Better FAFSA Training Toolkit

 

This toolkit contains resources and tools from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), our partners, and the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA), including webinars, how-to articles, infographics, and fact sheets. Make sure to bookmark this page and check back often, as it will be updated as new resources/tools are made available.

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Better FAFSA Training Slide Decks

This section contains slide decks from FSA and a recommended slide deck compiled by NCAN and uAspire. There are also slide decks from NCAN members. We encourage you to select the deck(s) that work best for your training audience(s). You may also consider creating your own slides that pertain to your state grant or organizational application process. 

• Recommended:
  • NCAN/uAspire Better FAFSA Training (available in Dropbox)
• NCAN Member Sample Trainings:
  • FSA ID Creation Presentation (for those with Social Security numbers) - uAspire

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Resources and Tools for Practitioners

• Resources:
  • FAFSA Form and Process:
    • 2024-25 Final FAFSA Form (FSA)
    • How to Submit the 2024-25 FAFSA Form if Your Contributor Doesn’t Have a Social Security Number (ED)
    • 2024-25 DRAFT FAFSA Submission Summary - English (FSA)
    • A Practitioner's Guide to Reporting Assets on the FAFSA (NCAN and uAspire)
    • Federal Tax Information on the FAFSA (uAspire)
  • FAFSA Prep List:
    • 2024-25 FAFSA Checklist (EducationQuest Foundation)
    • Tip Sheet for Financial Aid Administrators Working with Refugee and Asylee Students (NASFAA)
      
  • FSA ID:
    • Attestation and Validation of Identity (ED)
    • Better FAFSA for Mixed-Status Families: Top 10 Things to Know So You Can Prepare (NCAN)
    • How to Create a Federal Student Aid Account (EducationQuest Foundation)
    • How to Create an FSA ID for those without a SSN (EducationQuest Foundation)
    • How-to Guide: FSA ID (uAspire)
  • Training and FAQs:
    • Better FAFSA Training Scenarios (from the NCAN Better FAFSA Train-the-Trainer Summit)
      • Scenario solutions
    • Practitioner FAQ: Appeals and the 2024-25 FAFSA (NCAN and uAspire)
    • Better FAFSA FAQs (NCAN)
    • FAFSA Simplification FAQs (FSA)
    • List of potential Better FAFSA trainers (from the NCAN Better FAFSA Train-the-Trainer Summit)
• Tools:
  
  • 2024-25 FAFSA Pell Eligibility and SAI Guide (FSA)
  • 2024-25 FAFSA Prototype (FSA)
  • Pell Grant look-up tables (FSA)
    
  • Federal Financial Aid Estimator Tool (FSA)
• Trainings:
  
  • Better FAFSA: One Month Out, What We Know (NCAN)
    

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Resources and Tools for Students/Families

• Resources:
  
  • The FAFSA is (Finally) Open for Undocumented Parents (UnderstandingFAFSA.org)
  • FAFSA Resources for Mixed-Status Families (Higher Ed Immigration Portal)
  • Understanding Your FAFSA Submission Summary (The New School)
  • How Do I Make Corrections on the FAFSA? (The New School)
  • Pro Tips for the 2024-25 FAFSA Form (FSA)
  • Playlist: 2024-25 FAFSA how-to videos (uAspire)
  • 2024-25 FAFSA Checklist (EducationQuest Foundation)
    
  • Step-by-Step Instructions for Setting Up an FSA ID (uAspire)
  • Student Guide: 6 Steps to Appeal for More Financial Aid (NCAN and uAspire)
    
  • How-to Guide: FSA ID (uAspire)
    
  • Tip Sheet for Undocumented Students (NASFAA)
    
  • FAFSA Process... Next Steps (EducationQuest Foundation)
  • Is My Parent a Contributor When I Fill Out My FAFSA Form? (FSA)
• Tools:
  • Federal Financial Aid Estimator Tool (FSA)

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More Resources from FSA

• Fact Sheets:
  • Better FAFSA Implementation Timeline

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En Español

• Recursos:
  • Cómo presentar el formulario FAFSA 2024-25 si su contribuyente no tiene un SSN (ED)
  • Declaración y validación de identidad (ED)
  • 2024-25 Formulario FAFSA Finale (FSA)
  • Proceso FAFSA...Próximos Pasos (EducationQuest Foundation)
  • Como Crear un FSA ID Para Aquellos sin un Número de Seguro Social (EducationQuest Foundation)
  • 2024-25 lista preparativa para la FAFSA (EducationQuest Foundation)