If you want to maximize the amount of financial aid you are eligible for, the 2021-22 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) submission process is now open.
“The FAFSA is available starting October 1st and our goal is to promote early filing so that high school students can compare financial aid offers early,” said Cathy Kay, director of the Office of Student Financial Aid. “It is important for students to get a picture of their finances early so that they are prepared for college. The earlier they file, the more chances they have to be eligible for scholarships and grants. We will begin sending 2021-22 award letters out in December to incoming freshmen who have filed their FAFSA and applied for admission by Dec. 1.”
To help students, the Office of Student Financial Aid is offering FAFSA Fridays, during which a financial aid officer will assist students and parents with the filing process. FAFSA Fridays will be held in October and November with dates and times to be announced.
Financial aid officers are also available to help students with questions about the process.
For many families, the IRS Data Retrieval Tool will transfer income and tax information from the 2019 tax return to the 2021-22 FAFSA and accurately fill in the data fields for them. This will save time in completing the FAFSA as well as later, should the Financial Aid Office need to review your application for any corrections.
"Using the data retrieval tool is important because it not only simplifies the process of filing a FAFSA, but can save students and families from delays later in the awarding cycle,” said Kay.
Some of the items needed to fill out a FAFSA:
- Federal Student Aid IDs for the student and the parent
- 2019 tax return information
- Information on child support payments
- Current bank account statements
- Investment accounts (if applicable)
- Social Security numbers
- Your name must be listed on your FAFSA as it appears on your Social Security card
To be considered for a WSU Grant award, the FAFSA must be filed and received by the financial aid office by March 1, 2021. FAFSAs filed after March 1 will be only considered for the Federal Pell Grant and Federal Direct Loans. A step-by-step FAFSA help-guide is available at studentaid.ed.gov.
Michigan residents should file the FAFSA by March 1, 2021, to be considered for a State of Michigan scholarship.
Detailed information about federal financial aid is available at studentaid.ed.gov. Additional information about WSU financial aid is available at wayne.edu/financial-aid.
File the FAFSA online at fafsa.gov using the Wayne State University school code 002329.
If you have questions about the financial aid process, contact the Student Service Center at studentservice@wayne.edu.