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2026–27 FAFSA® Preview Presentation

August 2025

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Topics

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Overview

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  • The 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Preview Presentation provides screenshots that financial aid professionals, mentors, and counselors can use as a guide for the 2026–27 online FAFSA form. The screenshots and information provided can be used to create and/or modify presentations for professional trainings and high school FAFSA completion nights.�
  • The screenshots are intended to show what the FAFSA form will look like and present a majority of the questions displayed on the FAFSA form.�
  • The 2026–27 version of the FAFSA form will become available by Oct. 1, 2025.

  • The 2026–27 FAFSA form includes a new process to invite FAFSA contributors to the form.

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Dependent Student Invites Parent

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Dependent Student: FAFSA® Landing Page

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This is the main FAFSA® landing page. On this page, students are directed to "Start New Form," "Edit Existing Forms," or "Accept an Invitation." For this section of the presentation, the student is beginning a new application.

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Dependent Student: Log-in

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If the student selects "Start New Form" from the FAFSA® landing page and they are not logged in to StudentAid.gov, the student is taken to the "Log In" page to enter their credentials. To access the FAFSA form, all students are required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password. If the student doesn't have a username and password, they can select "Create an Account."

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Dependent Student: Roles

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After logging in, the student can select the applicable role to fill out the FAFSA® form: "Student" or "Parent." The student also has the option to "Enter Code" if they received an invitation code. The student selects "Student."

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Dependent Student: Onboarding (1 of 4)

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When the student starts the 2026–27 FAFSA® form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process. The first onboarding page provides an introduction of the FAFSA form and an accompanying video. Documents that may be needed to fill out the form are also included on this page.

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Dependent Student: Onboarding (2 of 4)

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The second FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about contributors who may be required to participate on the student’s FAFSA form. This page also provides information on how the student will invite contributors to the FAFSA form.

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Dependent Student: Onboarding (3 of 4)

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The third FAFSA® onboarding page provides information about what the student can expect when completing the FAFSA form. This includes information about consent and approval, a time estimate for completing the form, and a note that the student can save the form and return later if needed, along with an accompanying video.

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Dependent Student: Onboarding (4 of 4)

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The last FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about what to expect once the FAFSA form is completed, submitted, and processed. On this page, the student can select "Start FAFSA Form" to begin.

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Dependent Student: Student Identity Information

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This is the first page within the student section. The student can verify that the personal information is correct. To update any of the personal information, the student must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Dependent Student: State of Residence

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The student is asked about their state of residence. The student selects the state from a drop-down box and provides the month and year when they became a resident. 

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Dependent Student: Provide Consent and Approval

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This page informs the student about consent, approval, and the use of federal tax information. Once the student provides consent and approval, their federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Dependent Student: �Provide Consent and Approval (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. The student can expand and collapse FAQs about consent and approval. The student selects "Approve" to provide consent and approval and is taken to the next page. 

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Dependent Student: Imports IRS Information

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This page imports the student’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Dependent Student: Imports IRS Information (Continued)

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This page displays the results from the IRS import for the student. For this scenario, the student is starting a new FAFSA® form and there is no federal tax information available from the IRS.

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Introduction: Dependent Student Personal Circumstances

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This is the first page within the "Your Personal Circumstances" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Dependent Student: Marital Status

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The student is asked about their marital status. The student selects the "Single (never married)" option. 

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Dependent Student: College or Career School Plans

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The student is asked about their college grade level for the 2026–27 school year and if the student will have their first bachelor’s degree. The student selects "First year (freshman)" and "No" to the question about the student’s first bachelor’s degree.  

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Dependent Student: Personal Circumstances

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The student is asked if any of the listed personal circumstances apply. The student selects "None of these apply."

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Dependent Student: Homelessness Status

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The student is asked if they were homeless or at risk of being homeless. The student selects "No."

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Dependent Student: Unusual Circumstances

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The student is asked if unusual circumstances prevent them from contacting the student’s parent(s). The student selects "No."

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Student Dependency Status: Dependent Student

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Based on the answers provided by the student, the student is considered a dependent student. The student is asked if a financial aid administrator should determine their eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan only. This is an option if the student’s parents are unwilling to provide information. The student selects "No." If the student had selected "Yes," a modal would appear to warn about missing out on other potential federal student aid. 

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Introduction: Dependent Student Demographics

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This is the first page within the "Student Demographics" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Dependent Student: Demographic Information

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The student is asked to identify their sex. The student selects "Male."

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Dependent Student: Race and Ethnicity

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The student is asked to identify their race. The student selects the checkboxes that apply. After making a selection, a second drop-down box appears, and the student selects the checkboxes that apply to them.

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Dependent Student: Citizenship Status

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The student is asked about their citizenship status. The student selects the "U.S. citizen or national" option. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Education Status

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The student is asked about their parents’ education status. The student selects the "Neither parent attended college" option. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Killed in Line of Duty

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The student is asked if their parent was killed in the line of duty. The student selects the "No" option. 

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Dependent Student: High School Completion Status

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The student is asked about what their high school completion status will be when the student starts the 2026–27 school year. The student selects the "High school diploma" option. 

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Dependent Student: High School Information

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Because the student selected high school diploma, the student is asked to select which high school they did or will graduate from. The student enters the high school’s state and city. After selecting "Search," the student selects the correct high school from the search results. 

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Dependent Student: Confirm High School

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The student has the option to edit the high school information presented on this page by selecting "Edit," which will return the student to the high school information page. The student confirms the high school information and selects "Continue" to proceed to the next section. 

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Introduction: Dependent Student Financials

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This is the first page within the "Your Finances" section. It provides an overview of the section. The student can select the hyperlink to learn about special financial circumstances.

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Dependent Student: Tax Filing Status

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The student is asked about their tax filing status. The student selects "Yes" to "Did or will the student file a 2024 IRS Form 1040 or 1040-NR?" 

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Dependent Student: Tax Return Information

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The student is asked about their 2024 tax return. The student selects "Single" as the filing status and enters dollar amounts in the other required responses.

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Dependent Student: Tax Return Information (Continued)

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The student is asked about their taxes, income, and other financial information. The student enters dollar amounts in the responses. If the student has nothing to report, the student enters the numeral zero.

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Dependent Student: Assets

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The student is asked about their assets. The student enters a response in each entry field. If the student has nothing to report, the student enters the numeral zero.

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Introduction: Dependent Student Select Colleges

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This is the first page in the "Select Colleges and Career Schools" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Dependent Student: College Search

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The student is asked to search for the colleges, career schools, or trade schools that will receive their FAFSA® information. The student searches for a school by selecting the state from the drop-down menu and selecting "Search." If the student can’t find a school searching by state, the student can search by school code.

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Dependent Student: College Search (Continued)

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After entering a school’s state and selecting "Search," the student selects the correct school(s) from the search results. Students can send their FAFSA® information to a maximum of 20 schools. The student must add at least one school to continue.  

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Dependent Student: Selected Colleges

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After the student selects the correct school(s) from the search results, the student can review the school(s) chosen before continuing. If 20 schools have not been selected, the student has the option to search and select more schools, and, in some states, the student has the option to reorder the list of selected schools.

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Introduction: Dependent Student Invites Contributor

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This is the first page in the "Invite a Parent as a Contributor" section, which is the last student section to require information. It provides an overview of the section.

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Dependent Student: Invite Contributor (Continued 1 of 2)

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The student is asked to enter their parent’s email address to invite the parent to the FAFSA® form. After entering the email address, the student selects "Send Invite." A pop-up window appears, and the student confirms their parent’s email address by selecting "Send Invite."

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Dependent Student: Invite Contributor (Continued 2 of 2)

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This page confirms the student’s parent will receive an email inviting them to the student’s FAFSA® form. The parent can access the form by accepting the invitation in the email. On this page, the student is also provided an invitation link and invitation code that can be shared directly with the parent.

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Dependent Student: Review Page

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The review page displays the responses that the student has provided in the FAFSA® form. The student can view all responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually. To edit a response, the student can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.

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Dependent Student: Signature

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On this page, the student reviews the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and what they’ll agree to when the student signs the form.

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Dependent Student: Signature (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the student signature page. After agreeing to the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signing, the student is able to submit their sections of the FAFSA form. Since parent information has not been provided, the FAFSA form is not considered complete and can’t be processed yet.

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Dependent Student: Section Complete

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Upon digitally signing the student section, the student is presented with the "Pending Submission" page. The student is reminded that their FAFSA® form is not completed and can’t be submitted until the parent completes the contributor section of the form and signs it. This page also displays next steps the student can take, including tracking and managing their form.

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Dependent Student: Section Complete (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the student section complete page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including checking their email and a reminder that their FAFSA® form is not completed and can’t be submitted until the parent completes the contributor section of the form and signs it. Next, in this scenario, the invited parent will enter the FAFSA form and complete the parent section. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Email

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This is NOT a view within StudentAid.gov or the FAFSA® form. This view demonstrates a parent opening the FAFSA invitation from their email. The parent selects "Accept Invitation" and is taken to StudentAid.gov. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Log-in

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The parent is taken from their email to the "Log In" page to enter their credentials. To access the FAFSA® form, all users are required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password. If the parent doesn't have a username and password, they can select "Create an Account."

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Dependent Student: Parent Accepts Invitation

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After logging in, the parent is taken to the "Accept 2026–27 FAFSA® Invitation" page. The invitation code from the parent’s email automatically fills in the text box if the parent used the link from the email.

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Dependent Student: Parent Accepts Invitation (Continued)

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When the parent selects "Submit," a pop-up window appears, confirming the student’s name and reminding the parent that their personal information is needed to fill out the student’s FAFSA® form. The parent selects "Accept" to agree to sharing their information and enters the FAFSA form.

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Dependent Student: Parent Onboarding (1 of 4)

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When the parent enters a 2026–27 FAFSA® form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process. The first onboarding page provides an introduction of the FAFSA form and an accompanying video. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Onboarding (2 of 4)

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The second FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about contributors that may be required to participate on the student’s FAFSA form. This page also provides information on how the parent will invite contributors to the FAFSA form.

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Dependent Student: Parent Onboarding (3 of 4)

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The third FAFSA® onboarding page provides information about what the parent can expect when completing the student’s FAFSA form. This includes information about consent and approval, a time estimate to complete the form, and a note that the parent can save the form and return later if needed, along with an accompanying video.

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Dependent Student: Parent Onboarding (4 of 4)

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The last onboarding page provides information and a video about what to expect once the FAFSA® form is completed, submitted, and processed. On this page, the parent selects "Start FAFSA Form" to begin the parent section.  

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Dependent Student: Parent Identity Information

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This is the first page within the parent section. The parent can verify that the personal information is correct. To update any of the personal information, the parent must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Dependent Student: �Parent Identity Information (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the first page within the parent section. The parent can verify their mailing address on this part of the page. To update this information, the parent must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Dependent Student: �Parent Provides Consent and Approval

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This page informs the parent about consent, approval, and the use of their federal tax information. Once the parent provides consent and approval, their federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Parent Finances" section.

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Dependent Student: �Parent Provides Consent and Approval (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. The parent can expand and collapse FAQs about consent and approval. The parent selects "Approve" �to provide consent and approval and is taken to �the next page. 

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Dependent Student: Parent Imports IRS Information

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This page imports the parent’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Parent Finances" section.

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Dependent Student: �Parent Imports IRS Information (Continued)

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This page displays the results from the IRS import for the parent. For this scenario, the parent is contributing to a new FAFSA® form and there is no federal tax information available from the IRS.

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Introduction: Dependent Student’s Parent Demographics

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This is the first page in the "Parent Demographics" section. It provides an overview of the section.

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Dependent Student: Parent Current Marital Status

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The parent is asked about their current marital status. The parent selects the "Married (not separated)" option.

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Dependent Student: Parent State of Residence

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The parent is asked about their state of residence. The parent selects the state from a drop-down box and provides the month and year when the parent became a resident. 

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Introduction: Dependent Student’s Parent Finances

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This is the first page within the "Parent Finances" section. It provides an overview of the section. The parent can select the hyperlink to learn about special financial circumstances.

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Dependent Student: Parent Federal Benefits Received

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This page asks the parent if the parent or anyone in the parent’s family has received federal benefits. The parent selects "None of these apply."

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Dependent Student: Parent Tax Filing Status

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This page asks the parent about their tax filing status. The parent selects "Yes" to "Did or will the parent file a 2024 IRS Form 1040 or 1040-NR?" and "Yes" to "Did or will the parent file a 2024 joint tax return with their current spouse?"

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Dependent Student: Parent Family Size

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This page displays the family size for the student. The parent has the option to enter the number of children or other dependents who live with the parent and will receive more than half of their support from the parent between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.

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Dependent Student: Parent Number in College

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This page asks the parent how many people in the family will be in college between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The parent enters a response into the entry field.

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Dependent Student: Parent Tax Return Information

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The parent is asked questions about their 2024 tax return. The parent enters a response in each entry field. If the parent has nothing to report, the parent enters the numeral zero.

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Dependent Student: Parent Assets

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The parent is asked about their assets. The parent enters a response in each entry field. If the parent has nothing to report, the parent enters the numeral zero.

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Dependent Student: Other Parent Information

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The parent is asked to provide information about their spouse or partner. In this example, the other parent does not need to contribute to the student’s FAFSA® form because the parents filed taxes jointly. After providing the other parent’s date of birth, all required parent information will be complete.

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Dependent Student: Parent Review Page

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The review page displays the responses that the parent has provided in the FAFSA® form. The parent can view responses only within the parent section of the student’s FAFSA form. The parent can view all the responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually. To edit a response, the parent can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.

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Dependent Student: Parent Signature

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On this page, the parent acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signs the parent section. Since all required sections are complete, the parent can both sign and submit the student’s FAFSA form.

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Dependent Student: Parent Confirmation

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Upon submitting the student’s FAFSA® form, the parent is presented an abbreviated confirmation page. This page displays information about tracking the student’s FAFSA form and next steps. The student will receive an email with the full, detailed confirmation. With the student and parent sections completed and signed, the FAFSA form is now considered complete and submitted for processing.

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Independent Student Invites �Student’s Spouse

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Married Student: FAFSA® Landing Page

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This is the main FAFSA® landing page. On this page, students are directed to "Start New Form," "Edit Existing Form," or "Accept an Invitation." For this section of the presentation, the student is beginning a new application.

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Married Student: Log-in

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If the student selects "Start New Form" on the FAFSA® landing page and they are not logged in to StudentAid.gov, the student is taken to the "Log In" page to enter their credentials. To access the FAFSA form, all students are required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password. If the student doesn’t have a username and password, they can select "Create an Account."

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Married Student: Roles

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After logging in, the student can select the applicable role to fill out the FAFSA® form: "Student" or "Parent." The student also has the option to "Enter Code" if they received an invitation code. The student selects "Student."

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Married Student: Onboarding (1 of 4)

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When the student starts the 2026–27 FAFSA® form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process. The first onboarding page provides an introduction to the FAFSA form, along with an accompanying video. Documents that may be needed to fill out the form are also listed on this page.

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Married Student: Onboarding (2 of 4)

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The second FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about contributors who may be required to participate on the student’s FAFSA form. This page also provides information on how the student will invite contributors to the FAFSA form.

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Married Student: Onboarding (3 of 4)

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The third FAFSA® onboarding page provides information about what the student can expect when completing the FAFSA form. This includes information about consent and approval, a time estimate for completing the form, a note that the student can save the form and return later if needed, and an accompanying video.

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Married Student: Onboarding (4 of 4)

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The last FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about what to expect once the FAFSA form is completed, submitted, and processed. On this page, the student can select "Start FAFSA Form" to begin.

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Married Student: Student Identity Information

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This is the first page within the student section. The student can verify that the personal information is correct. To update any of the personal information, the student must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Married Student: Student Identity Information (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the first page within the student section. The student can verify the mailing address on this part of the page. To update the information, the student must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Married Student: State of Residence

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The student is asked about their state of residence. The student selects the state from a drop-down box and provides the month and year when they became a resident. 

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Married Student: Provide Consent and Approval

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This page informs the student about consent, approval, and the use of federal tax information. Once the student provides consent and approval, their federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Married Student: Provide Consent and Approval (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. The student can expand and collapse FAQs about consent and approval. The student selects "Approve" to provide consent and approval and is taken to the next page. 

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Married Student: Imports IRS Information

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This page imports the student’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Married Student: Imports IRS Information (Continued)

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This page displays the results from the IRS import for the student. For this scenario, the student is starting a new FAFSA® form and there is no federal tax information available from the IRS.

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Introduction: Married Student Personal Circumstances

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This is the first page within the "Your Personal Circumstances" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Married Student: Marital Status

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The student is asked about their marital status. The student selects the "Married (not separated)" option. 

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Married Student: College or Career School Plans

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The student is asked about their college grade level for the 2026–27 school year and if the student will have their first bachelor’s degree. The student selects "Master’s or doctorate program (such as, M.A., MBA, M.D., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.)" and "Yes" to the question about the student’s first bachelor’s degree. Because they have answered "Yes," the student is asked if they will be pursuing an initial teaching certification. The student selects "No."

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Married Student: Personal Circumstances

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The student is asked if any of the listed personal circumstances apply. The student selects "None of these apply."

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Married Student: Homelessness Status

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The student is asked if they were homeless or at risk of being homeless. The student selects "No."

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Married Student Dependency Status: Independent Student

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Based on the answers provided by the student, the student is considered an independent student. The student is not required to provide information about their parents due to this status.

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Introduction: Married Student Demographics

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This is the first page within the "Student Demographics" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Married Student: Demographic Information

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The student is asked to identify their sex. The student selects "Male."

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Married Student: Race and Ethnicity

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The student is asked to identify their race. The student selects the checkboxes that apply. After making a selection, a second drop-down box appears, and the student selects the checkboxes that apply to them.

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Married Student: Citizenship Status

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The student is asked about their citizenship status. The student selects the "U.S. citizen or national" option. 

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Married Student: Parent Education Status

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The student is asked about their parents’ education status. The student selects the "Neither parent attended college" option. 

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Married Student: Parent Killed in Line of Duty

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The student is asked if their parent was killed in the line of duty. The student selects the "No" option. 

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Married Student: High School Completion Status

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The student is asked about what their high school completion status will be when the student starts the 2026–27 school year. The student selects the "High school diploma" option. 

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Married Student: High School Information

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Because the student selected high school diploma, the student is asked to select which high school they did or will graduate from. The student enters the high school’s state and city. After selecting "Search," the student selects the correct high school from the search results. 

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Married Student: Confirms High School

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The student has the option to edit the high school information presented on this page by selecting "Edit," which will return the student to the high school information page. The student confirms the high school information and selects "Continue" to proceed to the next section. 

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Introduction: Married Student Financials

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This is the first page within the "Your Finances" section. It provides an overview of the section. The student can select the hyperlink to learn about special financial circumstances.

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Married Student: Federal Benefits Received

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This page asks the student if the student or anyone in the student’s family has received federal benefits. The student selects "None of these apply."

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Married Student: Tax Filing Status

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This page asks the student about their tax filing status. The student selects "No" to "Did or will the student file a 2024 IRS Form 1040 or 1040-NR?" Because of this selection, the student is asked if they earned income in a foreign country, were employed by an international organization but not required to report income on any tax return, or filed a tax return with Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory. The student selects "No." 

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Married Student: Family Size

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This page displays the family size for the student. The student has the option to enter the number of children or other dependents who live with the student and will receive more than half of their support from the student between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027.

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Married Student: Number in College

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This page asks the student how many people in the family will be in college between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The student enters a response into the entry field.

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Married Student: Assets

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The student is asked about their assets. The student enters a response in each entry field. If the student has nothing to report, the student enters the numeral zero.

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Introduction: Married Student Select Colleges

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This is the first page in the "Select Colleges and Career Schools" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Married Student: College Search

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The student is asked to search for the colleges, career schools, or trade schools that will receive their FAFSA® information. The student searches for a school by entering a state, city, and/or school name. After selecting "Search," the student selects the correct school(s) from the search results. Students can send their FAFSA information to a maximum of 20 schools. The student must add at least one school to continue.  

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Married Student: Selected Colleges

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The student can review which school(s) they have selected. If 20 schools have not been selected, the student has the option to search and select more schools, and, in some states, the student has the option to reorder the list of selected schools.

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Introduction: Married Student Invites Contributor

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This is the first page in the "Invite Spouse as a Contributor" section, which is the last student section to require information. It provides an overview of the section.

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Married Student: Invite Contributor (Continued 1 of 2)

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The student is asked to enter their spouse’s email address to invite the spouse to the FAFSA® form. After entering the email address, the student selects "Send Invite." A pop-up window appears, and the student confirms their spouse’s email address by selecting "Send Invite."

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Married Student: Invite Contributor (Continued 2 of 2)

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This page confirms the student’s spouse will receive an email inviting them to the student’s FAFSA® form. The student’s spouse can access the form by accepting the invitation in the email. The student is also provided an invitation link and invitation code on this page that can be shared directly with the student’s spouse.

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Married Student: Review Page

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The review page displays the responses that the student has provided in the FAFSA® form. The student can view all responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually. To edit a response, the student can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.

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Married Student: Signature

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On this page, the student reviews the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and what they’ll agree to when the student signs the form.

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Married Student: Signature (Continued)

123

This is a continuation of the student signature page. After agreeing to the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signing, the student is able to submit their sections of the FAFSA form. Since the student spouse’s information has not been provided, the FAFSA form is not considered complete and can’t be processed yet.

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Married Student: Section Complete

124

Upon digitally signing the student section, the student is presented with the "Pending Submission" page. The student is reminded that their FAFSA® form is not completed and can’t be submitted until the student’s spouse completes the contributor section of the form and signs it. This page also displays next steps the student can take, including tracking and managing their form.

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Married Student: Section Complete (Continued)

125

This is a continuation of the student section complete page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including checking their email and a reminder that their FAFSA® form is not completed and can’t be submitted until the student’s spouse completes the contributor section of the form and signs it. Next, in this scenario, the invited spouse will enter the FAFSA form and complete the student spouse section. 

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Married Student: Student’s Spouse Email

126

This is NOT a view within StudentAid.gov or the FAFSA® form. This view demonstrates a student’s spouse opening the FAFSA invitation from their email. The student’s spouse selects "Accept Invitation" and is taken to StudentAid.gov. 

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Married Student: Student Spouse Log-in

127

The student’s spouse is taken from their email to the "Log In" page to enter their credentials. To access the FAFSA® form, all users are required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password. If the student’s spouse doesn’t have a username and password, they can select "Create an Account."

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Married Student: Student’s Spouse Accepts Invitation�

128

After logging in, the student’s spouse is taken to the "Accept 2026–27 FAFSA® Invitation" page. The invitation code from the student spouse’s email automatically fills in the text box if the student’s spouse used the link from the email.

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Married Student: �Student’s Spouse Accepts Invitation (Continued)

129

When the student’s spouse selects "Submit," a pop-up window appears, confirming the student’s name and reminding the student’s spouse that their personal information is needed to fill out the student’s FAFSA® form. The student’s spouse selects "Accept" to agree to share their information and enters the FAFSA form.

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Married Student: �Student Spouse Contributing to the FAFSA® Form

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When the student’s spouse enters a 2026–27 FAFSA® form for the first time, they are taken to the "Spouse Contributing to the FAFSA Form" page. This page provides an overview and frequently asked questions that the student’s spouse can expand and collapse.

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Married Student: Student Spouse Identity Information

131

This is the first page within the student spouse section. The student’s spouse can verify that the personal information is correct. To update any of the personal information, the student’s spouse must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Married Student: Student’s �Spouse Provides Consent and Approval

132

This page informs the student’s spouse about consent, approval, and the use of their federal tax information. By providing consent and approval, the student spouse’s federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the “Student Spouse Financials" section.

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Married Student: Student’s Spouse �Provides Consent and Approval (Continued)

133

This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. Frequently asked questions about consent and approval are provided that the student’s spouse can expand and collapse. The student’s spouse selects "Approve" to provide consent and approval and is taken to the next page. 

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Married Student: �Student’s Spouse Imports IRS Information

134

This page imports the student spouse’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Student Spouse Financials" section.

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Married Student: Student’s Spouse Imports IRS Information (Continued)

135

This page displays the results from the IRS import for the student’s spouse. For this scenario, the student’s spouse is contributing to a new FAFSA® and there is no federal tax information available from the IRS.

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Introduction: Student Spouse’s Financials

136

This is the first page within the "Your Finances" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Married Student: Student Spouse Tax Filing Status

137

This page asks the student’s spouse about their tax filing status. The student’s spouse selects "Yes" to "Did or will the student’s spouse file a 2024 IRS Form 1040 or 1040-NR?" 

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Married Student: Student Spouse Tax Return Information

138

The student’s spouse is asked questions about their 2024 tax return. The student’s spouse enters a response in each entry field. If the student’s spouse has nothing to report, they enter the numeral zero.

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Married Student: Student Spouse Review Page

139

The review page displays the responses that the student’s spouse has provided in the FAFSA® form. The student’s spouse can only view responses within their own section of the FAFSA form. The student’s spouse can view all the responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually. To edit a response, the student’s spouse can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.

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Married Student: Student Spouse Signature

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On this page, the student’s spouse acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signs their section. Since all required sections are complete, the student’s spouse can both sign and submit the student’s FAFSA form.

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Married Student: Student Spouse Confirmation

141

Upon submitting the student’s FAFSA® form, the student’s spouse is presented with an abbreviated confirmation page. This page displays information about tracking the student’s FAFSA form and next steps. The student will receive an email with the full, detailed confirmation. With the student and student spouse sections completed and signed, the FAFSA form is now considered complete and submitted for processing.

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Independent Student Who Is Single�and a Non-Tax Filer 

142

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Independent Student: FAFSA® Form Landing Page

143

This is the main FAFSA® landing page. On this page, students are directed to "Start New Form," "Edit Existing Form," or "Accept an Invitation." For this section of the presentation, the student is beginning a new application.

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Independent Student: Log-in

144

If the student selects "Start New Form" on the FAFSA® landing page and they are not logged in to StudentAid.gov, the student is taken to the "Log In" page to enter their credentials. To access the FAFSA form, all students are required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password. If the student doesn’t have a username and password, they can select "Create an Account."

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Independent Student: Roles

145

After logging in, the student can select the applicable role to fill out the FAFSA® form: "Student" or "Parent." The student also has the option to "Enter Code" if they received an invitation code. The student selects "Student."

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Independent Student: Onboarding (1 of 4)

146

When the student starts the 2026–27 FAFSA® form for the first time, they are taken through the FAFSA onboarding process. The first onboarding page provides an introduction of the FAFSA form and an accompanying video. Documents that may be needed to fill out the form are also listed on this page.

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Independent Student: Onboarding (2 of 4)

147

The second FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about contributors who may be required to participate on the student’s FAFSA form. This page also provides information about how the student will invite contributors to the FAFSA form.

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Independent Student: Onboarding (3 of 4)

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The third FAFSA® onboarding page provides information about what the student can expect when completing the FAFSA form. This includes information about consent and approval, a time estimate for completing the form, and that the student can save the form and return later if needed, along with an accompanying video.

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Independent Student: Onboarding (4 of 4)

149

The last FAFSA® onboarding page provides information and a video about what to expect once the FAFSA form is completed, submitted, and processed. On this page, the student can select "Start FAFSA Form" to begin.

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Independent Student: Student Identity Information

150

This is the first page within the student section. The student can verify that the personal information is correct. To update any of the personal information, the student must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Independent Student: �Student Identity Information (Continued)

151

This is a continuation of the first page within the student section. The student can verify their mailing address on this part of the page. To update this information, the student must access their account settings on StudentAid.gov.

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Independent Student: State Of Residence

152

The student is asked about their state of residence. The student selects the state from a drop-down box and provides the month and year when they became a resident. 

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Independent Student: Provide Consent and Approval

153

This page informs the student about consent, approval, and the use of federal tax information. By providing consent and approval, the student’s federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Independent Student: Provide Consent and Approval (Continued)

154

This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. Frequently asked questions about consent and approval are provided that the student can expand and collapse. The student selects "Approve" to provide consent and approval and is taken to the next page. 

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Independent Student: Imports IRS Information

155

This page imports the student’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Your Finances" section.

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Independent Student: �Imports IRS Information (Continued)

156

This page displays the results from the IRS import for the student. For this scenario, the student is starting a new FAFSA® form and there is no federal tax information available from the IRS.

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Introduction: Independent Student Personal Circumstances

157

This is the first page within the "Your Personal Circumstances" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Independent Student: Marital Status

158

The student is asked about their marital status. The student selects the "Single (never married)" option. 

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Independent Student: College or Career School Plans

159

The student is asked about their college grade level for the 2026–27 school year and if the student will have their first bachelor’s degree. The student selects "First year (freshman)" and "No" to the question about the student’s first bachelor’s degree.  

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Independent Student: Personal Circumstances

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The student is asked if any of the listed personal circumstances apply. The student selects "None of these apply."

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Independent Student: Homelessness Status

161

The student is asked if they were homeless or at risk of being homeless. The student selects "No."

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Student Dependency Status: Independent Student

162

Because the student’s date of birth is before Jan. 1, 2003, the student is considered an independent student. The student is not required to provide information about their parents due to this status.

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Introduction: Independent Student Demographics

163

This is the first page within the "Student Demographics" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Independent Student: Demographic Information

164

The student is asked to identify their sex. The student selects "Male."

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Independent Student: Race and Ethnicity

165

The student is asked to identify their race. The student selects the checkboxes that apply. After making a selection, a second drop-down box appears, and the student selects the checkboxes that apply.

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Independent Student: Citizenship Status

166

The student is asked about their citizenship status. The student selects the "U.S. citizen or national" option. 

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Independent Student: Parent Education Status

167

The student is asked about their parents’ education status. The student selects the "Neither parent attended college" option. 

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Independent Student: Parent Killed in Line of Duty

168

Since the student is under the age of 33, the student is asked if their parent was killed in the line of duty. The student selects the "No" option. 

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Independent Student: High School Completion Status

169

The student is asked about what their high school completion status will be when the student starts the 2026–27 school year. The student selects the "High school diploma" option. 

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Independent Student: High School Information

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Because the student selected "High school diploma," the student is asked to select the high school from which they did or will graduate. The student enters the high school’s state and city. After selecting "Search," the student selects the correct high school from the search results. 

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Independent Student: Confirms High School

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The student has the option to edit the high school information presented on this page by selecting "Edit," which will return the student to the high school information page. The student confirms the high school information and selects "Continue" to proceed to the next section. 

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Introduction: Independent Student Financials

172

This is the first page within the "Your Finances" section; it provides an overview of the section. The student can select the hyperlink to learn about special financial circumstances.

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Independent Student: Federal Benefits 

173

The student is asked if the student or anyone in their family has received federal benefits. The student selects “None of these apply.” 

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Independent Student: Tax Filing Status

174

This page asks the student about their tax filing status. The student selects "No" to "Did or will the student file a 2024 IRS Form 1040 or 1040-NR?" Because of this selection, the student is asked if they earned income in a foreign country, were employed by an international organization but not required to report income on any tax return, or filed a tax return with Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory. The student selects "No." 

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Independent Student: Number in College 

175

This page asks the student how many people in the family will be in college between July 1, 2026, and June 30, 2027. The student enters a response in the entry field.

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Introduction: Independent Student Select Colleges

176

This is the first page in the "Select Colleges and Career Schools" section. It provides an overview of the section. 

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Independent Student: College Search

177

The student is asked to search for the colleges, career schools, or trade schools that will receive their FAFSA® information. The student searches for a school by entering a state, city, and/or school name. After selecting "Search," the student selects the correct school(s) from the search results. Students can send their FAFSA information to a maximum of 20 schools. The student must add at least �one school to continue.  

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Independent Student: Selected Colleges

178

The student can view the school(s) they selected. If 20 schools were not selected, the student has the option to search and select more schools, and, in some states, the student has the option to reorder the list of selected schools.

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Independent Student: Review Page

179

The review page displays the responses that the student has provided in the FAFSA® form. The student can view all responses by selecting "Expand All" or expand each section individually. To edit a response, the student can select the question’s hyperlink to be taken to the corresponding page.

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Independent Student: Signature

180

On this page, the student reviews the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and what they’ll agree to when the student signs the form.

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Independent Student: Signature (Continued)

181

This is a continuation of the student signature page. After agreeing to the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signing, the student can submit their sections of the FAFSA form. Since all required sections are complete, the student can both sign and submit the FAFSA form. 

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Independent Student: Confirmation Page

182

The student is presented with the confirmation page. This page displays information for the student about the completion date and data release number for their FAFSA® form, along with an estimate for the student’s Student Aid Index. The student is informed they may be eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, which may be a result of their negative SAI.

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Independent Student: Confirmation Page (Continued)

183

This is a continuation of the student section complete page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including checking their email, tracking the FAFSA® form, and receiving communications from their school(s).

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FAFSA Submission Summary

184

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FAFSA Submission Summary Landing Page

185

The student receives a FAFSA Submission Summary for their processed FAFSA® form and any subsequent corrections that the student submits. The FAFSA Submission Summary is divided into four tabs: "Eligibility Overview," "FAFSA Form Answers," "School Information," and "Next Steps." At the top, the student will see when the FAFSA form was received and processed. The student also has the option to print the FAFSA Submission Summary to keep for their records.

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Eligibility Overview

186

On the "Eligibility Overview" tab, the student sees information about the federal student aid for which they may be eligible, such as a Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loans. Any amounts of financial aid that display on this tab are estimates and are not guaranteed. The school's financial aid office provides final determination of the student’s financial aid eligibility.

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Eligibility Overview (Continued)

187

This is a continuation of the "Eligibility Overview" tab of the FAFSA Submission Summary. The student can view their Student Aid Index. The school's financial aid office provides final determination of the student’s financial aid eligibility.

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FAFSA® Form Answers

188

On the "FAFSA Form Answers" tab, the student sees the answers provided on their FAFSA® form. If any of the provided answers are incorrect, the student can choose "Make a Correction."  

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FAFSA® Form Answers (Continued)

189

This is a continuation of the "FAFSA Form Answers" tab, where the student sees the answers provided on their FAFSA® form.

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FAFSA® Form Answers Contributors

190

This is a continuation of the "FAFSA Form Answers" tab. If applicable, the student sees the answers their contributor(s) provided on the FAFSA® form. 

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School Information

191

On the "School Information" tab, the student sees information about the college(s), career school(s), and/or trade school(s) they selected to receive their FAFSA® information. The student can view graduation rate, retention rate, transfer rate, default rate, median debt upon completion, and average annual cost of the selected school(s).

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Next Steps

192

On the "Next Steps" tab, the student sees comments that pertain to their FAFSA® form. Some comments may require the student to make a correction or send additional documentation to their school. Other comments may be informational and require no action from the student.

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More Resources

193

Lastly, along the right side of the FAFSA Submission Summary, the student can access additional resources, including links to "My Aid" or College Scorecard.

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Dependent Student and Direct Unsubsidized Loan

194

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Dependency Status: Dependent Student

195

If the parents of a dependent student are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA® form but the student doesn’t have an unusual circumstance, the student can choose to have their school determine eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan only. �

Note: Selecting "Yes" here makes the student ineligible for other types of federal student aid, such as Federal Pell Grants, Federal Work-Study, or Direct Subsidized Loans.

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Dependent Student Selects Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only

196

If the student selects "Yes" to have their school determine eligibility for a Direct Unsubsidized Loan only and then selects "Continue," a pop-up window appears warning the student that they will not be eligible for most federal student aid.

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Unaccompanied Homeless Youth

197

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Student Homelessness

198

The student is asked if they were unaccompanied and either homeless or at risk of being homeless. If so, the student selects "Yes." Next, the student is asked who determined that they are homeless or at risk of being homeless. The student selects "None of these apply."

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Impact of Unaccompanied Homeless Youth Status

199

Based on the answers provided by the student, parent information is not required on the FAFSA® form. The student can sign and submit the FAFSA form, but will need to contact the school’s financial aid office about their circumstances. The school will be required to make a determination about the student’s unaccompanied homeless youth status based on a written statement from the student or a documented interview with the student. Until the student’s circumstances are verified, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid will only provide the student an estimate of their federal student aid eligibility. 

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Provisionally Independent Student

200

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Student Unusual Circumstances

201

The student is asked if unusual circumstances prevent them from contacting their parent(s). The student selects "Yes."

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Impact of Provisionally Independent Status

202

Based on the answer provided by the student, the student is considered a provisionally independent student and is not required to provide parent information. The student can sign and submit their FAFSA® form, but will need to contact their school to see what supporting documentation they need to submit. A financial aid administrator at the school will review and make a determination about a dependency override. Until the student’s circumstances are verified, the U.S. Department of Education’s office of Federal Student Aid will only provide the student an estimate of their federal student aid eligibility. 

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Student Adds Schools �to FAFSA® Form

203

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Add Schools: Log-in

204

To access an existing FAFSA® form, the student must have a StudentAid.gov account username and password.

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Add Schools: Dashboard

205

On the account Dashboard, the student can see their most recent 2026–27 FAFSA® activity under the "My Activity" section. In this scenario, the student has a processed 2026–27 FAFSA form. To see further information about this application, the student selects the application and is taken to the "Details" page.

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Add Schools: Details

206

On the "Details" page, the student sees information related to their processed FAFSA® form (such as when it was started and processed), their FAFSA Submission Summary, and additional resources. Within the "Actions" menu, the student can select "Add or Remove Schools." Selecting this option will start a voluntary correction to update the selected schools.

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Add Schools: Details (Continued)

207

Farther down the "Details" page, the student sees their invited contributor(s), selected school(s) and FAFSA® submission history. In this scenario, the student selects "Add or Remove Schools" within the "Actions" menu to update the selected schools.

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Add Schools: Onboarding

208

When the student starts a 2026–27 FAFSA® correction, they are taken through the FAFSA correction onboarding process. A correction should only be submitted if critical information was missing, the form contains incorrect information, the student needs to update the selected school(s), and/or a financial aid administrator requested a correction. The student selects "Add or Remove Schools" to begin the correction.

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Add Schools: Selected Colleges and Career Schools

209

The student can view which college(s), career school(s), and/or trade school(s) they selected in their processed application. If the student has not selected 20 schools, they have the option to search and select more schools, and, in some states, the student has the option to reorder the list of selected schools. In this scenario, the student wants to remove a previously selected school and add new ones. The student selects "Remove" for the listed school(s).

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Add Schools: College Search

210

After removing the school(s), the student selects "Search and Select More Schools" on the previous page and is taken to the “Colleges” search page. The student is asked to search for the college(s), career school(s), and/or trade school(s) they would like to receive the student’s FAFSA® information. The student searches for a school by entering a state and a city and/or school name.

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Add Schools: College Search (Continued)

211

After entering a school’s state and city and/or school name and selecting "Search," the student selects the correct school(s) from the search results. Students can send their FAFSA® information to a maximum of 20 schools. 

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Add Schools: Review Selected Schools

212

The student can view which new college(s), career school(s), and/or trade school(s) they’ve selected. When the student selects "Continue," the updates to the "Selected Colleges and Career Schools" section will be complete, and the student can proceed to the review changes page.

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Add Schools: Review Changes Page

213

The review page displays the school(s) that the student has added and/or removed. If the student needs to make additional updates to the rest of the FAFSA® form, they can select "Make More Changes." In this scenario, the student is ready to submit the correction and selects "Continue."

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Add Schools: Sign and Submit Changes to the FAFSA® Form 

214

On this page, the student reviews the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and what they’ll agree to by digitally signing the form.

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Add Schools: Sign and Submit Changes to the FAFSA® Form (Continued)

215

This is a continuation of the student signature page. After agreeing to the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form and digitally signing, the student can resubmit their section of the FAFSA form.

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Add Schools: Confirmation

216

After the student has submitted the correction, they are presented with the confirmation page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including tracking their FAFSA® form and correction.

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Student Submits a �Required FAFSA® Correction �to Homeless Determination

217

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Homeless Determination Correction: Log-in

218

To access an existing FAFSA® form, the student is required to log in using a StudentAid.gov account username and password.

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Homeless Determination Correction: Dashboard

219

On the account Dashboard, the student can see their most recent 2026–27 FAFSA® activity under the "My Activity" section. In this scenario, the student has a 2026–27 FAFSA form that requires additional action before it can be processed. To see further information about this application, the student selects the application and is taken to the "Details" page.

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Homeless Determination Correction: Details

220

On the "Details" page, the student sees information about their FAFSA® form, including that an error was found in their form and that the student must contact their school’s financial aid office to provide documentation of their circumstances. The student can select "Start Your Correction" to start a required correction.

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Homeless Determination Correction: Onboarding

221

When the student starts a 2026–27 FAFSA® correction, they are taken through the FAFSA correction onboarding process. A correction should only be submitted if critical information was missing, the form contains incorrect information, the student needs to update the selected school(s), and/or a financial aid administrator requested a correction.

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Homeless Determination Correction: Error Summary

222

When a student is updating an error on the FAFSA® form, they are taken to the

"Error Summary" page. The student can review the number of errors on their form, the estimated time to correct the errors, and the section(s) of the FAFSA form that contain the error(s). The student selects "Start Student Section" to begin the FAFSA correction.

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Homeless Determination Correction: �Student Identity Information

223

The "Student Identity Information" page is the first page within the FAFSA® form that requires information from the student. The student does not change the information shown because it is correct; the student selects "Continue."

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Homeless Determination Correction: State of Residence

224

The student is asked about their state of residence. The student does not change the state selected from the drop-down box or the month and year when they became a resident. ​

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Homeless Determination Correction: Marital Status

225

The "Student Marital Status" page is the first question within the "Your Personal Circumstances" section. The student is asked about their current marital status. The student does not change their response of "Single (never married)."

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Homeless Determination Correction: �College or Career School Plans

226

The student is asked about their college grade level for the 2026–27 school year and if they will have their first bachelor’s degree. The student does not change their responses of "First year (freshman)" and "No."

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Homeless Determination Correction: �Personal Circumstances

227

The student is asked if any of the listed personal circumstances apply to them. The student does not change their response of "None of these apply."

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Homeless Determination Correction: Other Circumstances

228

The student is asked if they were homeless or at risk of being homeless. The student does not change the response of "Yes." After selecting this response, the student is asked who made the homelessness determination. The student updates their answer from "None of these apply" to "Financial aid administrator."

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Homeless Determination Correction: Dependency Status

229

Based on the updated answer provided by the student, the student is considered an independent student. The student selects "Continue" and enters the "Student Demographics" section.

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Homeless Determination Correction: �Demographic Information

230

The "Student Demographic Information" page is the first question within the "Student Demographics" section. The student is asked to identify their sex. The student does not change their response of  "Male." Since the student has finished the correction, they select "Skip to end of form" to proceed with submitting the correction.​

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Homeless Determination Correction: Review Changes Page

231

The review changes page displays the responses that the student has updated in the FAFSA® form. The student can view all their updated and previous answers by selecting "Expand All" or by expanding each section individually. To edit a response, the student can select the "Edit" button beside each question to be taken to the corresponding page. If the student needs to make additional updates, they can select "Make More Changes." The student is ready to submit the correction and selects "Continue."

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Homeless Determination Correction: Signature

232

After confirming the changes, the student reviews, digitally signs, and submits the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form.

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Homeless Determination Correction: Confirmation

233

After the student has submitted the correction, they are presented with the confirmation page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including tracking their FAFSA® form and correction.

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Student Manages �FAFSA® Contributors

234

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Log-in

235

To access an existing FAFSA® form, the student is required to have a StudentAid.gov account username and password.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Dashboard

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On the account Dashboard, the student can see their most recent 2026–27 FAFSA® activity under the "My Activity" section. In this scenario, the student has a processed 2026–27 FAFSA form. To see further information about this application, the student selects the application and is taken to the "Details" page.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Details

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On the "Details" page, the student sees information about their processed FAFSA® form, such as when it was started and processed, their FAFSA Submission Summary, and additional resources. If a required contributor was invited to the student’s form, the student can select "Edit Contributor Information" within the "Actions" menu. This option allows the student to resend the invitation if they provided the wrong information for a contributor.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Details (Continued)

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Farther down the "Details" page, the student sees their invited contributor(s), selected school(s), and FAFSA® submission history. In this scenario, the student selects "Edit Contributor Information" within the "Actions" menu to resend an invitation to their parent.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Onboarding

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When the student starts a 2026–27 FAFSA® correction, they are taken through the FAFSA correction onboarding process. A correction should only be submitted if critical information was missing, the form contains incorrect information, the student needs to update the selected school(s), and/or a financial aid administrator requested a correction.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Remove Contributor

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This page displays the invitation that was sent on the processed form. When the student selects "Remove Contributor" on their parent’s invitation, a message displays informing the student that by choosing to remove their parent as a contributor, the parent sections on the FAFSA® form will be reset and a new invitation will be sent. The student confirms by selecting "Remove Contributor."

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Update Contributor Details

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The student can provide an updated email address for their parent and send a new invitation. As a result, any information provided in the parent sections will be reset. The parent will have to accept the new invitation, provide consent and approval (if not previously provided), and provide their signature for the student’s FAFSA® form to be processed successfully. 

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: �Update Contributor Details (Continued)

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When the student selects "Send Invite," a message displays, asking the student to confirm their parent’s email address. To confirm the updated information and send the new contributor invite, the student selects "Send Invite."

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Invite Sent

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This page informs the student that the invite to their parent has been sent. The parent will receive an email inviting them to enter the FAFSA® form to complete their required sections. The student is also provided an invite link and invite code on this page that can be shared directly with the parent.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Signature

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On this page, the student acknowledges the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form, digitally signs, and submits �the correction.

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Manage FAFSA® Contributors: Confirmation

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After signing their FAFSA® form, the student has submitted the correction and is presented with the confirmation page. This page displays information for the student about next steps, including tracking their FAFSA form and corrections. The student is informed that the form is not complete because the parent needs to resolve one or more errors in the contributor section(s) and sign their section of the form.

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Parent Submits a �Required FAFSA® Correction �for Missing Consent and Approval

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Consent and Approval Correction: Log-in

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To access an existing FAFSA® form, the parent is required to log in using a StudentAid.gov account username and password.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Dashboard

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On the account Dashboard, the parent can see their most recent 2026–27 FAFSA® activity under the "My Activity" section. In this scenario, the parent’s child has a processed 2026–27 FAFSA form with an "Action Required" status. To see further information about this application, the parent selects the application and is taken to the "Details" page.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Details

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On the "Details" page, the parent sees information about their child’s processed FAFSA® form, such as when it was started and processed and additional resources. In this scenario, the parent hasn’t provided consent and approval on the form. Selecting "Approve" starts a required correction.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Onboarding

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When the parent starts a 2026–27 FAFSA® correction, they are taken through the FAFSA correction onboarding process. A correction should only be submitted if critical information was missing, the form contains incorrect information, the student needs to update the selected school(s), and/or a financial aid administrator requested a correction.

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Consent and Approval Correction: �Provide Consent and Approval

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This page informs the parent about consent, approval, and the use of their federal tax information. By providing consent and approval, the parent’s federal tax information is transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Parent Finances" section.

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Consent and Approval Correction:Provide Consent and Approval (Continued)

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This is a continuation of the consent and approval page. Frequently asked questions about consent and approval are provided that the parent can expand and collapse. The parent selects "Approve" to provide consent and approval.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Loading Page

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This page imports the parent’s federal tax information by directly transferring it from the IRS into the FAFSA® form to help complete the "Parent Finances" section.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Results Page

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If the data import from the IRS is not successful, an error message will appear saying "Data Not Received." The parent can then continue to manually input their financial information in the "Parent Finances" section. Because the parent previously completed the "Parent Finances" section, they are taken directly to the signature page.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Review Changes Page

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The parent is ready to sign and submit the correction and selects "Continue."

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Consent and Approval Correction: Signature

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After the parent provides consent and approval, they need to acknowledge the terms and conditions of the FAFSA® form, digitally sign, and submit the correction.

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Consent and Approval Correction: Confirmation

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The parent is presented the confirmation page. This page displays information for the parent about next steps and tracking their FAFSA® form and correction. 

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Conclusion

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