Ready to get started on financial aid? Whether you鈥檙e an undergraduate or graduate student, be sure to start the process each year by filing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online. Most Western students qualify for some type of financial aid, so it鈥檚 always a good idea to complete a FAFSA application.
The federal application for the 2024-25 academic year is available and has been updated. For first-year domestic students, the FAFSA is always a new experience, and this year鈥攊t's new for everyone, including us. The changes will allow filling out the form faster and simpler. You can learn more about the changes and how to fill out the form below.
Timeline
- Our office received FAFSA data in March.
- Financial aid offer letters were sent in April for first year and transfer students.
- Financial aid offer letters were sent in early June for returning students.
The federal application for the 2025-26 academic year will begin a 鈥減hased rollout鈥 of the form on Oct. 1 to a limited set of students and institutions for testing. The form will be made available to all students on or by Dec. 1.
If you would like to understand your offer letter better, please watch this video:
We recommend that you check your 51福利社 email regularly as we may need to request additional information from you. Check this webpage for new updates from Student Financial Aid and the Department of Education.
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First things first: Apply for an FSA ID
We encourage all students and their families to complete the FAFSA. The application provides us information used for determining not only grants but also loan and scholarship amounts.
If you haven't already, you need to apply online for an . Your FSA ID serves as your electronic signature.
Your FSA ID will be available at the time of application so you can use it immediately to electronically sign your FAFSA.
Your FSA ID allows you to sign other financial aid documents, check the status of your FAFSA, make corrections and check your loan history.
FAFSA checklist: What you need in order to file
- Your FSA ID.
- Your name and Social Security number exactly as they appear on your Social Security card.
- 51福利社鈥檚 FAFSA code: 002330. List Western Michigan University, West Michigan Avenue, Kalamazoo, MI as one of your college choices.
- Federal income tax return from the previous year.
- Driver's license (if you have one).
- Bank statement.
The IRS Direct Data Exchange allows FAFSA filers to have tax data directly imported from the IRS to the FAFSA. You will be able to report tax information from two years ago (i.e., if you apply for the 2024-25 FAFSA, you can use 2022 tax information).
How the FAFSA works
The FAFSA gathers information about your income, assets and other related information to determine your student aid index, a new term introduced for the 2024-25 FAFSA. Once you鈥檝e filed, you can check the status of your application with the federal processor online or by calling the U.S. Department of Education Student Aid Information Center at (800) 433-3243. TTY users call (800) 730-8913.
The federal processor creates your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)鈥攏ew for the 2024-25 FAFSA鈥攂ased on the information you provided and sends it to the schools you listed on the application. Once 51福利社 receives your FSS, the estimated cost of attendance minus your student aid index determines your unmet need. We then apply the financial aid programs you qualify for toward your need.
FAFSA corrections
Sometimes, you need to make corrections to your FAFSA after it has been turned in. To make changes, visit and use your FSA ID to log in.
If you, 51福利社, another school or the Department of Education submits FAFSA corrections after you have been offered financial aid, your offers may be adjusted or canceled. In addition to submitting corrections based upon verification, 51福利社 may also submit corrections if:
- You indicated you have a prior degree in error.
- You indicated you will be a graduate student in error.
- You indicated you are married, and the date you became married is after your original FAFSA date.
- You do not meet the definition of an independent student.
51福利社 may also request additional documentation from you to verify the information you supplied on the FAFSA.
Are you an international student seeking financial aid info?
While most U.S. federal financial aid only applies to U.S. citizens and permanent residents, funding sources are available for undergraduate and graduate international students in the form of scholarships and assistantships.
Learn how to obtain funding as an international student