After I Submit My FAFSA Form

Q: What happens after I submit my FAFSA form? Once I have completed the FAFSA is there anything else left to do, or do I just have to wait to see how much money I will qualify for?

A: Once a student has completed and submitted their FAFSA, there are no further steps to take for applying for federal financial aid for college. After a student submits their FAFSA two things will happen: FAFSA will either mail you a paper Student Aid Report (SAR), or you will receive an e-mail that lets you access your electronic Student Aid Report, depending on how the student submitted their FAFSA (online or through the mail).

The Student Aid Report will contain either a request for further information, or provide a number called the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). The student’s college or university will use the students Expected Family Contribution to determine the amount of federal grants, federal student loans, and/or work-study awards for which the student may be eligible to receive. In some cases the students school, the state, or Federal Student Aid may require the student to verify the accuracy of the information they gave on their application (FAFSA), but most students will shortly receive their financial aid award package, detailing what federal financial aid programs they have qualified for, and the amounts they have qualified for.