Federal Student Aid (2024)

FAQs

Is federal student aid different from FAFSA? ›

Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free and easier than ever, and it gives you access to federal student aid—the largest source of aid— to help you pay for college or career/trade school. In addition, many states and colleges use your FAFSA information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid.

The 2024–25 FAFSA form is now available. We've started sending submitted applications to colleges and states.

Federal Student Aid offers three types of financial aid. Grants: Financial aid that generally doesn't have to be repaid. Loans: Borrowed money for college or career school; your loans must be repaid with interest.

Apply for federal student aid—grants, work-study, and loans—using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^®) form.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is the first step in the process of obtaining government-provided student aid while a Pell Grant is a type of federal aid. Although the Pell Grant vs. FAFSA serve different functions, they both have a role under the broader federal student aid program.

There is no set income limit for eligibility to qualify for financial aid through. You'll need to fill out the FAFSA every year to see what you qualify for at your college. It's important to make sure you fill out the FAFSA as quickly as possible once it opens for the following school year.

It is not the financial aid itself. However, the FAFSA enables the student to qualify for many types of financial aid from several sources. Some of this money is free money, some must be earned through work, and some must be repaid. There are three main types of financial aid.

Award amounts can change yearly. The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2023–24 award year (July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024). The maximum Federal Pell Grant award is $7,395 for the 2024–25 award year (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025). your plans to attend school for a full academic year or less.

It's best to apply as close to the opening date, October 1, as possible. Federal Student Aid, the government provider of student financial assistance in the US, hands out grants, loans, and more on a “first-come, first-served” basis, meaning there's more money to work with at the very start of a new FAFSA cycle.

Do both parents need to fill out FAFSA? ›

If your parents are married (not separated), both of your parents' information must be included on the FAFSA form, regardless of whether your parents are of the same or opposite sex. If your parents didn't file taxes jointly, then both of your parents are contributors.

Beginning on the 2024–25 FAFSA form, you and your contributors must provide consent and approval to have your federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into your FAFSA form.

Financial aid is either money that doesn't need to be paid back, known as gift aid, or earned through a federal work-study program. Student loans must be repaid within a given loan term. Not only are students expected to pay back student loans, but there's typically interest that accrues over the life of the loan.

The FAFSA formula doesn't expect students or families to use all of their adjusted available income to pay for college. The formula allocates 50 percent of a dependent student's adjusted available income to cover college expenses and anywhere from 22 to 47 percent of parents' available income.

Explore Federal Student Loans

You'll have to repay the money with interest. Subsidized loans don't generally start accruing (accumulating) interest until you leave school (or drop below half-time enrollment), so accept a subsidized loan before an unsubsidized loan. Next, accept an unsubsidized loan before a PLUS loan.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form you must complete to receive federal or state financial aid as a college student. The 2023-24 academic year application opened on Oct. 1, 2022, and closes on June 30, 2024, although many states have earlier deadlines for state-based aid.

Direct PLUS Loans made to graduate or professional students and parents of dependent undergraduate students to help pay for education expenses not covered by other financial aid. Eligibility is not based on financial need, but a credit check is required.

There are two ways to determine whether a loan is federally or privately held: 1. Check the top of your federal loan promissory notes, applications, and billing statements, as these state the name of the federal loan program at the top of the document.