FAFSA & Cal Grant Information
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is one of the most important financial aid applications to fill out. It’s used to apply for financial aid from the federal student aid program which is offered by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid. However, many state governments, and most colleges and universities use the information provided on the FAFSA to also award financial aid from their own programs. The federal student aid programs offer accessibility to federal grants, federal loans, and federal work-study. All other aid offered through other sources (like your state or school) will vary but may also include grant and loan opportunities.
After creating FSA IDs, students must visit StudentAid.gov to file the 2025-2026 FAFSA.
1. Gather Necessary Information: Before starting the application, gather the necessary documents, including:
- Student and parent FSA IDs (Begin at StudentAid.gov.)
- 2023 Federal Tax Return or other income documentation for student and parent(s)
- Social Security number(s)
- Driver’s license (if any)
- 2023 untaxed income records, such as child support received and veterans’ non-education benefits
- Current information on checking and savings account balances; stock, bond and other investments; and business and farm assets
2. Start Early: The FAFSA became available in December 2024 for the following school year. It's a good idea to fill it out as soon as possible since some funds are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
3. Visit the Official FAFSA Website: Go to the official website at StudentAid.gov to begin the application process. Be sure to select the 2025-2026 FAFSA when filing. California priority deadline and Cal Grant submission is March 2, 2025
4. Choose Your Schools: You'll be asked to list schools you're interested in attending (list up to 20 different schools). These schools will receive your FAFSA results and will use the information to determine the financial aid they can offer you.
5. Answer Dependency Questions: The FAFSA will determine if you are a dependent or independent student. Dependent students must provide parent financial information.
6. Fill Out Financial Information: Use the documents you've gathered to provide accurate financial information. By providing student and parent financial information, you are determining the federal and state financial aid you qualify for.
7. Sign and Submit: Once you've completed all sections, you'll need to sign the FAFSA. If you're a dependent student, you will invite your parent(s) to complete separate section(s) of the FAFSA. The 2025-2026 FAFSA will be considered finished once all sections have been successfully completed, signed and submitted.
8. Review Your FAFSA Submission Summary: After submitting the FAFSA, you'll receive a FAFSA Submission Summary summarizing the information you provided. Review this for any errors and make corrections if necessary.
9. Stay Informed: Check the status of your FAFSA, and make sure to respond to any requests from schools or the federal government for additional information.
10. Renew Annually: The FAFSA isn't a one-time task. It is a requirement to submit a new application each year.
How to create an FSA ID
Understand the New FAFSA
Common FAFSA Terms
Common FAFSA Questions
For Dream Act information and application, visit: http://dream.csac.ca.gov
For Middle Class Scholarship information, visit: http://www.csac.ca.gov/mcs.asp
For Cal Grant instructions, visit: http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=48
For Cal Grant GPA Verification form, visit: http://www.csac.ca.gov/doc.asp?id=1177
Cal Grant deadline through FAFSA: March 2, 2025
FAFSA 2025-26: A Simple Guide for Students
For technical help in filling out the FAFSA form, go to StudentAid.gov/fafsahelp or
call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).