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FAFSA FAQ

General FAFSA FAQ

Divorced and Step Parents
If parents are divorced, separated, or never married and do not live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is indeed considered the parent contributor and must provide their information on the FAFSA. If both parents provided exactly equal financial support or did not provide financial support, then the parent with the higher income or assets is considered the contributor and must provide their information.
Regarding stepparents, a stepparent is considered a parent contributor if they have legally adopted the student. If the stepparent did not adopt the student, they are designated as a “parent-spouse contributor” on the FAFSA form. The FAFSA form for 2026-27 collects parent spouse or partner information separately, but requires the date of birth of the parent spouse or partner only if the parent is married and filed a joint IRS tax return with their current spouse.
Additional details for the 2026-27 FAFSA include:
·        The form uses a contributor invitation process where students and parents invite required contributors by email.
·        Each parent or contributor must provide consent and approval for their tax information to be transferred to the FAFSA form to calculate eligibility.
·        Only one parent is required to provide information if the parents are married and filed jointly, with the spouse’s date of birth required.
·        The parent spouse or stepparent who is not a contributor still appears on the FAFSA as “parent-spouse” contributor.
·        There have been no changes to the financial support rule or stepparent status for determining the contributor for FAFSA purposes in the 2026-27 cycle.
To learn more about parent information on the FAFSA, go to: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info
Who is my parent?

If you need to report parent information, here are some guidelines to help you:

  • If your parents are married (not separated), both of your parents’ information must be included on the FAFSA form, regardless of whether your parents are of the same or opposite sex. If your parents didn’t file taxes jointly, then both of your parents are contributors. If your parents filed taxes jointly, only one parent is required to be a contributor and will report information for both parents.
  • If your parents are not married to each other and live together, both of your parents are contributors, and their information must be included on the FAFSA form, regardless of whether your parents are of the same or opposite sex.
  • If your parents are divorced, separated, or never married and don’t live together, the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months is the contributor and must provide their information. If both parents provided an exact equal amount of financial support or if they didn’t support you financially, the parent with the greater income and assets is the contributor and must provide their information.
For more information about which parent(s) to include on your FAFSA, go to: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info
To directly check which parent(s) to include, use the FAFSA Parent test here: https://studentaid.gov/fafsa-apply/parents
Dependent vs. Independent Student
The FAFSA form includes a section called “Your Personal Circumstances” where applicants answer specific questions about their situation (such as marital status, homelessness, unusual circumstances, whether parents are deceased, and other factors).
Based on those answers, the FAFSA Processing System determines the dependency status (dependent, independent, or provisionally independent) using the official dependency criteria.
The DEPENDENCY STATUS section and associated edits require accurate answers in this section to correctly classify the applicant.
Students who have personal circumstance changes after submitting their FAFSA are advised to contact their school’s financial aid office as schools may have policies that allow updating dependency status via professional judgment or dependency overrides.
Financial aid administrators help students verify and update their status and supporting documentation as needed.
The direct dependency question tool and detailed info for students is available at https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency as mentioned in the statement.
Who can get financial aid?
U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens (includes permanent residents and others with eligible immigration status)
·       Students enrolled or accepted for enrollment in an eligible degree or certificate program at a participating college, university, or career school
·       Students who demonstrate financial need as calculated through the Student Aid Index (SAI) formula using FAFSA data
·       Independent students or dependent students with parental information provided on FAFSA, meeting dependency status rules
·       Students who have not defaulted on a federal student loan or owe an overpayment on federal student aid funds, or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay
·       Students who have not exceeded federal loan limits or lifetime eligibility for grants such as Pell Grant
·       Students meeting certain special circumstances such as veterans, unaccompanied homeless youth, or those with unusual dependency overrides
Go to FederalStudentAid.gov to learn more about eligibility criteria.
What can financial aid be used for?

Financial aid is money to supplement what you and your family can afford to pay for your education. It may be used for tuition, fees, books, supplies, room, meal plans, and other educational expenses.

How is financial aid determined?

The amount of aid you qualify for is calculated by subtracting your Student Aid Index (SAI) from the total Cost of Attendance (COA) including tuition, fees, housing, books, supplies, etc.

How long will it take to complete my FAFSA?

The application takes less than an hour to complete. Create your FSA-ID prior to starting the FAFSA. Students and contributors (parents or spouses) are required to have an FSA ID to complete and sign the form online.

What are the FAFSA deadlines and priority dates?
The key FAFSA deadlines and priority dates for the 2026-2027 FAFSA are:
·        FAFSA becomes available: October 1, 2025
·  Federal FAFSA submission deadline: June 30, 2027 (deadline to submit FAFSA for the 2026-27 award year)
·  Deadline for FAFSA corrections/updates: September 12, 2027
·  FAFSA priority filing dates vary by state and institution, but an example priority deadline is January 31, 2026 to maximize aid eligibility for the 2026-27 academic year
·  School-specific and state-specific deadlines may be earlier and it is advised to check individual school websites for their priority deadlines
·  Typically, submitting FAFSA early—close to the opening date of October 1—is recommended to maximize financial aid opportunities, especially for state aid and limited funding programs
For exact deadlines applicable to your state or school, always check their websites or official communications.
Official FAFSA federal deadlines and guidance can be found on the U.S. Department of Education’s FAFSA website: https://studentaid.gov
Federal Student Aid Handbook
Federal Student Aid Handbook
The full 2026-2027 Federal Student Aid (FSA) Handbook is not yet published, but volumes of the companion
2026–27 FAFSA Specifications Guide are available. Key changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and federal student aid programs for 2026-2027 have been announced.
 
Significant changes for 2026-2027

FAFSA form changes
Changes to the FAFSA form include new asset exclusions in the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation, such as the net worth of certain family-owned businesses, farms, and commercial fishing businesses. The contributor invite process will be simplified, allowing students to invite a parent with just their email address. Real-time identity verification will be implemented for users with a valid Social Security number who create a StudentAid.gov account. 
 
Pell Grant eligibility updates
For the 2026–27 award year, a maximum SAI threshold will be set for Pell Grant eligibility, and foreign earned income exclusion amounts will be added to the applicant’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) when determining eligibility. 
 
How best to reach the college’s financial aid offices?
Most financial aid offices have walk-in hours from 8 am – 5 pm. You may visit the financial aid office and meet with someone without booking an appointment. You may also call the office during those same hours to ask questions or book an in-person appointment for offices without walk-in periods.

FAFSA Form Completion FAQ

What if my parent doesn’t have a Social Security number?

If your parent doesn’t have a Social Security number (SSN), they can still participate in your FAFSA application by creating a StudentAid.gov account. They will leave the SSN field blank and can indicate they don’t have an SSN. If they have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), they should enter it in the designated field. To learn more about reporting parent information, go to: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/parent-info

Do I need to register for the Selective Service?

You are not required to register for the Selective Service on the FAFSA to be eligible for federal financial aid. Registering for the selective service does not influence your financial aid. Information for males between the ages of 18 and 26 on when to register, go to https://www.sss.gov/ for more information.

Do parent contributors fill out the FAFSA separately for each student?
·        Each student applicant must have their own FAFSA form. The parent fills out the parent section of the FAFSA that is associated with each student’s application. Therefore, if a parent has multiple dependent children applying for aid, the parent will need to provide their information separately on each child’s FAFSA application.
·        The FAFSA process includes a contributor invitation system where a student applicant can invite their parent (or other required contributors) to contribute to their FAFSA form. Each parent contributor only provides their information once per student’s FAFSA form, signing and submitting that student’s application.
·        In cases where parents are married and filing jointly, only one parent’s tax information is generally needed on the FAFSA for that student, but the parent’s spouse’s date of birth is also required as part of the parent’s section.
·        Parent contributors must have their own FAFSA (StudentAid.gov) account to electronically sign and contribute to a student’s FAFSA form.
·        When a parent contributes to multiple students’ FAFSAs (e.g., multiple children applying), the parent participates in each FAFSA separately since each application is independent and requires a separate submission.
Can I use the same phone number and email address for my FSA ID?

All contributors must create their own FSA ID. You must use your own email and phone number to create an FSA ID.

Can I submit the FAFSA without my parent's information?

Completing the personal circumstances section of the FAFSA form will determine if you are considered a dependent or independent student. Parental information is required for dependent students. Unless otherwise noted, “parent” means your legal (biological and/or adoptive) parent. If you’re a dependent student, it doesn’t mean your parents are required to pay anything toward your education; this information is simply used to determine your maximum eligibility for federal student aid. To learn more about dependency status, go to: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency

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FAFSA Tips

Use the “?” or “!” to the right of questions while filling out the FAFSA for guidance, or chat with a live FSA agent at: studentaid.gov/help-center/contact

FAFSA Estimator

For an estimate of federal aid, an estimator tool is available. Visit studentaid.gov/aid-estimator

NMEAF FA SLIDES

Our updated 2026–2027 FAFSA presentation slides will be available soon.
They’ll be posted here after October 1st.
Please check back—we look forward to sharing them with you!

Parent-Contributor Invite

On the FAFSA form you will send an invite to your contributor to allow them access to log in and fill out their portion of the form.

FAFSA Onboarding

As you complete the FAFSA form, there is a Q&A section with information that will help you through the process. The FAFSA form takes about an hour or less to complete.

Reseasrch Schools

Finding the right school is important. Spend time looking into what each school has to offer you. Consider the school size, location, and amount of financial aid. Visit: collegescorecard.ed.gov

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Undocumented Students & Parents

Students without a Social Security number

A student applying for federal financial aid must have a valid social security number to be eligible for federal aid. State aid is available for students attending a public college or university in New Mexico. Contact your prospective school financial aid office to learn more about what is available. Many colleges and universities also have support programs that help undocumented students find the resources they need to attend school.

Parents without a Social Security number
If you are a student with a valid Social Security Number (SSN) but your parents do not have an SSN, you are still eligible to apply for federal student aid. However, parents without an SSN must still create an FSA ID to log in to the FAFSA form and complete their section if required. For parents without an SSN, the FAFSA system will not allow the use of an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) as a substitute for an SSN when creating the FSA ID. There will be a question on the FAFSA form specifically for parents to enter an ITIN if applicable.
The FAFSA system has been designed so that if the IRS has tax data associated with the ITIN provided by the parent, this information will be automatically retrieved and inserted into the FAFSA. If the IRS does not have data for that ITIN, the parent will need to enter the tax information on the FAFSA form manually.
For dependent students, only one parent is required to provide detailed information if the parents are married and filed a joint tax return, but that parent will also be required to provide the date of birth of their spouse (the other parent) to complete the FAFSA. This is a new requirement starting with the 2026-27 application cycle. Failure to provide the date of birth of the parent’s spouse will result in a reject that needs to be corrected.
Parents who do not have an SSN will see their SSN field populated with all zeros on the FAFSA. Parents must use their FSA ID accounts to sign the form electronically, and the system uses alternative verification methods, including identity attestation, if the parent does not have an SSN.
These updates and clarifications are part of the ongoing enhancements to the FAFSA form and processing system to improve accuracy and compliance with federal requirements for the 2026-27 FAFSA cycle.
Websites with helpful information
Here are some additional websites with helpful information:
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FAFSA Myths

Is Federal student aid just 'free money' like grants?

Federal student aid includes different kinds of financial help: low-interest loans that must be repaid, grants, and work-study funds (a part-time job on or near campus).

If my parents make too much money will I qualify for financial aid?

There is no income cut-off to qualify for federal student aid. Many factors, such as the size of your family, the cost of college you plan to attend, and your year in school, are considered. The only way to know your qualifications is to submit the FAFSA.

Do you need a good credit score to get a federal student loan?

You don’t need to get a credit check for most federal student loans (except for Direct PLUS Loans). Also, you usually won’t need a cosigner to get a federal student loan.

Do you have to have good grades to get financial aid?

While a high GPA will help a student get into a school and may help with academic scholarships, most federal student aid programs do not consider a student’s grades.

Are age or ethnicity taken into consideration for federal aid?

No, your age or ethnicity are not taken into consideration for federal financial aid.

If my parent's aren't USA citizens is there any way I can get financial aid?

Yes, your parents’ citizenship status is NOT a factor. Parents without Social Security numbers will skip the Social Security number question and will either need to later enter in their ITIN to automatically insert connected financial data, manually enter in financial data, or mail in their financial data.

Does the FAFSA form take a long time to finish?

If you get all of your documents and information ready beforehand, the FAFSA won’t take more than 30 minutes. See FAFSA Info Checklists

Do I need to apply to schools before I complete the FAFSA?

You can submit your FAFSA form before submitting any school applications. You’ll need to list at least one school on your FAFSA form, but try to add every school you’re considering. Some schools have early deadlines to apply for limited funds. You can add or delete schools on your FAFSA after you submit it.

Do I have to update my taxes on the FAFSA after I file in the spring?

The FAFSA uses prior years’ tax information. Learn more about tax deadlines and details on Prep for FAFSA. 

Do I have to fill out a new FAFSA every year I'm in school?

Yes! It’s super important to fill out a FAFSA form every year you are in school. Why? Because things can change. For instance, your school or state might create a new grant or scholarship, or the factors used to calculate your aid could change from one year to the next. Either way, if you don’t submit a new FAFSA form, you may not know.

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