Rollins

How to Apply to the FAFSA

FAFSA Simplification

The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024–25 award year. This includes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form, need calculation, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in federal student aid programs.One positive change from the FAFSA simplification is it will link eligibility to family size and the federal poverty level, expanding the Federal Pell Grant to more students.

Important Updates:

The FAFSA was delayed this year to allow more time to finish simplifying the application for students. The changes slated for the FAFSA will streamline the process of applying for aid, including a more user-friendly format and enhanced data sharing with the IRS to make adding information easier.

- The 2024-2025 FAFSA opened on December 31, 2023. This is a temporary change. In future years, the FAFSA will open on October 1st. 

- To further support schools and state agencies, the Department will begin transmitting batches of FAFSA information to institutions in the first half of March 2024.  

Many changes will happen behind the scenes, requiring financial aid offices to adapt to a new flow of FAFSA information and adjust policies as needed.

    FAFSA Timeline for 2024-2025

    Get Your Financial Aid Offer

    We encourage both new and returning students to submit the FAFSA for consideration for financial aid as soon as you can. You can get started on completing the application here. 

    We understand the importance of reviewing your full financial aid package when choosing which college to attend, and we will continue working with your family to be as flexible as possible. In an effort to work around the delays currently being experienced we are asking admitted and returning students to do the following to receive your aid estimate from Rollins’ Financial Aid office as soon as possible.

    *Once we receive official FAFSA data, we will send your official aid offer shortly after. If you submit your SAI in advance, your estimated aid offer should look similar to your official version. Please note that the values are subject to change once the finalized income information is reported to our institution by the U.S. Department of Education.

    These are the steps you'll need to take:

    • Create login credentials for both parents and students. You can set up your credentials on the FAFSA website.
    • Both parents will need to submit their financial information through the FAFSA website and submit. Be sure to add Rollins' school code when you submit: 001515
    • When you complete the FAFSA, you'll receive a confirmation email with your Student Aid Index (SAI). Please forward this confirmation email, which will include your SAI to the Financial Aid team at finaid@rollins.edu, and we will create an estimate aid offer for you. This will give you a good sense of the types of financial aid that will be offered to you.

    Account Creation Instructions for individuals without a Social Security Number (SSN)

    The release of the new FAFSA for Fall 2024-Spring 2025 has revised the process for individuals without Social Security Numbers (SSN) to create a Federal Student Aid account and be able to access a student’s FAFSA. All individuals who have no SSN or fail the TransUnion® verification process should follow the below steps:

    • Step 1: Visit StudentAid.gov, select “Create Account” and complete all steps, including answering 1-4 knowledge-based verification questions via TransUnion®.
    • Step 2: Upon completing the Create Account process, a confirmation page will be shown with the results of the identity verification. If you fail the TransUnion® process, FSA will automatically assign a case number.
    • Step 3: Once the case number is created, FSA will send a verification email in your preferred language (English or Spanish), which will include the case number, along with guidance on how to submit copies of unexpired acceptable documentation to verify your identity.
    • Step 4: Submit the signed attestation form provided on the e-mail from FSA along with a copy of the listed acceptable documentation to: IDVerification@ed.gov.
    • Step 5: FSA will review the submitted documentation to ensure it matches the information provided during the “Create Account” step. If there is a successful match, the Department of Education will finalize the account creation. You will receive an email indicating you may now use your account username and password (FSA ID) to log in at StudentAid.gov and complete applications for student financial assistance programs.

    FAFSA Timeline for 2023-2024

    If you need financial aid for Fall 2023 through Summer 2024, submit the 2023-2024 FAFSA.

    • Available between October 1, 2022 and June 30, 2024.
    • Use income and tax data from 2021.

    Special Circumstances

    The need analysis process does not always consider every family situation. If your family has experienced a change in financial circumstances not considered on the FAFSA, you may request a review of special circumstances.

    FAFSA Step-By-Step Guide

    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens in December. In order to streamline the FAFSA process, we recommend you take the following steps:

    1. Gather Your Tax Return(s)

    Gather your prior-prior year federal tax returns and any other income or asset information.

    2. Start Your FAFSA

    Start the FAFSA at studentaid.gov

    3. Invite Contributors

    Invite contributors to link their tax information to your FASFA.

    4. Use Direct Data Exchange

    Utilize the Direct Data Exchange to allow the Department of Education to transfer your data from the IRS to your FASFA.

    5. Enter Your School Code

    Enter Rollins school code of 001515.

    6. Sign

    Electronically sign the FAFSA with your FSA ID.