Fill Out the FAFSA Paper Form Online

What is the FAFSA?

The FAFSA, Free Application for Federal Student Aid, is how students apply for federal grants, work-study, and loans to help pay for college or career school.

Federal Student Aid's own guidance recommends applying online at studentaid.gov as the fastest route; this page loads the official paper version for anyone who needs it.

What is the FAFSA used for?

• Determines eligibility for federal grants, like the Pell Grant.
• Determines eligibility for federal work-study and federal student loans.
• Is often used by states and schools to award their own financial aid too.

What information is required?

• The student's personal details and Social Security Number.
• The student's (and, for a dependent student, parents') income and tax information.
• Assets, such as savings and investments.
• A list of the schools the student wants the results sent to.

How to fill out the FAFSA

• Enter the student's personal details.
• Report income and tax information for the student and, if applicable, parents.
• List assets like savings and investments.
• Add the schools that should receive the results.

The editor guides you section by section, so you can review every entry before you download.

Who needs to file it?

Any student who wants to be considered for federal financial aid for college or career school files a FAFSA every year they are enrolled.

Should I apply online instead?

For most students, applying online at studentaid.gov is faster and processes sooner. The paper FAFSA loaded here is the official fallback, mainly used by incarcerated applicants (who must mail it in) or students without reliable internet access.

When is the FAFSA due?

Federal deadlines apply each award year, and many states and schools set earlier priority deadlines of their own. Check studentaid.gov and your school's financial aid office for the exact dates that apply to you.

Where can I get a blank FAFSA?

The form loaded on this page is the current official Federal Student Aid paper edition, ready to fill in and download.