Financial Aid

• English: On a computer/laptop, click "Translate" in the black box. On a mobile phone/tablet click the Accessibility Icon at the bottom of your phone screen and then click 'translate'.
• Español: Desde una computadora o portátil (laptop), haga clic en "Translate" en el cuadro negro. Desde un teléfono celular o tableta, haga clic en el icono “Accessibility” en la parte inferior de la pantalla y luego haga clic en “Translate”.
• Português: Em um computador/laptop, clique "Translate" na caixa preta. Em um celular/tablet, clique no ícone de 'Accessibility' na parte de baixo da tela e então clique 'Translate'.

The FAFSA is currently open in its Phase 4 BETA stage, to all students & families. Students and families may now begin / complete the FAFSA NOW. You may also wait until 12/1/24 when the BETA phase completes, with no penalty.

Please find a number of supports, webinars, info sessions, cheat-sheets, etc. below for supports related to the FAFSA, CSS Profile, IDOC, reviewing financial aid packages, and scholarships BELOW.

• The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. By filing the FAFSA, you can become eligible for federal, state, institutional, and private scholarships, grants, merit aid, and self-help aid (like work-study and federal student loans).

• The CSS Profile is an online application that some colleges and scholarship programs use to award non-federal financial aid.

• The 2025-2026 FAFSA (the application you'll file in senior year of high school) will be open to all student on or by December 1, 2024. Be mindful of priority filing deadlines set by each college.
• The 2025-2026 CSS Profile will opened on October 1, 2024. Be mindful of priority filing deadlines set by each college.

• Every student, regardless of their post-secondary plans should file the FAFSA in their senior year of high school, and then refile each year they continue on in trade school, community college, or 4-year university.
• If your college requests the CSS profile, you should file it in addition to the FAFSA each year.

The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. Most students complete the application in their senior year of high school starting on October 1. Schools may have different deadlines - be sure to check with each school you are applying to.

Check your colleges’ information to determine whether they require the CSS Profile. A list of participating school is available online. Some schools may also require divorced or separated parents to complete separate applications. The CSS Profile may only be submitted through the sign on link available at cssprofile.org. Learn more about submitting your application on our Complete the Application page. Here are step-by-step directions to fill out CSS.

Step-by-Step: Complete the Application

IDOC is a service that collects family financial documents and distributes them to institutions on behalf of the student. We've built an interactive presentation to give you step-by-step instructions on how to use IDOC. View the presentation in a new window as you go through these steps in real time (CollegeBoard).

How do I know if my institution uses IDOC?

Review our list of participating colleges and check your college’s financial aid website to see if IDOC is used by your institution(s). Not all institutions who utilize the CSS Profile also use IDOC. You will submit your documents once to IDOC, and all IDOC participating institutions can then receive your forms.

1. Federal Deadlines: The FAFSA form must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time (CT) on June 30, 2026. Any corrections or updates must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. CT on Sept. 14, 2026.
2. College and Career/Trade School Deadlines: Each college and career/trade school may have its own deadline. Check with the school you’re interested in attending. You may also want to ask about the school’s definition of an application deadline. For example, the deadline could be the date your FAFSA form is processed or the date the school receives your processed FAFSA data.
3. State Deadlines: Each state has its own deadline. See the listing here: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines

• Applying to college checklist
• 1-2-3 approach to paying for college
• Scholarship Search by Sallie
• Filing the FAFSA®
• Decoding financial aid offers
• Comparing financial aid offers
• Options for filling a financial gap (comparing Parent PLUS Loans and private student loans)

• Your Social Security number (it’s important that you enter it correctly on the FAFSA form!)

• Your parents’ SSNs if you are a dependent student

• Your driver’s license number if you have one

• Your A-number if you are not a U.S. citizen

• Federal tax information, tax documents, or tax returns, including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married), and for your parents if you are a dependent student:

• 1. IRS Form1040
  2. Foreign tax return or IRS Form 1040-NR
  3. Tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or Palau

• Records of your (and, if you’re a dependent student, your parents’) untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans noneducation benefits

• Information on cash; savings and checking account balances; investments, including stocks, bonds, and real estate (but not including the home in which you live); and business and farm assets for you and for your parents if you are a dependent student

If you are married (and not separated) and filed taxes jointly with your spouse, then you will report your spouse’s information on the FAFSA form but they will not be identified as a contributor. But if you’re married (and not separated) and didn’t file taxes jointly, your spouse will be considered a contributor on your FAFSA form.

To invite contributors to your FAFSA form, you’ll be asked to provide their

• first and last name,
• SSN (if they have one),
• date of birth, and
• email address.

Note: Being identified as a contributor on the FAFSA form won’t make your family member responsible for paying for your education costs.

The Self-Reported Academic Record (SRAR/SSAR) allows applicants to record and submit courses, grades, and test scores as part of your college application to participating colleges and universities. Students will list courses and grades that have been completed, or will be attempted (e.g., senior year courses in-progress), for high school credit.

• FAFSA support
• CSS support
• Scholarships

Need additional support? Check out upcoming MEFA Events! We offer free informative webinars and virtual community events on a range of topics. To register for an upcoming webinar, click a topic below. To view a recorded webinar, please view our MEFA Videos page.

OR view these awesome videos by College Aid Pro:

• How to complete the 2024-2025 CSS Profile, a line-by-line guide
• FAFSA 101 for Divorced Families
• What is IDOC and how do I complete it?
• CSS Profile & FAFSA Verification
• How does the Supreme Court decision on Affirmative Action affect college admissions?
• What FAFSA mistakes to avoid?

The first step to finding the money you need for college: Completing the FAFSA®

Join our experts for an overview of the FAFSA®, also highlighting some of last year's changes. We’ll share helpful tips and information to help you complete your FAFSA® and find the money you need to pay for college. Join us on Wednesday, December 4, 2024 7:00 PM - 8:00 PM - REGISTER HERE!

FAFSA Festival Days: Do you need assistance completing the FAFSA, the form required to apply for college financial aid? Join MEFA for a virtual FAFSA Festival on December 10th 4:00 PM-6:00 PM. You can log in anytime and you will be paired with an expert who can answer your FAFSA questions and help you complete the online application. Before you join us, we encourage you to start filling out the FAFSA at fafsa.gov. If you’re an undocumented student not eligible for federal financial aid, we will also be able to assist you with the MASFA, the MA state financial aid form for undocumented students.

• Tues, Dec 10th 4:00–6:00 p.m.
• Mon, Dec 16th 4:00–6:00 p.m.
• Wed, Jan 15th 4:00–6:00 p.m.
• Tues, Feb 11th 4:00–6:00 p.m.

Demystifying the College Financial Aid & Scholarship Process

• Date: Wednesday, December 11th, 2024
• Time: 8:00 PM EST
• Location: Zoom

Perry Kalmus, Co-Founder of AKALA will take you through a live action experience step-by-step of the FAFSA, CSS Profile, Net Price Calculator, and Scholarship Resources. This presentation will help make the overwhelming nature of college financing a little less stressful for parents and students.

You can register here for the Financial Aid & Scholarship Process webinar.