In this section, you will find a brief overview of both federal and state financial aid programs, along with a guide to filing the proper forms. You'll also find a glossary of terms, a list of tips for filing the forms, and a copy and explanation of the federal paperwork you'll receive once you've filed your form.
New Tool for Understanding Who Counts as a Parent on the FAFSA Form
A series of updates are going live today to prepare systems for the 2025-26 cycle. In response to requests from families and community-based organizations, the Department is releasing a new tool to help students understand who counts as a parent on the FAFSA form. This new tool, which takes functionality that was only available in the form and makes it available to everyone without a login, helps students understand:
- Whom the student needs to invite to the form;
- Who needs to create an FSA ID at studentaid.gov;
- Who needs to provide their financial information as a contributor on the student’s form.
The tool is now live at studentaid.gov/fafsaparent. The logic behind the answers that the tool gives applies to both the 2024-25 FAFSA cycle and future cycles, including the 2025-26 cycle.