FAFSA Information
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly known as the FAFSA, is your starting point for federal financial aid. We recommend that you complete your FAFSA as early as possible after it becomes available. You should fill out a FAFSA for every year you attend school.
The 2025-26 FAFSA is now available for you to complete! You can complete your FAFSA and find out more information, including frequently asked questions, at studentaid.gov. Use Columbia's school code: 001665.
Recent changes in the FAFSA make it easier to complete and will aollow you to authorize the import your tax information directley from the IRS. For the 2024-25 school year, you'll use 2022 income and tax information. For the 2025-26 school year you'll use 2023 income and tax information.
Some tips on FAFSA:
- The FAFSA process is quicker and easier when you have a username and password called a FSA ID. If your contributor is providing information on your FAFSA, he or she will need a FSA ID as well. You can find everything you need to know about creating a FSA ID at Creating your StudentAid.gov Account page.
- It's helpful to have the following information available when you complete the FAFSA: social security number or alien registration number; federal tax information or tax returns; records of untaxed income; cash, savings, and checking account balances; and investments other than the home in which you live. Here are Pro Tips for Completing the FAFSA form.
- Use the Who's the Parent on the FAFSA form? Wizard if you need assistance with determining who will need to provide contributor information on the FAFSA prior to starting the application.
- There are many helpful videos on the Federal Student Aid YouTube Channel: FAFSA Videos to help students and/or contributors understand the importance of the FAFSA form, who is a FAFSA contributor, and what happens after submitting the form.
If you have any questions about the FAFSA process, please contact Columbia Central.
