The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows US Citizens and eligible noncitizens to apply for money to help pay for continuing education after high school. Some scholarship foundations also utilize the FAFSA to determine eligibility.
How to renew your FAFSA each year so you can continue to receive financial aid for school.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) allows US Citizens and eligible noncitizens to apply for money to help pay for continuing education after high school. Some scholarship foundations also utilize the FAFSA to determine eligibility.
Learn more about these different types of financial aid here.
You must have a valid social security number and meet one or more of the following criteria:
The 2024-25 application opens December 31st, 2023.
TIP! Keep an eye on your school’s website and federal government updates about FAFSA. Apply as early as possible to receive the most amount of financial aid possible.
The 2024-25 Better FAFSA Better Future requires all contributors to create and have a verified FSA ID, which is your legal signature. Contributors include yourself, parents/guardians, or spouses. No, you can not enter a parent/guardian, or spouse information on their behalf (including demographics and tax information). Once every contributor has created their FSA ID, they can access the FAFSA application to give consent and enter their information.
Tip– Although the Better FAFSA Application doesn’t open until December, you and any contributors could and should get started setting up your FSA IDs now.
Once you are logged in you will have the option to update your current FAFSA or to start a new one for the next year. Select “start a new one for the next year.” It may also appear as “2024-25 FAFSA Form Coming in December”
Example– If it is November 1, 2023 and you want to start your renewal FAFSA application for the next school year, you would choose the 2024-25 option, since classes for the next year would start in the fall of 2024.
When renewing your FAFSA, the information you previously entered for the current school year will automatically populate. This saves a lot of time! Review the information to ensure it is current and update as needed.
Reminder– Be sure the school you’re planning to attend the following year is listed on your FAFSA.
You and any contributor (parent/guardian, spouse) must sign and submit your portion of the application using your own separate FSA IDs.
Remember: your application isn’t complete until all contributors have given consent and completed their portion successfully. If for some reason you do not have contact or access to your parent/guardian, learn more about dependency status here.
Three weeks after you have submitted your renewal FAFSA, stop by your college’s Financial Aid Office. Ask them to check if your renewal FAFSA is showing up for them. They can let you know if everything looks good, if something is missing, or if you need to wait a little longer for it to process.
When you’re in the financial aid office, ask about scholarship opportunities through your school. Most colleges have scholarships available to current students that may not have been eligible for before.
2024-25 Better FAFSA Better Future Update»
Learn more by watching these FAFSA videos »
Contact your financial aid office for additional support.
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