How to Submit FAFSA to More Than 10 Colleges

What is FAFSA?

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is a form that students must complete to see if they qualify for financial help. Students can use this aid to pay for their school expenses. People usually fill out this form annually by June 30th, so make sure you complete your applications!

Additionally, most schools require students to fill out FAFSA to be eligible for their college’s financial aid program. This form asks for details about their family's money, like what they own, how much they make, and what they save. Students must also share personal info, such as their social security number, tax papers, and investment records. Alternatively, undocumented students may fill out the DACA form instead.

You can find more information about FAFSA by checking out our blog titled “How to Get Financial Aid for College: A Comprehensive Guide.”

Why is FAFSA Important?

College can be expensive. That is why students should fill out this form annually as early as possible. FAFSA helps you see if you qualify for any of these resources below: 

1. Grants: This includes grants like the Pell Grant, which do not need to be repaid at all.
2. Federal Loans: Any low-interest federal student loans or income-driven repayment plans are only available to students if they fill out the FAFSA. If they fill out the form, they can also be eligible for loan forgiveness as well.
3. Work-Study Programs: These are part-time employment opportunities offered to students who are usually on campus. This is a great way for students who need work experience and money for their tuition. “
4. Scholarships: This includes scholarships like the Middle-Class scholarship, which are not to be paid back as well unless your GPA drops during the semester. It is important to note that scholarships have special requirements. Students must maintain their academic standing if they want to continue getting FAFSA or any other financial assistance. 

It should be a no-brainer to fill out the FAFSA application, especially because it is free to apply. So, apply ASAP! 

FAFSA Limitations

The FAFSA application lets students apply for financial aid up to 10 colleges at a time. However, a lot of students apply to more than 10 colleges to maximize their opportunities. By applying to more schools, students can compare each school’s financial aid packages and choose the best option. This can also help them figure out their backup plan or safety schools are as well. 

Process to Add More Colleges to Your FAFSA

The FAFSA application can be hard to navigate, but it is simpler than you think! Please follow our step-by-step process here: 

Log into Your FAFSA Account

First, please visit the FAFSA website and log in with your FSA ID and password. Click on the application for the correct academic year. 

Access the “Make the FAFSA Corrections” Section 

After you log in, you should see the option called “Make FAFSA Corrections” option and click on it. This is where you can make changes to your FAFSA form. 

Remove Colleges

Please scroll to the “School Selection” section and remove colleges you are not attending. This will free space from your list, so you can add more schools. Please remove those where you’ve already received a financial aid package or decided not to attend that school. 

Add New Colleges

There are two ways you can add new colleges to your FAFSA list. One is adding a new college via Federal School Codes. If you don’t know the Federal School Code, you can use the search tool available on the FAFSA form. The correct school should have the right school code. You can ask your advisors or the college’s admission team to verify the correct code. 

Once the new colleges have been updated, please review the FAFSA form to make sure the information is accurate. It takes time for the FAFSA team on their end to verify each change a student makes on their FAFSA form. You can make as many changes as possible, but please note that it will take time. 

Submit Your Updated FAFSA

After adding the new colleges, you can submit your corrected FAFSA form. After some time, the new colleges should receive your financial aid information and update you about it. This means your application has been processed by these colleges, and it should be updated on your student portal when they release financial aid information. 

What Happens After You Submit FAFSA?

After submitting your FAFSA application, your information will be processed by the Federal Student Aid office. After some waiting, you should receive a report called the Student Aid Report (SAR), or the Student Aid Index (SAI). This information summarizes the information provided in your application and shows how much financial aid you are eligible for. Each college will provide its own unique financial age package according to your SAI, so please check this information carefully. 

What Are the Next Steps? 

Some cases might happen after submitting your application. This includes: 

1. Verification: Students might get picked for verification in special cases. Additional documentation is required in this step. This may be because of some error in their application or because they want to qualify for certain grants. 
2. Financial Aid Packages: Colleges will send you a financial age package with the amounts of aid you are eligible for. This includes loans, work-study, Pell Grant, etc. They will ask you to either reject or accept these awards for the school year.

Kollegio’s Role

Kollegio is a great tool to use when filling out financial aid applications like FAFSA or DACA. Using our 24/7 AI chatbot for any question you might have is a great way to fill out these applications as early as possible. You don’t have to wait for your counselor to be available anymore because Kollegio AI is here all the time for any questions you might have. 

They also have a great scholarship searching tool students can use for more aid as well. You can check out their website anywhere and anytime at Kollegio AI.

Conclusion

By adding more schools to your FAFSA, not only do you expand your educational opportunities but also increase your chances of receiving the maximum amount of aid available to you. Whether you’re targeting public universities, private colleges, or specialized programs, ensuring that all your potential schools have access to your FAFSA data is essential. This process allows you to compare financial aid offers from different schools, giving you the ability to make a well-informed decision on where to attend.

Overall, filling out the FAFSA can be confusing for many students, but it doesn’t have to be. With this new guide, you can easily transfer your financial aid information to multiple schools. By breaking it down into manageable steps in this guide, students can fill out the FAFSA form with confidence. 

By Vivian Duong