The 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has been released, and seniors across Oklahoma can now start filling it out – in fact, now that the FAFSA is a graduation requirement, they should be doing so sooner rather than later. Here are a few things to do to make sure you get the FAFSA completed as quickly as possible.
StudentAid.gov Account – Make sure that you have your StudentAid.gov account set up. This is your electronic signature for the FAFSA, and without it you will not be able to submit and complete the application.
Our StudentAid.gov Account Worksheet will walk you through the steps you need to get your account set up, and also serves as a handy reminder if you forget your password or which email you’ve used.
Gather Documentation – There are some documents you’ll need to set up your account and complete the FAFSA. The Items Needed to Complete a FAFSA lists these documents. They are:
- Your StudentAid.gov account user name and password
- Your Social Security number (or alien registration number)
- Your parent(s)’ date of birth, current address, social security number and email address
- Your 2023 federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of income
- Current total of your cash, savings, and checking accounts
- Records of investments (if applicable)
- Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
- Net worth of farm(s) or business(es) (if applicable)
Find Your Contributors – If you are a dependent student, at least one of your parents will need to have a StudentAid.gov account and fill the FAFSA out with you.
To find out if you’re a dependent or independent student, you can check our Dependency Questionnaire, and if you’re a dependent student, you can check our Who Needs a StudentAid.gov Account? flowchart to determine which contributors you’ll need to help you with your application.
Make Sure to Submit – Make sure that when you’re finished to submit the FAFSA. If you don’t submit (along with your contributors), your application won’t be processed!
Know What Comes Next – After submitting your application, what do you need to do? Look for your FAFSA Submission Summary and Financial Aid Offer. If you need help understanding that, check out our Understanding Your Financial Aid Offer PowerPoint.
The FAFSA is so important! Hopefully with these tips it will be a less daunting experience and you can get the aid you need for your college experience!
Good luck!