uAspire Resources for FAFSA and Financial Aid

financial aid

In case you missed it, the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open! This FAFSA is for high school students in the Class of 2027 who plan to attend college between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028, and also for current college students who plan to continue college enrollment for the 2027-28 academic year. Complete the FAFSA as early as possible to improve your chances of securing and renewing grants, scholarships, and work-study aid to continue your education.

The FAFSA can be daunting, but our College Persistence team’s trusted partners at uAspire are an incredible resource for returning college students and high school seniors who are navigating how to pay for college. Keep reading and see how uAspire can support you through the financial aid application process.

Review the FAFSA Process

uAspire recently published a FAFSA resources blog post that reviews the application steps and includes helpful tips for how to get started, answers questions on the FAFSA, and overall ensures that the process goes as smoothly as possible. See uAspire’s Five Helpful Tips for Completing the FAFSA for detailed explanations of each step.

Create your StudentAid.Gov Account – Your StudentAid.gov account, also known as an FSA ID, is a username and password that serves as your legal signature. You use it to complete the FAFSA and access information about your federal student aid.
Collect the Information You May Need – Gather your and your family’s income and tax information, current balances in cash, savings, and checking accounts, and other financial information.
Provide Consent on the FAFSA – To be eligible for federal student aid, like the Pell Grant or federal student loans, you must provide consent on the FAFSA. This allows the IRS to share your federal tax information with Federal Student Aid.
Double-Check Your Information – Before submitting your FAFSA, you’ll see a review page summarizing your responses. Review your answers and make sure everything is accurate. This can help you catch mistakes and avoid delays later.
Sign, Submit, and Review Your FAFSA Submission Summary – You and all required contributors must complete and sign your respective sections before your FAFSA can be submitted. Most FAFSA forms are now processed immediately, although some may take one to three days. As soon as your FAFSA has been processed, make sure to review your FAFSA Submission Summary carefully to ensure everything looks correct. If you need to make a correction or provide additional information, do so as soon as possible.

Remember that your FAFSA Submission Summary is not your financial aid offer. Your financial aid offers will come directly from your colleges.

Virtual Student Support Events

Take advantage of upcoming virtual events hosted by uAspire to find FAFSA resources and other financial aid support.

September 29, 2026 – Scholarship Basics and Tips
October 19, 2026 – FAFSA Walkthrough
November 5, 2026 – CSS Profile Walkthrough
December 9, 2026 – Tutorial de el Formulario FAFSA

Find the latest workshops and sign up on uAspire’s website.

Free College Cost Calculator

If you haven’t yet, sign up for uAspire’s College Cost Calculator. This free online tool will help you and your family decipher and compare financial aid offers. Use the calculator to figure out how much you’ll have to pay, including estimates for your indirect expenses and loan repayment, and compare costs between colleges easily. Create an account and get started with the College Cost Calculator here.

Explore More uAspire FAFSA Resources

The resources we share above are just the tip of the iceberg. We know the FAFSA application can be overwhelming but remember, you don’t have to tackle it by yourself! Check out loads more helpful FAFSA resources on the uAspire website.

A special thank you to our friends at uAspire for providing these tools and resources! Learn more about their work at www.uaspire.org.