Whether you’re a FAFSA or WASFA user, it is important to understand your financial aid status. Your financial aid status is especially important because it can affect your scholarships and other funding sources.

Which form should I use: the FAFSA or the WASFA?

To receive financial aid through the FAFSA, you must

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or eligible noncitizen
• Complete or be on track to complete high school or your GED program
• Be accepted or enrolled in a Title IV school (Most schools are Title IV eligible)
• Maintain a certain GPA once in college

To receive financial aid through the WASFA, you must

• Be ineligible for the FAFSA due to citizenship or documentation status
• Have family that are undocumented and don’t want to use the FAFSA

If you’re unsure which form is best for you, fill out the WASFA eligibility questionnaire.

Am I eligible for financial aid?

The short answer: probably. It doesn’t hurt to apply through the FAFSA or WASFA. All they can do is tell you no. But, who knows, they may say yes!

When should I apply to the FAFSA or WASFA?

The FAFSA and WASFA open on October 1 and closes a year and a half later, on June 30. So, if you are applying for financial aid for the 2022-23 school year, the forms opened on October 1, 2021, and will close on June 30, 2023.

If you are a current Opportunity Scholar, you will have already completed the FAFSA or WASFA to be accepted.

If you are an applicant looking to receive the WSOS scholarship, your FAFSA or WASFA may have to be completed sooner than the deadline. You can find FAFSA and WASFA completion deadlines on the pages below.

• Career and Technical Scholarship WASFA/FAFSA deadlines
• Baccalaureate Scholarship WASFA/FAFSA deadlines
• Graduate Scholarship WASFA/FAFSA deadlines

What should I do if I miss the deadline?

If you miss the deadline for your college or WSOS, reach out for the next steps.

If you miss the WASFA or FAFSA deadline, submit it as soon as possible, even though it may be late. Then contact your school’s financial aid office and the Washington state department of education to see your options. 

What information will I need to complete the FAFSA or WASFA?

You will need some personal information to fill out these forms. You will need the names of the colleges or schools that need to receive your FAFSA information. For the FAFSA, you will also need your social security number or resident ID.

You will also need the information from your or your parent/guardian’s tax returns from the previous year. To learn more about whether you will apply as an independent or dependent, visit the “Understanding your Financial Aid status” section below.

In addition to tax returns, the form will ask for your or your parent’s gross income, bank account balance, investments, and recurring expenses.

Do I need to complete the FAFSA every year?

Yes, in order to stay eligible for financial aid.

If you are an Opportunity Scholar, you must fill out the FAFSA or WASFA for each year, including your graduation year, to remain eligible.

Understanding your Financial Aid status

Will I be applying as an Independent or a Dependent student?

On the FAFSA and the WASFA, you will see the terms “independent” and “dependent.” These terms help you determine whether your application will require your parent or guardian’s information and signatures to be processed.

Visit the websites below to learn more about your current status as an independent or dependent applicant. It is essential to check these every year, as your status could have changed since the previous year. FAFSA and WASFA frequently change their policies, which can also affect your status year after year.

FAFSA questionnaire

WASFA application

FAQs for independent vs. dependent students

Am I automatically listed as independent if I don’t live with my parents?

No, living in a separate home as your parents or guardians or not being claimed by them on tax forms does not automatically make you an independent student for financial aid purposes.

What if your parents/guardians are not helping you pay for college and/or refuse to provide information for your financial aid form?

You can’t be considered independent of your parents just because they refuse to help you with this process. If you do not provide their information on the form, the application may be “rejected,” and you may be ineligible to receive any federal student aid.

What if I have no contact with my parents?

If you have no contact with your parents, fill out the financial form and immediately contact your campus financial aid office. The financial aid staff will guide your next steps.

If you’re a FAFSA user and are in any of these situations, we encourage you to review this.

If you’re a WASFA user and are in any of these situations, we encourage you to review the Application Resources on the WASFA website.