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    Financial Aid Requirement (website)

    In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0256, beginning with students enrolled in 12th grade during the 2022-2023 school year, each student must do one of the following in order to graduate:  

    • Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA - please submit screenshot of confirmation email as proof in Xello under Assignments); OR
    • Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA - please submit a picture of the completed application, without confidential information, as proof in Xello under Assignments); OR
    • Submit a signed opt-out form. (Submit this form through Skyward under Custom Forms) 

     

     

    FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (website)

    • Opens on October 1st for seniors
    • Before each year of college, apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form.
    • Your college uses your FAFSA data to determine your federal aid eligibility. Many states and colleges use FAFSA data to award their own aid or emergency aid to students.
    • After submission, you’ll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR) from each college you listed and are admitted to.

     

     

    TASFA - Texas Application for State Financial Aid (website)

    • Opens on October 1st for seniors
    • The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is used to collect information to help determine eligibility for state financial aid programs that are administered by institutions of higher education in the state of Texas.
    • Students that are classified as a Texas Resident who cannot apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) are encouraged to complete the TASFA. 
    • Please check each college's financial aid website for specific instructions on submitting the TASFA.

         Understanding TASFA eligibility

     

    Texas Priority Deadlines for Financial Aid:

    • Seniors should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible after it opens on October 1st.
    • Texas public colleges: For priority consideration, submit your application by January 15. Check each college's website for earlier deadlines. 
    • Texas private colleges: Check with the school's financial aid office. Additional forms may be required.
    • For out-of-state private and public schools: Check with the school's financial aid office. Additional forms may be required. 
    • For more information about FAFSA deadlines, please visit the Federal Student Aid website, https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa. After accessing this website, scroll down to see the Student Aid Deadlines section.

    Additional Resources:

    Federal Student Aid Website

    Financial Aid Eligibility

    Eligibility for Non-U.S. Citizens

    Filling Out the FAFSA Form

    Create FSA ID

    How Financial Aid Works

    Types of Financial Aid

    Federal Student Aid Resource Library

    9 Myths About The FAFSA Form and Applying for Aid

    Reporting Parent Information (which parent)

    What is the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (IRS DRT)?

     

  • TYPES OF FEDERAL STUDENT AID

      

     

  • FAFSA OVERVIEW

     

     

  • HOW TO FILL OUT THE FAFSA

     

  • HOW TO CREATE AN FSA ID

     

     

  • AFTER THE FAFSA: WHAT HAPPENS NEXT

     

     

  • FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS

  • Gathering the Documents Needed to Apply

    The FAFSA questions ask for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances (for instance, whether you’re a U.S. citizen or what tax form you used), you might need the following information or documents as you fill out the application:

    • Your Social Security number (it’s important that you enter it correctly on the FAFSA form!)

    • Your parents’ Social Security numbers if you are a dependent student

    • Your driver’s license number if you have one

    • Your Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen

    • Federal tax information or tax returns including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married), and for your parents if you are a dependent student:

      • IRS 1040
      • Foreign tax return, IRS 1040NR, or IRS 1040NR-EZ
      • Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau

    • Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans noneducation benefits, for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student

    • Information on cash; savings and checking account balances; investments, including stocks and bonds and real estate (but not including the home in which you live); and business and farm assets for you, and for your parents if you are a dependent student

       

      *Unless otherwise noted, all income information should be from the prior-prior year. For example, students applying for financial aid during the 2023–24 school year  should use 2021 tax information.*