How to apply for FAFSA

What is FAFSA? 

FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, it's a form to be completed by students alongside their parent to apply for grants, scholarships, work-study funds, and loans for college, career/trade, or graduate school. 

In order to be considered for Federal Financial Aid, here are the necessary steps you would need to take: 

  • Visit the studentaid.gov website and create or log into your FSA ID. Students and parents need an FSA ID to access and sign the FAFSA online 
  • Gather required documents. Have Social Security Numbers, driver's license (if applicable),2023 federal tax returns, and citizenship information. 
  • Once you've completed these initial steps and have the required documents handy you are ready to complete your application. On the website be sure to select the 2025-2026 application if you are interested in attending the spring and/or summer semesters. The application is free and only available through the studentaid.gov website. 
  • During the completion process you will be expected to provide personal information such as: demographics, citizenship status, college grade level,etc...
  • List the colleges you are interested in attending. You can add up to 20 schools to receive your FAFSA information. 
  • Answer dependency questions. Per department of education a student is considered a dependent until the age of 24 and therefore needs to provide a contributor's information. If there is a special and/or unusual circumstance be sure to select the option that applies to you when completing the form. a special circumstance can be but is limited to: legal guardianship, ward of the court, parents deceased, if you had dependents (children of your own or claimant on your tax return), etc... If you have further questions about your dependency status visit student.aid dependency or you can join our Qless line for further assistance at QLESS - Financial Aid


• Follow Federal Student Aid on social media for announcements and resources:

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SUBMIT YOUR FAFSA NOW!

Dear Seahawk,

I’m sure you’ve heard the news regarding delays processing the 2025/2026 FAFSA.  What you have heard is mainly true.  The sooner you submit your FAFSA, the higher your chances are to qualify for additional grants.  We at Broward College know how important your financial aid is to you, and we are doing everything we can to make sure you have the money you need to achieve your goals.  To keep you  informed, I will send an update on the progress we have made in processing FAFSAs for Fall every 2 weeks until Fall Classes begin on  August 15, 2025.  For now, this is what you need to know:

  • If you plan to enroll in classes this Spring (2026), and need financial aid, you need to complete the 25/26 FAFSA as soon as possible at  www.fafsa.gov.  The Broward College FAFSA priority deadline is July 1. 
  • If you already filed the 2025-26 FAFSA & received an email confirmation from the Department of Education / FAFSA, given that Broward College is added (001500) we have your information and are processing your FAFSA!  You will receive another notification once your financial aid is available on the BC student portal - myBC.
  • Go here to check your FAFSA status: FAFSA status
  • Go here to correct your FAFSA: how do I make a correction to my FAFSA?
  • Go here to view their FAFSA submission summary: FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)

 

If you need help completing your FAFSA, we’re here to help!  Visit  www.broward.edu/fafsafever and choose the most convenient way for us to help you.

Enjoy your Winter Break!

 

You might now be asking yourself, well what happens once the school received my application?

Great news, once your application is received by Broward College you can log into your myBC BC and view you application status. If you have red flags that need to be resolved. You can either visit the Financial Aid office at the campus where you attend class, or join our virtual QLESS - Financial Aid line for assistance. 

We thank you for your patience and understand the importance of timely processing to ensure that you have the necessary resources for your education. Here is what you need to do now:

 Key Points:

  • Timeline: Once you submit your application on the studentaid.gov website it will take between 3-5 business days for your application to process. Once your application is ready you will receive an email to your personal address informing your application has been processed, you will then be able to look at your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) and see what you qualify for in terms of aid for the school year. 
  • Application Status:Once your application has been processed by Department Education, it can take an additional 3 business days for Broward College to receive your information. Follow up sporadically with the Financial Aid office during that time to track your application. 
  • What's Next?: Once Broward College receives your application and your financial aid file is complete, with no Red Flags, and you are registered for compliant classes the system will automatically package you and cover for your classes. Check your myBC. This notification will let you know how much money you have as a resource to use toward your tuition and fees. If you have Red Flags contact the Financial Aid office so that we may go over the solution details, as soon as they are resolved, you will receive your aid award notification within days.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your financial aid application, please reach out to the financial aid office by joining our QLESS - Financial Aid. We look forward to assisting you in the financial aid process and supporting your academic journey.    

Dear Seahawk,
 
We want your time at Broward College to be successful. Read the following tips below:
• Satisfactory academic progress (SAP) is an important rule that impacts your access to your Federal Financial Aid. Your SAP is based off your college transcripts and set rules and regulations by the Federal Department of Education (DOE), and requires that Broward College monitor your progress toward degree completion. 
• You must maintain a 2.0 grade point average (GPA).
• You must have a PACE (completion rate) of 67% or above you must earn passing grades grades four your classes ( for example: if you are enrolled in 9 compliant credits that apply toward your program of study, you must complete 6 – no withdrawals or F’s).
• Consider wisely before you withdraw from classes. If you withdraw from classes before completing 60% of the term (usually a day before the last day to withdraw), financial aid not earned will be returned to the DOE, and you will owe Broward College the remaining balance. Be sure to consult the 2025-26-academic-calendar, if you plan on withdrawing you must do so before the add/drop with 100% refund date. 
• Stay in class if possible. Withdrawing to avoid an F grade can have a negative financial impact. Always consult a financial aid advisor before withdrawing from class or before you quit going to class. When you receive all F grades, financial aid assumes you walked away from attending all classes, and that is considered an unofficial withdrawal and requires the return of your financial aid, leaving you owing Broward College that amount.
• Take advantage of academic resources early in the semester:
  • Tutoring in person
  • Virtual tutoring with Brainfuse can be accessed 24/7 through your myBC or D2L
  • Schedule a free tutoring appointment with an Academic Success Center:
     
  • Federal and State Benefit Screener – email sos@broward.edu or call 954-201-4767: 
  • Education
  • Healthcare
  • Financial
  • Housing
  • Food
  • Tax Prep
• Free Fitness Centers – Central Campus: Bldg. 11/Room 121; North Campus: Bldg. 60/Rooms 502-503; South Campus: Bldg. 65/Room 154.
• Lyft Program – a $100 Lyft credit may be available to help temporarily for students with transportation challenges who are currently enrolled.
• And so many more student resources are available to you.
 

What's Changing with the FAFSA?

There are a number of benefits of the FAFSA simplification act, including a more streamlined application process and a better user experience for the FAFSA, expanded eligibility for federal student aid, and reduced barriers for certain student populations (e.g., homeless and unaccompanied youth, incarcerated students, English language learners, and students from low-income backgrounds).

The FAFSA will reduce the maximum number of questions from 108 to 46. And because the FAFSA on the Web is dynamic, some students won't even be presented with all 46 questions. This streamlined format will simplify the application process and make it less daunting for students and their families.

You can list up to 20 schools on your FAFSA application to receive your Financial Aid information.

Currently, the FAFSA is only available in English and Spanish. The 2025-26 application includes 11 most common languages spoken by English learner students and their parents.

Previously, users had the option to enter their tax information manually or use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Beginning with last year's FAFSA 2024-25, all persons on the FAFSA must provide consent for the Department of Education to receive tax information or confirmation of non-filing status directly from the IRS. In a very small number of cases, students and families will have to enter their tax data manually, but for most, that data will be automatically transferred into the application. This change makes it easier to complete the FAFSA and reduces the number of questions to be answered.

A contributor refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student's form (such as a parent/stepparent or spouse). A student's or parent's answers on the FAFSA will determine which contributors (if any) will be required to provide information.

Contributors will receive an email informing them that they've been identified as such, and will need to log in using their own FSA ID (if they don't already have one) to provide the required information on the student's FAFSA.

Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student's education costs, but it does mean the contributor must provide information on the FAFSA or the application will be incomplete and the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.

A notable terminology update within the new FAFSA is the replacement of the term Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI). This name more accurately describes the number used to determine aid eligibility and, unlike the EFC, the SAI may be a negative number down to -1500.

Previously, the FAFSA calculated the number of household members attending college into the EFC, dividing it proportionately to determine federal aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, the application will still ask how many household members are in college, but your answer will not be calculated into the SAI. As such, undergraduate Broward College students with siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility.

Broward College will continue to use the number in college for undergraduate students when determining eligibility for need-based institutional financial aid.

For dependent students, financial information was previously needed from the parent(s) the student had lived with the most in the last 12 months. With the new FAFSA, financial information will be required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.

When required, families must now report the value of their small business or family farm. If the family farm includes the principal place of residence, applicants should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets.