • Dependent students are required to provide information on their Legal Parents
  • Always round to the nearest dollar, and do not use commas or decimal points
  • When asked to list school codes, Iowa State University’s School Code is 001869
  • Use a Currency Converter to report the value of foreign income in U.S. dollars
  • List an email address frequently checked as you will receive communication at this address from FAFSA and ISU
  • Follow these simple steps to transfer tax information into your FAFSA:
Transfer Tax Info to FAFSA Instructions

What to Expect After Submitting a FAFSA

  • Always keep a copy of the submission confirmation page for your personal records, as well as a copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR) that will be emailed to you as a follow-up to submitting a FAFSA
  • Iowa State University (ISU) will send an email to the student, and parent of a dependent student, using the email address indicated on the FAFSA to acknowledge receipt of the student’s FAFSA information
  • This email correspondence will provide the student with details regarding any action required on their part for ISU to process their FAFSA information. As this information is utilized in developing a student’s financial aid award, promptly providing requested documentation will be of ultimate benefit to the student. For more information on the FAFSA Verification process, if selected, please visit our Verification Page.