It’s that time of year again! That’s right; it’s FAFSA season. Some will dread it and some will avoid it, but as a current or soon-to-be college student, it’s one of the most important things to check off on your to-do list.

The FAFSA, Federal Application for Federal Student Aid, is used to determine if a student is eligible for federal, state, school or even private financial aid. By completing the FAFSA, you are able to apply for federal and state grants, loans and work studies, as well as school and private scholarships. Basically, the FAFSA is your first step for receiving monetary assistance for your entire college career. 

On average, it takes about 31 minutes to complete the application. To make it easier on you and your parent or guardian(s), be sure to have the following materials available when starting your application:

• Social Security numbers for students and parents, or Registration Numbers for non-U.S. citizens
• Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID: Create your FSA ID here!
• Driver’s license or other eligible government ID
• Tax returns for students and/or parents/guardians
• Asset records, like bank statements and investments
• Records of untaxed income, like child support
• Federal school codes for the schools you will apply to. The school code for Cumberland is 003485. Find a list of school codes here!

It’s extremely important to fill out the FAFSA each year to ensure that you receive your financial aid for the upcoming school year. The application opens on October 1st, 2021 and closes June 30th, 2023. For Tennessee Promise students, the application is due February 1st, 2022. 

Filling out your FAFSA now will make applying for scholarships and student loans a breeze!