The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is typically available on October 1, however, due to major changes last year in the FAFSA, it will not be available until December 1. 

Any family that would like to get a jumpstart on the FAFSA can start by obtaining FSA ID’s for the student and parent. The FSA ID will be required to complete the FAFSA. FSA ID’s can be created here: Log In | Federal Student Aid

In addition to the FAFSA, many colleges require the CSS Profile, which is an additional application for financial aid. The CSS Profile is a College Board product, and it can be found here: CSS Profile. 

Families should search the list of colleges and universities that require the CSS Profile and make note of due dates. Many colleges may have a deadline date for filing the CSS Profile that is much earlier than the deadline date for filing the FAFSA, since the CSS Profile is currently open. Some colleges and universities that have October 15, November 1, or November 15 Early Action application deadlines may have similar CSS Profile deadlines. 

There is a fee to file the CSS Profile, however, families that make less than $100,000 per year may obtain a fee waiver.