FAFSA and Financial Aid

FAFSA Essentials

College Depot offers free, individualized FAFSA assistance by appointment. Our advisors are hosting in-person labs to assist students and families with FSA ID creation and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Visit our Workshops page to find and register for upcoming labs and workshops. One-on-One Appointments may also be made specifically for completing the FAFSA. If you have a question or need assistance scheduling, please call us at (602) 261-8847 so that we may further assist you.

What is the FAFSA?

FAFSA® is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Completing the FAFSA is an important step in paying for college or trade school. Any student who wants to be considered for federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs should complete the FAFSA form. This includes grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans.

What is an FSA ID?

An FSA ID, or Federal Student Aid ID, is a username and password that allows users to log in to the U.S. Department of Education's online systems, such as StudentAid.gov, and access the FAFSA.

2025-2026 FAFSA

If you are a current high school senior, prospective or current college student and plan to attend college next Fall (2025) or Spring (2026), you will need to complete the 25-26 FAFSA. The 25-26 FAFSA will be available to all December 1^st, 2024. You do not need to wait until December 1^st to create an FSA ID. If you do not already have an account, please create an FSA ID: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch.

*Note regarding the 2025-26 FAFSA:
Typically, the FAFSA opens to all students on October 1st. This year, the form will be available to some as part of a beta testing process designed by the Department of Education to identify and fix FAFSA issues before it is officially launched on December 1st, 2024.

2024-2025 FAFSA

If you are a prospective or current college student and are attending college this Fall (2024) or Spring (2025), it is not too late to complete the 24-25 FAFSA!

If you need assistance, please give our office a call at (602) 261-8847 to schedule an appointment or sign up for one of our available FAFSA labs here: tiny.cc/CDevents.

*Note regarding the 2024-25 FAFSA:

College Depot is aware of the open issues relating to the creation of FSA IDs and completion of the 2024-25 FAFSA form. The FAFSA Simplification Act represents significant changes of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024–25 award year. This includes changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, which opened December 31st, 2023. Federal Student Aid (FSA) will monitor site performance, conduct pauses for maintenance, and make updates to improve the user experience for students and families.

Featured Videos

An Overview of the Financial Aid Process

Are you ready to attend college or career school, but need financial aid to help fund your education? Check out this video to learn how the office of Federal Student Aid provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans and work-study funds.

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Different Types of Federal Student Aid

If you need help paying for college or career school, the office of Federal Student Aid can assist you with getting the money you need. Check out this video to learn about grants, loans, and work-study jobs and how they can help fund your education.

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How to Determine Your Dependency Status

Are you ready to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, but are unsure whether you'll need to provide parental information on the form? Check out this video to help you determine whether you're an independent or dependent student.

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What Happens After the FAFSA?

Have you filled out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and are wondering what happens next? Check out this video to learn what to expect after completing the FAFSA.

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Featured Resources

FSA ID

Creating an FSA ID is your first step in the process toward receiving student aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

The FAFSA

Created an FSA ID? The next step in applying for financial aid is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Student Aid Index (SAI)

The SAI is an eligibility index number that a college’s or career school’s financial aid office uses to determine how much federal student aid you would receive if you attended the school.

Eligibility for Federal Student Aid

Wondering if you qualify for federal student aid? Check out this infographic to learn more.

Determining Dependency Status

Have questions about your dependency status? Click to learn if you are a dependent student or an independent student on the FAFSA.

Who is My Parent When Filling Out the FAFSA?

Dependent students are required to report parent information on the FAFSA.

Additional Resources

Calculating Financial Aid

How is financial aid calculated and determined? Click to find out details and specific information about the process.

Loans

Federal Student Loans

Learn what types of federal students loans may be available to you.

Types of Financial Aid

Grants

Grants are free money awarded to qualified students. The Pell Grant is the most common grant awarded by the FAFSA and is based on your EFC. The Pell, any state grants that may be offered, or even school grants, can be renewed every year by completing your FAFSA before your state's priority deadline. Come in to the College Depot, we can help!

Loans

Loans are funds provided to students (or parents in the case of the Parent PLUS Loan) and must be repaid. Some student loan programs require financial need while others do not. There are two types of loans that students will be eligible for immediately upon completion of the FAFSA, which are: the Direct Subsidized Stafford Loan and the Direct Unsubsidized Stafford Loan. Be sure to read up on the differences between these two loans, and speak with your Financial Aid counselor to sign up or find out information on other private or institutional loan options.

Work-Study

Unlike grants or loans, the Federal Work-Study program is awarded throughout the semester, through student employment. Students can work on campus and earn funds which can be put toward a student's educational expenses, while the student gains beneficial work experience. If interested, be sure to designate so while completing the FAFSA.

Scholarships

Scholarships are different from the rest because they can be obtained from many different places and can be need-based or merit-based. Most scholarships require a separate application as well as other materials (e.g. essays, letters of recommendation, etc.) and can be one time only or renewable each year. Make sure to call or visit College Depot with any Scholarship questions and make sure to check out our Scholarships page for a rotating list of upcoming opportunities

Scholarships

Learn about finding and applying for scholarships to help pay for your educational goals.

College Depot Scholarships Page

Grants

The Pell Grant

Work-Study

Find out more about the federal work-study program.

Financial Aid Resources

FAFSA Dependency Guide

FAFSA FAQs