<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Which application should you complete?</h2>

You will complete one of the following applications to apply for financial aid:&nbsp;

<a href="https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Free Application for Federal Student Aid</a> (FAFSA)&nbsp;

<ul><li>Available to US citizens, permanent residents, and certain eligible noncitizens&nbsp;</li><li>Application for federal, state, and institutional aid&nbsp;</li></ul>

<a href="https://www.highered.texas.gov/our-work/empowering-our-students/tasfa/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Texas Application for State Financial Aid</a> (TASFA)&nbsp;

<ul><li>Available to Texas residents who are ineligible for the FAFSA&nbsp;</li><li>Application for state and institutional aid&nbsp;</li></ul>

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Gather your materials</h2>

You’ll need the following information available when completing the FAFSA or TAFSA to make the process as smooth as possible. Not all items will apply to all students and circumstances.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Unless otherwise noted, all income information should be from the prior-prior year (two years prior). For example, if you’re applying for financial aid during the 2022-2023 school year you should use 2020 tax information.&nbsp;

<ul style="font-weight: 400">
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Social security number (your name and social security number must be entered on the FAFSA exactly as they appear on the social security card and in the database) </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Alien registration card, if not a US citizen </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Driver’s license (if applicable) </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="4" data-aria-level="1">Tax and income records (copy of prior-prior year federal tax return, W-2s and other wage statements, records of taxable and nontaxable income received) </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="5" data-aria-level="1">Current bank account statements, including records of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investments </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="6" data-aria-level="1">Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID (acts as your username and password) </li>
</ul>

FAFSA

<ul style="font-weight: 400">
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="1" data-aria-level="1">Personal identification information (individual taxpayer identification number, if applicable)  </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="2" data-aria-level="1">Tax and income records (copy of prior-prior year federal tax return, W2s and other wage statements, records of taxable and nontaxable income received) </li>
<li data-leveltext="" data-font="Symbol" data-listid="5" data-list-defn-props="{&quot;335552541&quot;:1,&quot;335559684&quot;:-2,&quot;335559685&quot;:720,&quot;335559991&quot;:360,&quot;469769226&quot;:&quot;Symbol&quot;,&quot;469769242&quot;:[8226],&quot;469777803&quot;:&quot;left&quot;,&quot;469777804&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;469777815&quot;:&quot;hybridMultilevel&quot;}" data-aria-posinset="3" data-aria-level="1">Current bank account statements, including records of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investments  </li>
</ul>

TASFA 

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">How do you apply?&nbsp;</h2>

Start an application for the year that you are going to be in school. For example, if you’re starting classes in Fall 2024, then you’ll complete the 2024-2025 application.&nbsp;

To complete the FAFSA, review the FAFSA form from Federal Student Aid and follow the instructions. You can also follow this <a href="https://www.salliemae.com/college-planning/financial-aid/fafsa/fafsa-guide/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">step-by-step FAFSA guide from Nitro College</a>.&nbsp;

To complete the TASFA, visit THECB’s TASFA page to complete the online application or download a PDF application.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<h2 class="wp-block-heading">What happens next?&nbsp;</h2>

After you submit the FAFSA or TASFA, you’ll need to take a few more steps to make sure you have the financial aid you need for college or training.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<ol start="1"><li>Confirm your application was correctly sent and received by the college.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ol>

<ol start="2"><li>Respond to requests for verification. Schools may need more information to determine your eligibility for aid. Send requested documents as soon as possible.&nbsp;</li></ol>

<ol start="3"><li>Review your financial aid offers and decide what <a href="https://mtf.highered.texas.gov/middle-high-school/explore-financial-aid/compare-types-of-aid/">types of aid</a> you want to accept.&nbsp;</li></ol>

<ol start="4"><li>Learn about how you get financial aid and when to expect it.&nbsp;</li></ol>

<ol start="5"><li>Understand how to <a href="https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/eligibility/staying-eligible" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">stay eligible </a>for aid. You’ll need to send a financial aid application each year you’re in school. It’s important to understand federal and school policies for keeping eligibility.&nbsp;&nbsp;</li></ol>

If you receive financial aid packages from multiple colleges, <a href="https://www.uaspire.org/calculator" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">compare them</a> to see which is the best offer!&nbsp;

FAFSA vs TASFA

Applying for financial aid may seem confusing or overwhelming. Take the guesswork out of it and learn which financial aid application is right for you- FAFSA or TASFA. 

FAFSA vs TASFA

Which application should you complete?

Gather your materials

FAFSA

TASFA

How do you apply?

What happens next?

Residency Information

Verification Requirements