How to Get Money for College

To get money for college, you need to apply for financial aid using either the FAFSA or the WASFA, not both. Apply even if you don't think you qualify! There are a lot of funding programs with different criteria, so you may qualify for money you didn't know existed.

You can submit your FAFSA or WASFA application for the next school year any time after Oct. 1. Complete your application right away because many aid programs are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Priority deadlines vary from college to college, so check the college's financial aid deadline.

Don't forget to turn in your FAFSA or WASFA to get ready for every year you're thinking about going to college.

Remember to apply to the college, too. Each college financial aid office determines what kinds, and levels, of financial aid to offer you. Colleges may offer you different options and amounts.

FAFSA

If you plan to attend college this school year or the next, fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) right away. It will open doors to ways to pay for college, even if you think you don't qualify for financial aid.

The FAFSA is for students who are US citizens or eligible non-citizens.

Check with your college's financial aid office for more information.

2024-2025 FAFSA Processing Delays

There have been significant delays with the nationwide rollout of the 2024-25 FAFSA that will affect every college and university in the country, including all Washington community and technical colleges. The delays, coupled with the need to rewrite software for processing financial aid awards, will prevent most financial aid offices from notifying students of their financial aid offers for the 2024-25 academic year until mid-June 2024 at the earliest.

The good news is that there is more financial aid available than ever before, so don't let the delays discourage you from filling out the FAFSA!

WASFA

If you plan to attend college this school year or the next and you don't qualify for federal financial aid, fill out the Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) right away, even if you think you won't qualify. The WASFA will tell you if you're eligible for a variety state financial aid programs, including the Washington College Grant.

WASFA is private and confidential

The WASFA is confidential, and any information you provide will be kept private. The Washington Student Achievement Council, which oversees financial aid in Washington state, and the colleges you choose on the application will only use WASFA to determine resident tuition and financial aid. They are not allowed to share that information for other reasons or with other people or organizations.

Who should use the WASFA?

The WASFA is for students who cannot file, or do not wish to file a FAFSA. If you identify with the following, you'll want to apply for financial aid with the WASFA:

Immigration status/undocumented
Defaulted federal loans
Repayments owed on federal grants
Unable to provide selective service confirmation
US citizen applicants with undocumented parents/family members who do not wish to file a FAFSA

Questions?

If you have questions about financial aid, call the financial aid office at the college of your choice.

You can also contact Student Financial Assistance at the Washington Student Achievement Council at finaid@wsac.wa.gov or 888-535-0747.

Financial Aid Tips

After you accept financial aid, ask your college's financial aid office:

How and when you'll receive the money.
How much aid will be directly applied to your bill.
How much your first bill will be.
What you can expect in future years. (Your financial aid amounts might differ from year to year.)