The FAFSA process has been greatly simplified. If you have the following information at your fingertips, it takes most people about an hour to complete.
- Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) for both the parent and the student. You apply for this online at studentaid.gov.
- Student’s Social Security number and date of birth
- 2017 federal tax return of the parent, and if applicable, the student
- 2017 untaxed income records which include veteran’s non-education benefit records, child support received and workers’ compensation
- Assets which include the balance of cash, savings and investments
- Alien registration or permanent resident card if not a U.S. citizen
The FAFSA can be completed in about 30 minutes if you know what to expect and have the information you need at your fingertips.
Need more assistance to complete the FAFSA?
Bank of North Dakota has created a series of videos to answer common questions on the FAFSA about items like what you need to get started, how to report assets and how to handle applying if a student is from a separated or divorced family. The Federal Student Aid website where you complete the FAFSA also provides the ability to request help with specific questions.
Application dates
If you will attend college between July 1, 2021, and June 30, 2022, you can submit the FAFSA as early as October 1, 2020. File as soon as possible because some financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.
