Who Should Apply?

You should apply for the FAFSA if you are:

• Looking for scholarships, grants, federal loans or work-study to help with the cost of attending UAA
• A new or continuing student admitted to UAA
• Seeking a degree or certificate program
• U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen

Find out more about other eligibility requirements.

 

When Should I Apply?

The FAFSA should be submitted every year and is available October 1 for the following fall. The deadline to submit the FAFSA is at the end of the academic year. However, since the FAFSA is the most important requirement for financial aid at UAA, we recommend you to file as soon as possible. This will maximize your chances of receiving financial aid and certain scholarships:

• The University of Alaska uses the FAFSA to determine eligibility for some of our institutional scholarships. If you would like to be considered for these scholarships, you must complete the FAFSA and the UAOnline Scholarship Application by February 15 prior to the start of the academic year.
• The State of Alaska uses your FAFSA to determine eligibility for the Alaska Education Grant and the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) if you complete it before June 30.

 

Need help with filing the FAFSA?

FAQ

• What is the FSA ID and how do I get one?
  The Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is a username and password combination you use to log in to U.S. Department of Education (ED) online systems. The FSA ID is your legal signature and shouldn't be created or used by anyone other than you—not even your parent, your child, a school official, or a loan company representative.
  
  To get one, you create an account with Federal Student Aid.
  
  
• Do I have to use the IRS data retrieval tool?

  While you are not required to use the IRS data retrieval tool, we highly recommend that you do. It lets you pull in your tax information directly from the IRS and helps you avoid errors that could cause processing delays. Check out our short video about How to use the IRS Data-Retrieval Tool.

• What documents will I need to complete the FAFSA?
  Information from government-issued forms of identification and submitted tax documents.
• When is the deadline to fill out my FAFSA?

  The deadline for the FAFSA is at the end of the academic year. However, since the FAFSA is the most important requirement for Financial Aid at UAA, filling out the FAFSA early in the year is important for these two reasons:

  1. The University of Alaska uses the FAFSA to determine eligibility for some of our institutional scholarships. You should therefore complete the FAFSA and the UAOnline Scholarship Application by February 15 prior to the start of the academic year.
  2. The State of Alaska uses your FAFSA to determine eligibility for the Alaska Education Grant and the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS) if you complete it before June 30.

  The FAFSA requires much of the same information as your taxes, so we suggest that you fill out both your taxes and your FAFSA early in the year, by February 15th, so you can apply for UAA scholarships.

• How do I avoid common mistakes when filing my FAFSA?

  Making mistakes on your FAFSA can delay your application or even prevent you from receiving financial aid. Here are the most common errors to avoid when filing your FAFSA:

  • Leaving blank fields: Please enter a "0," "NA," or "not applicable" instead of leaving a field blank. Too many blanks may cause miscalculations and an application rejection.
  • Using commas or decimal points in numeric fields: Always round to the nearest dollar.
  • Listing incorrect Social Security Number or Driver's license number: Double-check these entries and have someone else check them too. If your parent is completing the FAFSA for you, make sure they do not enter their own SSN when the application is asking for your (the student’s) SSN.
  • Entering the wrong federal income tax paid amount: Obtain your federal income paid amount from your income tax return forms, not your W-2 form(s). Use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool when possible.
  • Listing Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as equal to total income: These are not the same figure. In most cases, the AGI is larger than the total income. This mistake is particularly common.
  • Listing marital status incorrectly: Only write "yes" if you are currently married. They want to know what your marital status is on the day you sign the FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA.
  • Listing parent marital status incorrectly: The custodial parent's marital status is needed; if they've remarried, you'll need the stepparent's information too.
  • Forgetting to list the college: UAA’s federal school code is 011462.
  • Forgetting to sign and date: If you're filling out the paper FAFSA, be sure to sign it. If you're filing electronically, be sure to obtain your FSA ID from the FAFSA. Your FSA ID is your electronic signature and will always be assigned to you only. If you are dependent, your parent must also have a FSA ID to sign your FAFSA electronically.
  • Entering the wrong address: Your permanent address is not your campus or summer address.

  Sending in a copy of your income tax returns: You will be contacted if your information needs verification; you don't need to send a copy of your tax returns in with your application.
• Do I need to report my parents’ information on the FAFSA?

  This question can cause a great deal of confusion. The simplest answer is "yes" if you are 24 years of age or younger by December 31 of the academic year. For a more detailed answer, see Federal Student Aid Dependency Status.

  Note: Parental FAFSA information only affects your student financial aid. Official IRS definitions have no bearing on your FAFSA.

• I match the FAFSA definition of a "Dependent Student" but my parents won't complete the form and/or provide additional information. What should I do? 

  If your parent refuses to fill out the FAFSA and they do not support you financially, you may still be eligible for financial aid. These reasons are not enough for a dependency override, but we may be able to offer you an unsubsidized loan only. See our Special Circumstances page and contact the Office of Financial Aid for more information as to whether or not your circumstances would apply.

Find answers to other common FAFSA filing questions on the Federal Student Aid FAFSA Help page.

Next Steps

Check Your Financial Aid Status

Once your SAR is processed, make sure to check on your financial aid status for important notifications and next steps to take.