The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is your first and most important step to getting the money you need to help you pay for college.
The federal government uses the FAFSA to determine your eligibility for federal assistance in the form of scholarships, grants and loans.
No matter what your financial standing is, filling a FAFSA gives you a clear idea of how much financial aid you’re eligible for. In fact, far more students are eligible than you’d think.
If you’re a college-bound student applying for any kind of financial aid – grants, work-study or federal loans, you will need to complete your FAFSA; including the correct school code for each college or university to which you are applying.
The Federal School Code (also known as a Title IV Institution Code) is a six-character identification code beginning with 0 (zero), G, B, or E and ending with a five-digit number.
This unique code is assigned by Dept. of Education to each college or university that is qualified to disburse federal student aid. For example, 001598 is the Federal School Code for the University of Georgia.
Where do I use my FAFSA School Codes?
On the FAFSA form’s School Selection Summary section, you’ll list the name of every school you’re applying to and the corresponding FAFSA School Code.
Be sure to use the right code on the FAFSA, because some schools have several codes to designate different programs or campuses. If this comes up, select the one that most closely matches your field.
So take the time to double check your federal school code for college(s) before you submit your FAFSA
because the last thing you’ll ever want is to have your FAFSA sent the “wrong” places.
How do I submit my FAFSA?
You have three (3) options to complete and submit a FAFSA:
- Online (FAFSA on the Web) at www.fafsa.ed.gov
- PDF FAFSA (download file) at www.studentaid.ed.gov/PDFfafsa
- Paper FAFSA
If you don’t have Internet access, you can request a paper FAFSA by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or 1-319-337-5665.
In addition to submitting your FAFSA, be sure to meet your FAFSA deadline. When in doubt, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center hotline at 1-800-4-FED-AID.