The new Free Application for Student Aid, also known as FAFSA, is live and several nonprofits in Central Florida are offering free support for families navigating it for the first time.
Students must complete the form to qualify for federal, state, and school financial aid programs for college. This includes grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and loans.
Heart of Florida United Way and UpliftED are working virtually with students in Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties who have questions about the new app.
In January, they will be at Title I schools in all three districts, helping parents and students fill out the form in person. In Title I schools, at least 40% of students come from low-income families.
Daisy Franklin with UpliftED said they will be at Colonial and Evans High Schools first and will then expand as needed.
“We will work closely with the college and career counselors who are actually in charge at the school of making sure students go through and complete the process,” Franklin said.
Kelly Astro with Heart of Florida United Way said she wants to get the message out that the new form is the easiest to use yet. And that students at Title I schools often qualify for thousands of dollars a year in financial aid.
“If you receive up to $7,000 a year in federal aid, that fully funds a two-year degree at Valencia or Seminole State, or any other state college in the state of Florida. And you know, it’s a great start in terms of being able to cover the costs of a four-year institution,” Astro said.
She said that last year alone, Florida students left $54 million in financial aid on the table that they could have qualified for if they had simply filled out the form.
Watch this video to learn more about filling out a FAFSA form:
The Department of Education’s new FAFSA form was released in November after months of beta testing. The paper form is also available for families.
The changes were ordered by the US Congress to make the process smoother.
According to StudentAid.Gov, where students complete the application online, it is recommended that students allow about an hour to complete the application, although most complete it in less than that time.
To complete a FAFSA, students need: a username and password that they set up as part of the application, the name of a parent or guardian, date of birth, Social Security number and email address, and income information and assets of parents or guardians.
Here is a list of additional resources from the Department of Education for parents, students, and teachers:
- “Who is the father on the FAFSA form?” Wizard—A new, independent tool to help students and families determine who will need to provide taxpayer information on the 2025–26 FAFSA form before starting to enroll.
- “Creating your StudentAid.gov account” page—A new resource that explains what families and partners need to know about creating a StudentAid.gov account.
- Pro Tips for Completing the FAFSA Form—Up-to-date tips for preparing to fill out and submit the FAFSA form. This resource will also link to the StudentAid.gov dashboard to promote easier access for students and their necessary collaborators.
- Federal Student Aid Estimator—The tool provides an estimate of the 2025–26 Student Aid Index and Federal Pell Grant eligibility calculation.
- Federal Student Aid YouTube Channel: FAFSA Videos—Updated videos to help students and families understand the importance of the FAFSA form, who is a FAFSA contributor, and what happens after the form is submitted.
- FAFSA Preview 2025–26—The resource provides financial aid administrators, consultants, and counselors with reference tools for staff trainings and financial aid nights. The presentation contains screenshots that highlight changes to the 2025–26 FAFSA online form.
- Prototype FAFSA 2025–26—The tool offers the financial aid community an opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of the FAFSA user experience.
There is also a Financial Aid Toolkit for teachers and counselors who help children fill out the form.
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