From the TJ Counseling Office:

For anyone planning to attend college next year, the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is now available to submit at fafsa.gov.

We encourage every eligible student to file the FAFSA® every year they are a student and as early as possible.

Even if your students believe that they will not qualify for federal financial aid, it's still important to submit one, as many scholarships and grants still require a FAFSA® for consideration.

Here’s some information for you:

1. Create your FSA IDs. Student and at least one parent will need to create an FSA ID.
    
2. All users/contributors must have an FSA ID and password to fill out the FAFSA®, even those without a Social Security Number (SSN).
   
   Processing an FSA ID can take up to 5 business days, so we recommend creating it at least a week before starting the FAFSA®.
3. Once they have their FSA ID, help and encourage your students to complete and submit the FAFSA® as soon as they are able to ensure they receive their financial aid offer as soon as possible.

1. Share these great resources provided by Federal Student Aid (FSA) with your students:
    
   • "Who's the Parent on the FAFSA® Form?" Wizard – A new, stand-alone tool to help students and families determine who will need to provide contributor information on the 2025–26 FAFSA® form prior to starting the application.
      
   • "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 – Updated tips for preparing to complete and submit the FAFSA® form. This resource will also be linked from the StudentAid.gov Dashboard to promote easier access for students and their required contributor(s).
      
   • 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 submitting the form.