Q&A

If they are your parents, by birth or adoption, both will fill out the FAFSA with you.

It’s common. One parent may be living outside the country, in the military, or working in another state. The FAFSA will need to collect information from both of your parents.

It depends. Grandparents, aunts and uncles, older siblings, and family friends are not considered parents on the FAFSA unless they have legally adopted you. But you may be an “unaccompanied minor” if you are not in your parents’ custody, supporting yourself financially and are at risk of becoming homeless. If so, you will be able to file the FAFSA without your parents’ help. The FAFSA will ask about your living situation.

You will most likely fill out the FAFSA with one or both of your parents since they are available. Also contact your college financial aid office to see if there is additional help they can offer.

No. Your parents do not have to help you pay for college, no matter how much they earn. It’s their choice. If your parents are worried about filling out the FAFSA, this may ease their minds. Let them know you must fill out this form to get financial aid.

You can’t receive federal money. This is true for all undocumented students, including those who have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, status. But it is quite possible you will qualify for state or local grants, college scholarships, or private money.  New York, for example, offers aid through its Dream Act portal and an alternate path for mixed status families. Want to know how helpful your state may be? We recommend checking out the map on the home page of  Higher Ed Immigration Portal.

That’s OK, as long as you are eligible to apply for aid. At least one of your parents will be required to get an FSA ID and fill out the FAFSA with you. The FAFSA offers a path for undocumented parents to get their FSA ID and fill out the FAFSA online.

Federal law protects the privacy of students and parents filing the FAFSA. There are strict rules designed to keep your information safe. But these are uncertain times. Talk to your school counselor or other trusted adults in your community to develop a plan that is best for you and your family. If you are worried about the FAFSA, there are many ways to pay for school and get the education you deserve.

It’s best to fill out the FAFSA with your and your family’s tax records close at hand. The FAFSA will automatically upload most of this information, but your tax returns should be available for reference. If you are applying to go to college in September 2027 or later, the FAFSA will be using information from the following 2025 tax forms:

• Your 2025 1040 form, if you filed taxes.
• Your parents’ 2025 1040 form, if you are dependent on one or both of them.
• All attached tax schedules.
• An estimate of 2025 income, if your family doesn’t file taxes.
• Foreign tax forms, if applicable.

The FAFSA will ask about your family’s assets if your family income is more than $60,000 per year. You should gather the most recent statements with the following information: 

• The current value of your and your family’s savings and investments.
• The current value of your 529 or other college savings accounts.
• A list of government benefits your family receives, such as Social Security benefits or veterans benefits.
• Value of a second home or other properties.
• Record of child support payments.
• Estimated value of family businesses with more than 100 employees.
• Estimated value of family farms or fisheries with more than 100 employees.

Not necessarily, but it is important that you and your family provide accurate information. If you don’t have the cards, look at the names and numbers entered on your family tax returns. Match those exactly and you should be in good shape. If your parent is not a U.S. citizen, they may have an Individual Tax Identification Number, or ITIN. (This number typically starts with 9.) You cannot use your ITIN to create an FSA ID. But you may be able to use it on the FAFSA. Follow the instructions on the FAFSA when asked for your Social Security number or ITIN. 

Yes. Anyone providing information on your FAFSA must agree to share their tax information. This includes you and whichever parent or parents need to help you with the form.

That’s fine. But you still need to give consent to share your tax information. The IRS will notify colleges that you don’t file taxes. In many cases, this will mean you get more financial aid.

This is common. Parents without Social Security numbers will check a box indicating that they don’t have a Social Security number. They may be asked a few background questions to verify their identity when they sign up for an FSA ID, similar to questions seen on a credit check. But this verification is not required to obtain an FSA ID. 

You won’t get federal aid. If your parents are required to help you fill out your FAFSA, they are required to give consent. Ask a school counselor or an adult you trust to reach out and talk through their concerns.

The college financial aid office will contact you. It’s usually just a routine request for more information.

The financial aid office may want to confirm the number of people in your family. You may be asked about other family income (like child support) or government aid (like food stamps). You may also be asked to provide legal identification or proof that you are graduating from high school.

You will need to respond separately to each college. Each will send a form indicating what they need. Be sure to meet each college’s deadline. If there is no deadline, provide the information as quickly as possible.

Not necessarily. Some colleges ask to verify your financial information before they’ve made a decision about admitting you. This is why you need to do this quickly. Stay in close touch with the colleges you hope to attend.

The amount available in the government’s subsidized loan programs changes from year to year. Take out these loans first, if they’re offered to you. If you need more money, try to get what you need through unsubsidized loans. Be careful. Borrow only what you need. Ideally, you shouldn’t borrow more than what you are offered through these two federal loan programs.

This depends on a number of things. As a first step, look at the financial aid letter from the college you like the most. Will you need to borrow money to get through your first year? What about the remaining years? What kinds of loans are available to you? And what will be the total cost over four years?

Once you’ve gathered this information, it’s best to look for a “financial aid calculator” to do the number crunching for you. Most college websites have these now. The website Calculator.net has a calculator that allows you to enter the size of the loan you’ll be repaying, the interest rate, and other terms. One example: Imagine you have $30,000 in federal student loan debt. (This is the current national average for undergraduate loan borrowers.) You will be expected to pay back about $340 per month for 10 years at today’s 6.5% interest rate for government-backed loans.

This is typically done online. Find your college acceptance letter. Follow the directions to officially accept.

Sad to say, your odds of getting accepted off a waitlist are low. Even if you’re eventually accepted, you may be at the back of the line for college institutional aid and any special funding that is first come, first served. Be sure to factor that into your decision. You may accept an offer at one college and take a later waitlist offer, but you will lose your original deposit.

Contact your college’s admissions office immediately. Let them know why you missed the deadline by being clear and courteous. Each school’s response will vary.

It secures your spot in college. The cost ranges between $100 and $300. (It’s typically higher at private colleges.) This enrollment deposit is nonrefundable. You won’t get this money back if you change your mind. Ask if the deposit can be waived. Many public schools will waive their deposit requirement.