What happens after you complete the FAFSA?

So you filled out the FAFSA–now what? Here’s an overview of what to expect.

To summarize:

1. Within a few days of completing the FAFSA, you’ll receive your Student Aid Report (SAR). This will be a paper or electronic document listing your answers on the FAFSA. You can view your SAR online at fafsa.ed.gov using your PIN and make corrections if needed.

2. The colleges you listed when filling out the FAFSA will receive this information. Your SAR will include your EFC (Expected Family Contribution). Colleges will use this number to determine how much financial aid to give you.

3. Once you’ve been accepted to a college, the school will send you a financial aid award letter. The amount of financial aid you receive will vary depending on the school’s cost of attendance and available aid. You’ll definitely want to compare award letters to figure out your cost of attendance once grants, loans, and other forms of aid have been applied.

4. For each year you attend school, you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA to reflect your current financial circumstances for aid eligibility.

The office of Federal Student Aid offers several other easy-to-understand videos to help you out during the financial aid process. Subscribe to their YouTube channel for more tips and guidance.