Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important things you can do to increase your chances of receiving many forms of financial aid for college! We break down the information you'll need to complete the FAFSA.

Before starting your FAFSA

You and your contributors must create StudentAid.gov accounts to be able to complete the FAFSA. A contributor is anyone who is required to provide information on your FAFSA, such as:

• Students (that’s you!)
• Parent(s)/Stepparent(s)
• Spouses (if applicable)

Accounts are authenticated instantly and students and families can begin the application immediately.

What information do I need to complete the FAFSA?

Here is everything you will need to complete the 2026-2027 FAFSA:

• Your Social Security number.
• Your contributors’ Social Security numbers.
• Alien Registration Number (A-Number) for eligible noncitizens.
• 2024 federal tax information, tax documents, or tax returns, including IRS W-2 forms or information for you and your contributors (this will be pulled electronically from the IRS, but is good to have on hand).
• Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received for you and for your contributors if you are a dependent student.
• Checking and savings account balances.
• Net worth of investments, including stocks, bonds, and real estate (but not including the home in which you live).
• Net worth of family businesses with more than 100+ employees. Do not report the value of family farm or fishery business.
• A list of colleges (up to 20) you intend to apply to (if you’re completing the FAFSA for the first time). You do not need to be accepted to any of these colleges at the time of completing your FAFSA.

Contributing to a student's FAFSA as an undocumented parent/guardian

If you’re a dependent student living with one or more undocumented parents, you can still complete the FAFSA with your Social Security number. Parent(s) without an SSN can still make a StudentAid.gov account and contribute to a student’s FAFSA. Just have them select the "I do not have a Social Security number" box on the account creation page.

It’s important to understand that at this time, personal data submitted through the FAFSA—including a contributor’s citizenship status—may or MAY NOT be protected by the U.S. Department of Education. While contributing to a student’s FAFSA as an undocumented parent generally should not affect their eligibility to receive federal financial aid, other potential risks that undocumented contributors may face are currently unknown. Before completing the FAFSA, we advise you to talk to your family to make an informed decision that works best for you. 

Complete the FAFSA! 

To complete your portions of the FAFSA, you and your contributor(s) can head to studentaid.gov, log in using your StudentAid.gov accounts, and begin!