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FAFSA � Submission Summary

Immediate results!

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FAFSA Submission Summary: Review, Correct, Update��

Students should review all visible fields for accuracy

IRS transferred income data is not visible to users
If this data is questioned, the only way to validate it is to contact one of student’s selected schools

Correction of inaccurate data entered by student or parent(s) can be completed immediately after FAFSA submission in majority of cases
Updates of data, particularly school selection, can also be made immediately

Some fields, like marital status and asset values, may require school involvement and approval
User is expected to enter these field values as of day FAFSA is signed and submitted, so updating these fields is considered a special circumstance

Immediate

availability

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FAFSA as the Commencement of the Financial Aid Journey��

Even when schools receive FAFSA results to determine student eligibility because student selected them:

Students must follow through on admission and enrollment requirements for school(s) they are seriously considering
Financial aid offers may be delayed until requirements are met
The FAFSA does not award or disburse aid – the college or university performs that function

FAFSA formula determines general eligibility and is standard
Financial aid awards are based on this eligibility but may vary by school, program of study, financial aid programs offered, and enrollment status for each term (semester, quarter, etc.)

FAFSA is only the first step!

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Next Steps: Reviewing Student Portals��

Students should be able to review their Student Portal for any school to which they have been admitted

Student Portal sections typically include:

Admissions status and to-do items
Academics (course registration, grades, etc.)
Bursar’s account (what is owed directly to the school)
Financial aid offers and to-do items
Room and board status

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To-Do examples

Final, official transcripts
Vaccination records
Housing plans
Resolve conflicting information
Complete required financial aid verification if selected

Next Steps: Completing To-Do Items

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2027/28 Federal Verification Requirements

IRS Direct Data Exchange satisfies income verification requirements
If federal tax return(s) not found by IRS, FAFSA contributors must report and document income on verification worksheet provided by college
If no adjustment to family size was made from pre-calculated number on FAFSA, no further verification is needed; otherwise, must document family members on verification worksheet
Other verification selection MAY require additional identity verification
No disbursement of federal financial aid funds can be made until verification is complete for those selected by FSA processor
Verification, if selected, applies to all schools, although students should respond only to schools they are seriously considering to avoid a lot of duplicative work

Next Steps: IF Student is Selected for Verification

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Financial Aid Letter

School’s offer of federal, institutional, and other financial aid for one academic year (e.g. two semesters)
May be updated periodically
Final “awards” will not be made until student is admitted, and sometimes even registered for classes
Financial Aid Letters often look different – very little standard
Even the names of these letters can be different

Financial Aid Offers
Financial aid Award Letter
Financial Aid Package
Financial Aid Notification

Next Steps: �Weighing Financing Options/Comparing Financial �Aid Letters

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Financial Aid Letters should contain at least this information:

Annual Cost of Attendance (COA) detailed by

Tuition & fees
Books, supplies, and equipment
Room and board (on campus, off campus, with parents)
Transportation
Miscellaneous personal expenses

Clearly defined “net price” to students

Annual cost of attendance – “gift aid” = net price student is expected to pay with “self-help aid” or own funds
All schools which participate in federal financial aid must have a “net price calculator/estimator” on their web sites

Next Steps: �Financial Aid Letters Explained

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Financial Aid Letters should contain at least this information:

Clearly defined “gift aid”

Grants and scholarships that do not have to be repaid and should always be accepted!
Often renewable

Clearly defined self-help aid

Federal or private student loans
Federal Work-Study
Self-help = aid that must be borrowed or earned/student is helping themselves
Self-help aid can be declined or accepted in part if student can meet costs In another way; if declined, student should not expect replacement with gift aid

Next Steps: �Financial Aid Categories

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Award Letter Example

Academic Level

& Housing

COA

Awards Offered

Total Awards Offered

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Workforce Pell

Workforce Pell Grants extend federal Pell Grant eligibility to short-term, career-focused training programs (8 to 15 weeks long, or 150–599 clock hours) that lead to in-demand jobs and industry-recognized credentials. The initiative officially launched on July 1, 2026, but it is in the early stages of implementation.
Programs require explicit sign-off from state governors/workforce boards and final clearance from the U.S. Department of Education.

Federal Earnings Accountability Rule

Under the federal Earnings Accountability rule and the Student Tuition and Transparency System (STATS), college programs that consistently produce graduates with low post-graduation salaries will lose eligibility to take part in federal student loan programs
Programs could lose eligibility as soon as 2028/29

Parental Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) new limits

$20,000 annually and $65,000 lifetime

Academic and Financial Aid Program Changes

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If parents did not file federal income taxes but met the required filing threshold:

They are likely to be selected for verification and will be told they must file before aid can be awarded

If parents without SSNs fear potential FAFSA information sharing with DHS:

The U.S. Department of Education shares limited FAFSA data with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) strictly to confirm the citizenship or immigration status of the student applicant. Data regarding parents or household contributors is not shared with DHS for immigration enforcement purposes under current federal rules, though mixed-status families often navigate heightened privacy concerns.

If students are inclined to indicate parents are unable or unwilling to complete their FAFSA sections as contributors:

Have a conversation because students should almost always answer “NO” to both questions, or their aid will be delayed or restricted; is there truly a special circumstance worth pursuing

Counseling Tidbits

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA-NC

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If several members in same immediate family file FAFSAs and receive different Student Aid Indexes (SAI):

Siblings with same parent(s) may have different personal data, like income and assets
Parents in college will have lower SAIs than their student children, as parents are independent students whose data is subject to a different formula that often yields more eligibility

If students think they will receive their financial aid funds estimated on their Submission Summary directly from FAFSA:

Explain that the schools selected by student will actually award and disburse financial aid in line with the FAFSA eligibility determination
FAFSA is a form to determine eligibility, not a funding source in and of itself