Do I need to file a FAFSA yearly while in school?
Yes. Every year that a student is attending college and wishes to be considered for most types of financial aid, they must file a FAFSA application.
Each academic year has its own FAFSA, so make sure that you file the FAFSA for the financial year for which you need aid. The 2014-2015 FAFSA is used to apply for aid for the 2014-2015 academic year, the 2015-2016 FAFSA is used to apply for aid for the 2015-2016 academic year, etc.
An academic year is most commonly the 10 months from August to May. You have an 18 month window to file the FAFSA for that academic year, beginning on the January 1st before the academic year, and ending on the June 30th following the academic year. Some specific examples:
- File the 2013-2014 FAFSA for the 2013-2014 academic year any time between January 1st, 2013 and June 30th, 2014.
- File the 2014-2015 FAFSA for the 2014-2015 academic year any time between January 1st, 2014 and June 30th, 2015.
- File the 2015-2016 FAFSA for the 2015-2016 academic year any time between January 1st, 2015 and June 30th, 2016.
In general, applying as soon as possible each year gives you the best chance of getting the greatest amount of aid.