When you fill out your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), you must list one to 10 schools that you want to receive the financial details on your FAFSA. Once you submit your FAFSA, you and the schools you list will receive a copy of your student aid report (SAR). Those schools will use the SAR to determine your eligibility for federal and school aid. Like everything else with the FAFSA, there are specific things you need to know about listing schools, including how to list more than 10 schools.
What order should you list schools on the FAFSA?
With regard to federal aid, it does not matter what order you list your schools on the FAFSA. But if you want to be considered for state aid, some states require your schools to be listed in a specified order. Your list is not shared with the schools receiving the FAFSA data. Only state aid agencies will see the full list.
You will enter the schools you want to attend under the Selected Schools list on the FAFSA. Input your school’s Federal School Code and select Search. The school name will appear in the Search Results table. Select that name and click Add. You can also search for your school’s Federal School Code by state or at the FAFSA on the Web home page. You can add up to 10 schools on your Selected Schools list.
Contact additional schools: The SAR you receive after submitting your FAFSA will include a data release number (DRN). Give the other colleges you want to add to your FAFSA your Social Security number, name and the DRN. They will add their school code to your FAFSA and will receive a copy of your SAR.
Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center: You can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 and have them add the colleges for you. When you call, you must provide the DRN from your SAR or confirmation page.
Log onto your FAFSA: Click Login on the home page, and log in to FAFSA on the Web. You will have the option to Make FAFSA Corrections. Remove some of the colleges listed on your FAFSA, add the additional school codes, and submit the corrections for processing. These new schools with receive your financial information and a copy of your SAR. You will receive an updated SAR.
Your list of schools is only one part of the FAFSA. Get insight into common mistakes in filling out the FAFSA so you can be better prepared to fill it out right.