Virtual Financial Aid Office (2025)

FAQs

Should you answer yes to need based financial aid? ›

In some cases, by answering yes, a student who might have otherwise been eligible to receive need-based aid, such as a Pell Grant, will not be considered. Students who mistakenly answered yes to this question can make a correction later this month when the option to make FAFSA corrections becomes available.

Explain the difficulties you are having meeting your needs. Describe changes in your life that have affected your ability to pay for college. For example, changes in your family's income or unexpected expenses may have caused a financial deficit. Provide evidence that you can handle your finances responsibly.

Try accessing the site late at night or early in the morning when it's not as busy. Contact the FSA Office. If you're still having trouble, ask the Federal Student Aid (FSA) Office for help. You can reach them at customerservice@studentaid.gov or call the FAFSA phone number at 800-4-FED-AID.

If you're completing the FAFSA form on paper, the instructions will guide you towards which questions are required. If you're an independent student, you don't need to provide parental information and may skip the questions about parent household and finances.

Every college should have its own Net Price Calculator, found on its website (federal policy ensures they have one). Try inputting your family's financial numbers to see if you qualify for aid. If you do, confidently mark "Yes" on the Common App question.

Your letter should clearly state the facts of your family's financial situation and your financial need. It should explain why you need additional aid, even if the reason is something you find difficult or even embarrassing to talk about. Be candid and honest about your family finances.

Body: Your financial situation and hardships

Make sure you describe your parents' occupation, any savings (like a 529 College Savings Account), and any student jobs. You might also discuss any sudden changes in fortune (e.g. parent fell ill or lost their job) that have ruined your original financial plans.

Some documents that show evidence of financial need are bank statements, documentation from a sponsor, financial aid letters, or a letter from an employer showing annual salary.

How do I convince my FAFSA to give me more money? ›

Request a Reevaluation of Your Circumstances

Through this process, you can petition for a reevaluation of the information on your FAFSA^® form. This process will likely require you to submit additional documentation to your school's financial aid office.

To avoid errors, carefully read all of the questions on the FAFSA. Some of the most common FAFSA errors are: Leaving blank fields: Too many blanks may cause miscalculations and an application rejection. Enter a '0' or 'not applicable' instead of leaving a blank.

You can also check the status of your FAFSA form by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. To check on the status of financial aid being disbursed (paid out) to you or your account, check with your school's financial aid office. Was this page helpful?

There are a few common reasons why the Federal Processor will reject an application: Missing signatures, inconsistent marital status with income, taxes paid are equal to or higher than adjusted gross income, citizenship questions are blank, marital status and family members blank, etc.

If you don't have an FSA ID and think this is an error, please call Federal Student Aid at 1-800-433-3243 for assistance with your FSA ID.

If you intend to file the FAFSA when submitting your college applications, check the box. Not checking the box, but then filing for aid, will only create confusion for the admissions office. They may reach out to you to clarify your intent, or they may simply consider you a full-pay family and not award aid.

The term “need-based” is a designation that is based on a student's financial need. For example, a need-based grant might be awarded based on a student's low income.

You must answer 'Yes' to the FAFSA / Dream Application question asking if you want to be considered for work-study.

Federal need-based aid, for instance, is determined by a family's demonstrated ability to pay for college as calculated by the FAFSA. Merit aid, on the other hand, can be awarded by an institution, college or private organization to a student for a specific talent or an athletic or academic ability.