The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application for the 2021-2022 academic year will open on Thursday, Oct. 1.
FAFSA is a free application for federal student aid, such as grants, work-study and loans. The application is also used by many states, such as Texas, and colleges to determine a student’s eligibility for state and college aid.
The FAFSA application can be filled out online or with the mobile app myStudentAid. The Financial Aid office at Galveston College recommends that current and new students file the application as soon as possible because some financial aid opportunities, such as scholarships and grants, may have individual deadlines.
According to the Federal Student Aid website, students who supply the FAFSA early have a better chance to be awarded Federal Work-Study because funds are limited.
Students looking to file their FAFSA are required to submit their federal income tax returns, W-2s and other records of income. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool can be used to transfer income and tax information to the FAFSA application, rather than entering it by hand.
Students will also need their Social Security number, and alien registration number (if they are not U.S. citizens). FAFSA now requires an FSA ID and password that can be created on the FAFSA website. If a student is a dependent, the parent or legal guardian must also have an FSA ID and password. Current and prospective students can get help completing the online FAFSA by contacting the Galveston College Financial Aid office on the first floor of Moody Hall on the main campus or at [email protected]. Students should bring their families’ 2019 income and tax information.