• Check out this article, “Pro Tips for Completing the FAFSA Form,” for helpful tips filing your application.

Get ready to file:

Step 1

Learn about applying for financial aid with the FAFSA form

• The FAFSA is the first step to securing financial aid to help you pay for college
• The information you provide on the FAFSA is used to determine your eligibility for need-based financial aid from federal, state, and Mizzou programs
• Watch this 2-minute video to learn how the FAFSA works:

Step 2

Determine who your “Contributors” are on the FAFSA.

• Contributors are people who need to complete information on the FAFSA. This does not mean they have a financial obligation to pay for your education.
• Contributors provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly from the IRS into the FAFSA, then sign it.
• Contributors could be…
  • You (the student)
  • Biological or adoptive parent
  • Parent’s spouse (a step-parent)
  • Student’s spouse
• Learn more about Contributors here.

Step 3

Set up access to your studentaid.gov account — this is called your Federal Student Aid ID or “FSA ID”.

You must complete this step at least three days before attempting to complete the FAFSA. Do it now so you’re ready!

• Your FSA ID is a username and password that gives you access to your student aid account
• Go to studentaid.gov and follow the instructions to create your account
• If you’ve filled out the FAFSA before, you already have an FSA ID. Check your account and reset your password if you don’t remember it.
• For more information check out: Creating Your StudentAid.gov Account Page

Step 4

Gather information and documents you need to complete the FAFSA form:

• For each of your contributors (see step 2), you will need:
  • Name
  • Social Security Number (SSN)
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
• Each contributor must provide consent on the FAFSA to allow their tax info to be automatically shared from the IRS
  • If a contributor refuses to provide consent, you will be ineligible for need-based financial aid programs
• Other helpful documents contributors might want to gather to ensure accuracy:
  • Tax returns
  • Records of child support received
  • Current balances of savings and checking accounts
  • Net worth of investments
  • Net worth of businesses and farms

Net Price Calculator (NPC)

Mizzou’s Net Price Calculator (NPC) can estimate your financial aid offer to attend Mizzou. It can provide an early estimate of the federal, state, and Mizzou-specific need-based grants and scholarships you qualify for.