The FAFSA is a free form you need to fill out to receive any financial aid from the federal government to help pay for college. It will ask for financial information about you and possibly your parents and needs to be completed every year.
Important Dates
- October 1: The FAFSA becomes available. Remember, this is for the next school year. So for financial aid in the 2024-2025 school year, you’d want to look for the FAFSA in October 2023.
- March 1, 2023: MSU Denver’s Priority deadline. Completing the FAFSA before this date ensures you get the best possible financial aid offer available.
Let’s get started!
Create an account
Visit StudentAid.gov to create an FSA ID, which is required to fill out and submit the FAFSA. You will need your Social Security number (SSN) and your own mobile phone number and/or email address. If you are claimed as a dependant on your parents’ taxes, one of your parents will need to be reported on the FAFSA form and they will also need an FSA ID. If your parent doesn’t have a Social Security number, your parent won’t be able to create an FSA ID (which requires an SSN). This means you’ll have to select the option to print a signature page when you get to the end of your FAFSA form on fafsa.gov.
Gather the Documents Needed to Apply
The FAFSA questions ask for information about you (your name, date of birth, address, etc.) and about your financial situation. Depending on your circumstances (for instance, whether you’re a U.S. citizen or what tax form you used), you might need the following information or documents as you fill out the FAFSA application:
- SSN
- Parents’ SSN
- Driver’s license number (if you have one)
- Your Alien Registration number if you’re not a U.S. Citizen
- Federal tax information, tax documents, or tax returns
- Records of your untaxed income
- Information on cash; savings and checking account balances
- Investments, including stocks and bonds and real estate
Visit fafsa.gov
With all your information gathered, it’s time to use your FSA ID to get started on the application. Click Start Here on fafsa.gov to begin. Remember- this is a FREE application. You should never have to pay to complete the FAFSA.
As you fill in the FAFSA, you will be asked to provide the school code. In order for MSU Denver to receive a copy of your documentation and provide the most accurate financial aid award offer, please use school code 001360.
FAFSA Help and Resources Online
- Federal Student Aid: Nearly every question or issue you’ll encounter in filling out the FAFSA is answered by the Federal Student Aid website.
- Education Opportunity Center (EOC): Although the Educational Opportunity Center (EOC) is housed at and administered through Community College of Denver (CCD), it is, in fact, open to the public. They serve a six-county metropolitan area offering the community information on accessing higher education, planning and assisting with the completion of the admissions and financial aid applications, exploring career options, and dissemination of private scholarship sources to low-income, first-generation students.
MSU Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships
There is an entire office at MSU dedicated to helping you receive financial aid: the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. This office helps you understand the full cost of attendance at MSU, applies scholarships received internally and externally, and educates students on accepting and managing financial aid, and much more.