Once you submit your FAFSA application, you may be tempted to check its status frequently. Here’s how to quickly check your application status online.
- Log in to your FAFSA account
- Click the My FAFSA page
- See your current application status
Now that you know the quick and easy steps on how to check your FAFSA status, let’s dive in a litter deeper.
Why Filing Your FAFSA is Important
Applying for FAFSA, no matter your financial needs, is super important. There are billions of dollars’ worth of scholarships and grants available for all types of students. If you’re not eligible for scholarships and grants, you can use your application to receive federal aid like student loans. Even if you don’t think you’re qualified for federal aid, you can still get lower interest loans by just filling out the FAFSA application.
Financial aid is available for students in both community colleges and universities. For students who want to participate in work-study at their school, you’ll need to have a FAFSA application filled out. Take away the stigma of filling out your FAFSA application and go into every school year prepared to receive your aid. The application process is free and you can ask your financial aid office for help so you can do it with confidence.
How to Apply for FAFSA
You’ll need to have certain documents ready to go when filling out your FAFSA application. You’ll need your social security number, proof of income, and FSA ID. Once you have all these ready to go, you can fill out your application here. We recommend you keep a record of your FSA ID and FAFSA log in so it is easily accessible for you to check and fill out the application each year.
If you need help filling out your FAFSA application, you can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243 for free. You can even get your school counselor to help you out!
When Should I Apply for FAFSA?
Applying for FAFSA is key to getting your financial aid situation worked out as quickly as possible. Submitting your FAFSA on time can jeopardize your aid and might even make you miss out on scholarships and grants that you’re eligible for. The FAFSA application opens in October of the year before your aid is eligible and closes in June of the year it’s available for you. So if you start school in the fall of 2023, your FAFSA application opens in October of 2022 and will close in June of 2023.
We suggest filling out your application right when it is available and once you have all of that year’s financial documents in order. When you fill out your application early, it’s easy to see which aid will be available for you and catch any mistakes that could have been made about your aid. Once you fill out your FAFSA application, you can always check your status.
Checking Your FAFSA Status
After you fill out your application, it can take 3-5 days to be processed by the U.S. Department of Education. Once processed, you will be sent a Student Aid Report with all of your eligibility for student aid. They’ll go over your expected family contribution, your family’s financial situation, and verify your financial status. Checking your FAFSA status is easy. Log into your account and view your status on the My FAFSA page. If it takes longer than 10 days, you can reach out to see if there was something wrong with your application.
You can also fill out the application on paper and send it by mail. If you choose to do this, it will take 7-10 days for it to be processed by the U.S. Department of Education. If it takes longer than 20 days, you should reach out to make sure it was delivered.
Do I Need to Fill Out a FAFSA Application Each Year?
For each year that you attend college, you need to fill out your FAFSA application form. This is because your financial situation can change from year to year. One year you could be ineligible for awards because of your income or your parent’s income. The next year you could be eligible for awards because your income has changed. Since the application opens and closes around the same time each year, we suggest you mark it on your calendar to ensure you don’t miss it.
Financial aid is the determining factor for many students when deciding on which college they should attend. By filling out your FAFSA application early and sending it to your top schools, you can see which one will offer you the most aid. If you haven’t chosen a college yet, you can add up to 10 colleges on your FAFSA application to send your aid information. You can compare financial aid offers using our financial aid offer comparison tool!
It’s good to keep your options open, especially when you’re eligible for a lot of student financial aid. After you fill out your application, check back every few days to see your status to ensure you submitted it correctly.
| Lender | Rates (APR) | Eligibility | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |
5.50%-16.12%* Variable
3.99%-15.61%* Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CITIZENS |
 |
5.54% - 15.70% Variable
3.99% - 15.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT SALLIE MAE |
 |
4.63% - 17.99% Variable
3.49% - 17.99% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT CREDIBLE |
 |
6.00% - 13.75% Variable
3.99% - 13.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT LENDKEY |
 |
5.66% - 14.72% Variable
3.69% - 14.56% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ASCENT |
|
|
3.70% - 8.75% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ISL |
 |
5.62% - 16.85% Variable
3.69% - 16.49% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT EARNEST |
 |
5.00% - 14.22% Variable
3.69% - 14.22% Fixed
|
Undergraduate and Graduate
|
VISIT ELFI |
