What you and your family can expect when completing your FAFSA this year.
We’ve created this resource to help you and your family navigate the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) process with ease. Here, you’ll find information and helpful references designed to assist you with completing your FAFSA with confidence and accuracy this year. Let’s get started on your journey to financial aid!
The application open date for the 2025-2026 FAFSA is scheduled for December 1, 2024.
FAFSA Insights
The application open date for the 2025-2026 FAFSA is scheduled for December 1, 2024.
The FAFSA will be a student-initiated submission. This means you, as the student, will need to either initiate the application by establishing a login on studentaid.gov or by following the notification email (provided to you) that indicates a FAFSA has been started on your behalf. In this case, you would need to provide consent, sign the form, and verify the data.
There are sections of the application designated to be completed by the student and sections designated to be completed by the student's parent/contributor(s). When you initiate the FAFSA process, parents are prompted to complete their sections of the FAFSA by you as the student. This means that once a student has completed the necessary sections of the electronic application, they will be prompted to send an email invitation to their parent/contributor, which will direct them to complete the parent/contributor sections of the application. All contributors to the FAFSA will be required to provide consent to retrieve and use federal tax information.
- If you are a dependent student, you must report parent/contributor information on your FAFSA.
- You and your parent/contributor(s) must create (or access a previous) account, or FSA ID, to complete and sign your FAFSA.
- The following documents and information are needed to complete your application:
- Your social security number
- Your parent/contributor(s)’ social security numbers if you are a dependent student
- Your driver’s license number (if you have your driver's license)
- Federal tax information, tax documents, or tax return information for yourself, and your parent/contributor(s) if you are a dependent student
- Untaxed income records
- Savings and checking account balances, investments, etc. for you and your parents/guardian if you are a dependent student
- When completing the FAFSA as a current or incoming student, you must include York College’s Title IV institutional code – 003399.
Important Reference Items
Federal Student Aid Website
The Federal Student Aid website, studentaid.gov, contains the link to the 2025-2026 FAFSA and any updates and guidance made available to students and their families. It also serves as a great resource for information about all types of federal financial aid. Frequently check the “Announcements” section of the website for the latest on federal student aid programs.
Federal Student Aid Estimator
The Federal Student Aid Estimator provides an early estimate of what a student's federal student aid could be by using some initial student provided data. Please note: This is an estimate and is NOT the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form as that will be available in December 2024.
General Financial Aid FAQs
Get answers to some of the most common questions we hear from students and parents when it comes to financial aid.