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FAFSA Questions

by Bethany Goldszer | Last Updated: October 3, 2022

Start here if you seek to apply for financial aid from colleges and universities in the United States. The form you need to complete is called the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA

After you complete the FAFSA form, you’ll get an Expected Family Contribution or EFC. Your EFC tells colleges how much your family can afford to pay for college. Colleges will use your EFC and other required information (e.g., CSS Profile, your state’s application, etc.) to create a financial aid package for you. 

You need to fill out FAFSA to get a financial aid package from your colleges. While not hard to complete, the FAFSA can be confusing and overwhelming, to say the least. Therefore, we’ve created this step-by-step guide that will help you question-by-question fill in the FAFSA. 

The form refreshes every year on October 1, and you should aim to submit the form as soon as possible as aid is often limited.

2024-2025

Getting Started & FAQs

How to Answer FAFSA Questions

Introduction: Personal Identifiers

Student Identity Information. These are the required Student Identity Information fields on the FAFSA

 

First, Middle, Last Name, and Suffix as they appear on the student’s social security card: Enter the full legal name exactly as it appears on the Social Security card, including any suffixes such as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.

Date of Birth, Month, Day, and Year (MM/DD/YYYY): Input student’s birthdate using the format Month/Day/Year. This information helps verify your identity.

Student Social Security Number, the last four digits will appear. The student must provide their full Social Security Number (SSN) for electronic signature purposes. The FSA-ID (Federal Student Aid ID) is linked to the SSN. If the student does not have an SSN, they can complete the FAFSA manually, but the process may be slower, and they will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) by mail.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): If the student has an ITIN, they may provide it. However, if the student does not have an ITIN, they can leave this field blank. ITINs are used by individuals who are not eligible for a Social Security Number but still need to report income for tax purposes. If the student doesn’t have an ITIN or SSN, they will still be able to submit the FAFSA, but it may affect their eligibility for certain federal financial aid programs.

Mobile phone number: Enter student’s mobile phone number if you are responsive to correspondence regarding financial aid and college matters. If you’re not the one handling these matters, it’s better to provide your parent’s contact information here.

Email address: Enter student’s email address that you regularly check. The Office of Federal Student Aid will send your FAFSA confirmation and Student Aid Report to this email address. If there are any issues with your FAFSA, you will also be contacted through this email address.

Student Permanent Mailing Address: This is student’s permanent residential address where you live and receive mail. If your parents are divorced, and you split your time between two households, you may need to follow specific instructions in the Divorced Parents section of the FAFSA guide to determine which parent’s address to use. It’s crucial to provide accurate and up-to-date contact information to ensure you receive important financial aid notifications and correspondence.

Student State of Legal Residence. When filling out the FAFSA, the “Student State of Legal Residence” is the state where you currently live and consider your permanent legal residence. It’s important to provide accurate information about your state of legal residence because it can affect your eligibility for certain state-based financial aid programs and tuition rates at public colleges and universities.

You will also need to certify how long you have been a resident of that state. If you have been a resident for less than five years, you will need to provide details about when you moved to that state.

Dependent Student’s Parent Identity Information. These are the required the parent’s identity Information fields on the FAFSA

 

First, Middle, Last Name, and Suffix as it appears on the parent’s social security card: Enter your full legal name exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. Include any suffixes such as Jr., Sr., II, III, etc.

Date of Birth, Month, Day, and Year (MM/DD/YYYY): Input the parent’s birthdate using the format Month/Day/Year. This information helps verify your identity.

Your Social Security Number, the last four digits will appear: You need to provide the parent’s full Social Security Number (SSN) for electronic signature purposes. The FSA-ID (Federal Student Aid ID) is linked to your SSN. If you don’t have an SSN, you can complete the FAFSA manually, but the process may be slower, and you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) by mail.

Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN): If you have an ITIN, you may provide it. However, if the parent’s does not have an ITIN, you can leave this field blank. ITINs are used by individuals who are not eligible for a Social Security Number but still need to report income for tax purposes. If you don’t have an ITIN or SSN, you’ll still be able to submit the FAFSA, but it may affect your eligibility for certain federal financial aid programs.

Mobile phone number: Enter your mobile phone number if the parent’s are responsive to correspondence regarding financial aid and college matters. If you’re not the one handling these matters, it’s better to provide your parent’s contact information here.

Email address: Enter the parent’s email address. The Office of Federal Student Aid will send your FAFSA confirmation and Student Aid Report to this email address. If there are any issues with your FAFSA, you will also be contacted through this email address.

Permanent Mailing Address: This is your permanent residential address where you live and receive mail. 

Parent’s State of Legal Residence. When filling out the FAFSA, the “Parent’s State of Legal Residence” is the state where you currently live and consider your permanent legal residence. It’s important to provide accurate information about your state of legal residence because it can affect your eligibility for certain state-based financial aid programs and tuition rates at public colleges and universities.

You will also need to certify how long you have been a resident of that state. If you have been a resident for less than five years, you will need to provide details about when you moved to that state.

Section One: Personal Circumstances

Your Dependency Status. It indicates that you are classified as an independent student. As a result, you are not required to provide information about your parents to complete your FAFSA form.

 

Student Current Marital Status. Select the option that best describes your current situation to provide accurate information on your FAFSA. Make sure to be truthful and accurate in your response to ensure that you receive the appropriate financial aid consideration.

  • Single (never married)
  • Married (not separated)
  • Remarried 
  • Separated 
  • Divorced 
  • Widowed

 

Student College or Career School Plans. This question asks about your grade level when you start college for the 2023-2024 school year. Select the option that corresponds to your academic progression at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year. For example: If you’re starting as a freshman, choose “First year undergraduate (freshman).” If you’re starting as a sophomore, choose “Second year undergraduate (sophomore).” If you’re beyond your sophomore year, select “Other undergraduate (junior year and beyond).” If you are pursuing a master’s, doctorate, or graduate certificate program, choose the respective option.

 

When the student begins the 2024–25 school year, what will their college grade level be? This question is asking about your expected grade level for the 2024-2025 school year. Select the option that represents where you will be in your educational journey during that time. For example: If you will still be an undergraduate student, select the appropriate undergraduate level. If you will be in a graduate or professional program, select “Master’s, doctorate, or graduate certificate program.”

When the student begins the 2024–25 school year, will they already have their first bachelor’s degree?:

Answer “Yes” if you will have already earned your first bachelor’s degree before the start of the 2024-2025 school year. If not, choose “No.”

Will the student be pursuing an initial teaching certification at the elementary or secondary level?:

Answer “Yes” if you plan to pursue an initial teaching certification at the elementary or secondary level during the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 school year. If not, choose “No.”

These questions help the government determine your eligibility for different types of federal financial aid and scholarships based on your educational status and plans.

Student Personal Circumstances: Select all that apply:

  • The student is currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training. 
  • The student is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces. 
  • The student has children or other people (excluding their spouse) who live with the student and receive more than half of their support from the student now and between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. 
  • At any time since the student turned 13, they were an orphan (no living biological or adoptive parent). 
  • At any time since the student turned 13, they were a ward of the court. 
  • At any time since the student turned 13, they were in foster care. 
  • The student is or was a legally emancipated minor, as determined by a court in their state of residence. 
  • The student is or was in a legal guardianship with someone other than their parent or stepparent, as determined by a court in their state of residence. 
  • None of these apply.

 

Student Other Circumstances: At any time on or after July 1, 2023, was the student unaccompanied and either (1) homeless or (2) self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

  • Yes 
  • No

If the answer is “Yes,” did any of the following determine the student was homeless or at risk of becoming homeless?

  • Director or designee of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving those experiencing homelessness 
  • The student’s high school or school district homeless liaison or designee 
  • Director or designee of a project supported by a federal TRIO or GEAR UP program grant Financial aid administrator (FAA) 
  • None of these apply. 

Parent’s Dependency Status. It indicates that you are classified as an independent student. As a result, you are not required to provide information about your parents to complete your FAFSA form.

Parent’s Current Marital Status. Select the option that best describes the Parent’s  current situation to provide accurate information on your FAFSA. Make sure to be truthful and accurate in your response to ensure that you receive the appropriate financial aid consideration.

  • Single (never married)
  • Married (not separated)
  • Remarried 
  • Separated 
  • Divorced 
  • Widowed

When the student begins the 2024–25 school year, what will their college grade level be? This question is asking about your expected grade level for the 2024-2025 school year. Select the option that represents where you will be in your educational journey during that time. For example: If you will still be an undergraduate student, select the appropriate undergraduate level. If you will be in a graduate or professional program, select “Master’s, doctorate, or graduate certificate program.”

When the student begins the 2024–25 school year, will they already have their first bachelor’s degree?:

Answer “Yes” if you will have already earned your first bachelor’s degree before the start of the 2024-2025 school year. If not, choose “No.”

Will the student be pursuing an initial teaching certification at the elementary or secondary level?:

Answer “Yes” if you plan to pursue an initial teaching certification at the elementary or secondary level during the 2023-2024 or 2024-2025 school year. If not, choose “No.”

These questions help the government determine your eligibility for different types of federal financial aid and scholarships based on your educational status and plans.

Parent’s Personal Circumstances: Select all that apply:

  • The parent’s is currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training. 
  • The parent’s is a veteran of the U.S. armed forces. 
  • The parent’s has children or other people (excluding their spouse) who live with the student and receive more than half of their support from the student now and between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025. 
  • At any time since the parent’s turned 13, they were an orphan (no living biological or adoptive parent). 
  • At any time since the student turned 13, they were a ward of the court. 
  • At any time since the parent’s turned 13, they were in foster care. 
  • The parent’s is or was a legally emancipated minor, as determined by a court in their state of residence. 
  • The parent’s is or was in a legal guardianship with someone other than their parent or stepparent, as determined by a court in their state of residence. 
  • None of these apply.

Parent’s Other Circumstances: At any time on or after July 1, 2023, was the parent’s  unaccompanied and either (1) homeless or (2) self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?

  • Yes 
  • No

If the answer is “Yes,” did any of the following determine the student was homeless or at risk of becoming homeless?

  • Director or designee of an emergency or transitional shelter, street outreach program, homeless youth drop-in center, or other program serving those experiencing homelessness 
  • The student’s high school or school district homeless liaison or designee 
  • Director or designee of a project supported by a federal TRIO or GEAR UP program grant Financial aid administrator (FAA) 
  • None of these apply. 

Section Two: Demographics

Parent’s Demographics. They will be asked questions about them and their parent(s). Some of these questions will assist in determining the amount of federal student aid they may be eligible to receive for school.

The answers will not affect the student’s eligibility for federal student aid, be used in any calculations, or be shared with the schools to which the student applies. They will be used for research purposes only.

What is the student’s gender?

  • Male 
  • Female 
  • Nonbinary 
  • Prefer not to answer

“Nonbinary” refers to a student who does not identify exclusively as male or female. “Nonbinary” does not refer to a transgender student who identifies exclusively as either male or female. Transgender students should select the gender with which they identify at the time this form is completed.

Is the student of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

  • No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 
  • Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano 
  • Yes, Puerto Rican 
  • Yes, Cuban 
  • Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 
  • Prefer not to answer 

What is the student’s race?

White 

  • German 
  • Irish 
  • English 
  • Italian 
  • Polish 
  • French 
  • Other: Enter Lebanese, Egyptian, Iranian, etc. 

Black or African American 

  • African American
  • Jamaican 
  • Haitian 
  • Nigerian 
  • Ethiopian 
  • Somali 
  • Other: Enter Ghanaian, South African, Barbadian, etc. 

Asian 

  • Chinese 
  • Filipino 
  • Asian 
  • Indian 
  • Vietnamese 
  • Korean 
  • Japanese 
  • Other: Enter Pakistani, Cambodian, Hmong, etc. 

American Indian or Alaska Native 

  • Other: Enter name of enrolled or principal tribe(s) (Navajo, Blackfeet, Mayan, Nome Eskimo Community, etc.) 

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 

  • Native Hawaiian 
  • Samoan 
  • Chamorro 
  • Tongan 
  • Fijian 
  • Marshallese 
  • Other: Enter Palauan, Tahitian, Chuukese, etc. 

Prefer not to answer

  • U.S. citizen or national 
  • Eligible noncitizen 
    • U.S. permanent resident, holding a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), or a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C)
    • A Refugee, Granted Asylum, Parolee, T-Visa holder, or Cuban-Haitian Entrant, as per an I-94 Arrival-Departure Record from the Department of Homeland Security
    • Victim of human trafficking, as per a certificate or letter granted from  the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking”
    • A resident of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM)
    • A Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty

If none of the above apply to you, and you have any of the following documents, then you should select “Neither US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen.”

  • Neither U.S. citizen nor eligible noncitizen
  •  

Parent Education Status: Did either of the student’s parents attend or complete college? 

  • Neither parent attended college 
  • One or both parents attended college, but neither parent completed college 
  • One or both parents completed college 
  • Don’t know

Parent Killed in Line of Duty: Was the student’s parent or guardian killed in the line of duty while (1) serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces on or after September 11, 2001, or (2) performing official duties as a public safety officer? 

  • Yes 
  • No 

The student may be eligible for additional Federal Pell Grant funds once their eligibility is confirmed by their college or career school.

 

Student High School Completion Status: What will the student’s high school completion status be at the beginning of the 2024–25 school year?

  • High school diploma 
  • State-recognized high school equivalent (e.g., GED certificate) 
  • Homeschooled 
  • None of the previous

If the answer is “High school diploma,” provide the name, city, and state of the high school. 

  • High school name
  • City
  • State

If the answer is “State-recognized high school equivalent,” which of the following did or will the student receive?

  • GED 
  • HiSET 
  • TASC 
  • Other

Parent’s Demographics. They will be asked questions about them and their parent(s). Some of these questions will assist in determining the amount of federal student aid they may be eligible to receive for school.

The answers will not affect the student’s eligibility for federal student aid, be used in any calculations, or be shared with the schools to which the student applies. They will be used for research purposes only.

What is the student’s gender?

  • Male 
  • Female 
  • Nonbinary 
  • Prefer not to answer

“Nonbinary” refers to a student who does not identify exclusively as male or female. “Nonbinary” does not refer to a transgender student who identifies exclusively as either male or female. Transgender students should select the gender with which they identify at the time this form is completed.

Is the student of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin?

  • No, not of Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 
  • Yes, Mexican, Mexican American, or Chicano 
  • Yes, Puerto Rican 
  • Yes, Cuban 
  • Yes, another Hispanic, Latino, or Spanish origin 
  • Prefer not to answer 

What is the student’s race?

White 

  • German 
  • Irish 
  • English 
  • Italian 
  • Polish 
  • French 
  • Other: Enter Lebanese, Egyptian, Iranian, etc. 

Black or African American 

  • African American
  • Jamaican 
  • Haitian 
  • Nigerian 
  • Ethiopian 
  • Somali 
  • Other: Enter Ghanaian, South African, Barbadian, etc. 

Asian 

  • Chinese 
  • Filipino 
  • Asian 
  • Indian 
  • Vietnamese 
  • Korean 
  • Japanese 
  • Other: Enter Pakistani, Cambodian, Hmong, etc. 

American Indian or Alaska Native 

  • Other: Enter name of enrolled or principal tribe(s) (Navajo, Blackfeet, Mayan, Nome Eskimo Community, etc.) 

Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander 

  • Native Hawaiian 
  • Samoan 
  • Chamorro 
  • Tongan 
  • Fijian 
  • Marshallese 
  • Other: Enter Palauan, Tahitian, Chuukese, etc. 

Prefer not to answer

  • U.S. citizen or national 
  • Eligible noncitizen 
    • U.S. permanent resident, holding a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), or a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C)
    • A Refugee, Granted Asylum, Parolee, T-Visa holder, or Cuban-Haitian Entrant, as per an I-94 Arrival-Departure Record from the Department of Homeland Security
    • Victim of human trafficking, as per a certificate or letter granted from  the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking”
    • A resident of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM)
    • A Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty

If none of the above apply to you, and you have any of the following documents, then you should select “Neither US Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen.”

  • Neither U.S. citizen nor eligible noncitizen
  •  

Parent Education Status: Did either of the student’s parents attend or complete college? 

  • Neither parent attended college 
  • One or both parents attended college, but neither parent completed college 
  • One or both parents completed college 
  • Don’t know

Parent Killed in Line of Duty: Was the student’s parent or guardian killed in the line of duty while (1) serving on active duty as a member of the U.S. armed forces on or after September 11, 2001, or (2) performing official duties as a public safety officer? 

  • Yes 
  • No 

The student may be eligible for additional Federal Pell Grant funds once their eligibility is confirmed by their college or career school.

 

Section Three: Financials

Your Finances. The FAFSA form helps determine your ability to pay for school. In this section, we ask about your financial information.

What if you have special Financial circumstances?

Response Don’t Affect Federal Student Aid Eligibility. You answers to these questions will not affect the student’s eligibility for federal student aid or federal benefits.

Federal Benefits Received: At any time during 2022 or 2023, did the student or anyone in their family receive benefits from any of the following federal programs?

Select all that apply:

  • Earned income credit (EIC) 
  • Federal housing assistance 
  • Free or reduced-price school lunch 
  • Medicaid 
  • Refundable credit for coverage under a qualified health plan (QHP) 
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) 
  • Supplemental Security Income (SSI) 
  • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) 
  • Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC)
  • None of these apply. 

Family Size: Is the student’s family size different from the number of individuals claimed on their 2022 tax return?

Family size includes: The student (and spouse), the student’s dependent children (even if they live apart due to college enrollment), and other people living with the student now. Include these dependent children and other people only if the student will provide more than half of their support between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025.

If YES

Enter the number of children or dependents who live with the student and will receive more than half of their support from the student between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025.

Do not include the student applicant.

If No

 

Number in College: How many people in the student’s family, including the student, will be in college between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025? 

 

Student 2022 Tax Return Information: Refer to the student’s 2022 tax return to answer the following questions.

Convert all currency to U.S dollars.

Did the student receive the earned income credit (EIC)? 

  • Yes 
  • No 
  • Don’t know 

Amount of college grants, scholarships, or AmeriCorps benefits reported as income to the IRS 

The student paid taxes on these grants, scholarships, or benefits. These usually apply to those renewing their FAFSA form, not to first-time applicants. If the student is married, include the amount their spouse reported. 

Foreign earned income exclusion 

Annual Child Support Received: Enter total amount the student received in child support for the last complete calendar year.

 

Student Assets:

  • Current total of cash, savings, and checking accounts 

Don’t include student financial aid.

  • Current net worth of investments, including real estate 

Don’t include the home the student lives in. Net worth is the value of the investments minus any debts owed against them

  • Current net worth of businesses and investment farms

Enter the net worth of the student’s businesses or forprofit agricultural operations. Net worth is the value of the businesses or farms minus any debts owed against them.

 

Section Four: Colleges

Colleges. On the FAFSA online application, you can list up to 10 colleges and universities. The paper application allows you to list 4. The schools you list are confidential and will not be shared with other schools on your list. You should list all the schools you apply to, even if you have not submitted your application. If you have more than ten schools, you can submit the FAFSA with 10. And then, after the form is processed (following receipt of the Student Aid Report), you can log-in, revise your application to include the additional schools, and resubmit the form. 

Please make sure you check with the added colleges to confirm they received the SAR. To find FAFSA codes for your school, you can use the search feature in FAFSA or use this list.

 

Where should we send the FAFSA information?

Search and select colleges and career schools. You can add up to 20 colleges and career schools to the FAFSA form.

 

If you can’t find school when searching by School Name or State, try searching by School Code.

Enter the schools that should receive the student’s FAFSA information. 

  • Federal School Code 
  • College  name 
  • Address
  • City
  • State

 

Section Five: Signature

Student Consent, Approval, and Signature: If you do not provide approval by filling in the circle below and providing your signature, you will not be eligible for federal student aid. 

Approval to transfer federal tax information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

 

 

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Bethany Goldszer is top college admissions and financial aid expert. She's been featured in HuffPost, USA Today, Newsday, Queens Gazette, and Official Black Wall Street & voted Best of Long Island. Faced with the overwhelming stress of applying, getting admitted to and financing her University of Chicago education, she started Stand Out College Prep LLC in 2012 so that no student or parent would have to go through this process alone. Over the last 15 years, Bethany has worked with over 1,500 students, helping them and their parents get into their top choice colleges and secure more than $20M in financial aid and scholarships. And each year, she continues to help more students stand out in the college admissions process and their parents navigate financial aid and scholarships.