11/15/2024
By Laura Swanson
Current and prospective students looking for financial aid for the 2025-2026 academic year should complete the 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), which will be available Dec. 1, 2024. The UMass Lowell priority filing deadline is March 1.
Follow these steps:
1.) Create an Federal Student Aid account (FSA-ID), if you don't already have one. All FAFSA contributors should have a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID prior to completing the FAFSA. This includes contributors without a Social Security number (SSN).
2.) Gather personal information needed to complete the FAFSA form, including SSN for student and required contributors with an SSN. If the student is an eligible non-citizen, they should have their Alien Registration Number available.
3.) Determine your dependency status and whether your parent(s) or spouse will be required to contribute information to your FAFSA. If you are a dependent student, use the "Who's My FAFSA Parent?" tool to determine which parent(s) will be a required contributor.
4.) Students and contributors should gather their 2023 federal tax information. While most students and contributors should have their tax information pulled over through the IRS-Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX), there are some cases when the information will not pull over.
5.) If the student or parent/contributor received child support in the last calendar year, the total amount received must reported on the FAFSA, as it is considered untaxed income.
6.) Have bank statements and investment records for students and contributors available, including stocks, bond, real estate (not the family home), and other investments.