CHATTANOOGA, TN -- The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the main way to apply for federal financial aid in the United States. It is also used by colleges to determine eligibility for other types of aid, including state financial aid, institutional scholarships, and student loans.

Here are a few things to be aware of about the FAFSA: 

• It is a free form to fill out. You don’t need to pay a third party to fill it out with/for you.
• It is key to assessing financial aid eligibility.
• It has changed since last year on studentaid.gov.

The FAFSA was streamlined for a more user-friendly experience on studentaid.gov. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA/aid year, the application will require 2022 tax and income data (not 2023 or 2024). If you are under the age of 24, you may also need your parent to assist (unless it says otherwise). The application requires consent for your IRS data to be accessed by the Department of Education for financial aid purposes.  

You can go to studentaid.gov and complete the FAFSA now. Colleges should receive responses in mid-to-late March. You will need to check your account with your college to see if you must complete additional steps after your college receives the FAFSA . Don’t forget to list the colleges that you are interested in on your FAFSA! ChattState’s school code is 003998. 

Finally, don’t be afraid to apply. Some potential students may think, “I won’t get anything, so what’s the point?” “It might be too complicated, so why try?” “It might cause future headaches!” 

For many, the FAFSA is key to funding their education if they are not able to fund it on their own. In some cases, programs like Tennessee Promise and Tennessee Reconnect could even help ChattState students attend college without paying for tuition. If you need assistance, please reach out to your college.  

Lastly, don’t wait too long! A good goal (and in some cases a deadline) is to finish it by the April 15 tax deadline. You can do this!