File Your FAFSA

Apply For Admission to Wright State

Interested in applying for admission to Wright State University?

On this page:

Overview

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for federal student aid. Most states and schools also use the results of your FAFSA to determine your eligibility for state and institutional scholarships and grant programs. You must file the FAFSA annually to apply for:

  • Federal grants
  • Federal student loans
  • Federal parent loans
  • Work (Federal Work-Study)

Wright State University has a FAFSA priority deadline. This deadline is for campus-based aid programs, such as the Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant and Federal Work-Study. If you miss Wright State University's FAFSA priority deadline date you can still apply for federal student aid. Three of the largest federal student aid programs, the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans, and the Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan can still be awarded at Wright State if the FAFSA priority deadline date is not met.

Need help completing the FAFSA? Register online for a virtual Financial Aid 101 workshop or a virtual one-on-one appointment. You can also call RaiderConnect at 937-775-4000 or email RaiderConnect@wright.edu to schedule an appointment.


2024-25 FAFSA

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) has launched the overhauled 2024-25 FAFSA.

On January 30, 2024, ED announced  that they will delay sending FAFSA data to universities until mid-March.This means Wright State University will not receive FAFSA information, and applicants will not be able to make corrections to a submitted FAFSA until sometime in March. You can view the status of your FAFSA on your studentaid.gov dashboard. We will keep you up to date as we receive additional information from the Department of Education (ED), including how their changes impact Wright State University’s financial aid timeline.

Due to delays in the release and processing of the 2024-25 FAFSA, Wright State University has extended the priority deadline to March 1, 2024. We will continue to update this page as we receive additional information from ED.  

Overview

The U.S. Department of Education (ED) is revising the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to make it easier for students and families to apply for financial aid. The FAFSA Simplification Act paves the way to a more streamlined financial aid application and represents a significant overhaul of the process used to award federal aid. Students applying for financial aid for the 2024–25 academic year will be able to take advantage of the revised FAFSA process.

What’s staying the same on the new FAFSA?

Some things will not be changing as part of the FAFSA simplification process including the need for prior-prior year tax information (meaning information from tax returns from two years prior), who is considered a dependent student, basic student eligibility requirements, and types of aid awarded through the FAFSA.

What’s changing with the new FAFSA?

Fewer questions to complete

The new FAFSA will be a modernized user experience from beginning to end, cutting the questions in half and making it a more efficient and intuitive process.

Consenting to a direct data exchange (DDX) with the IRS will be required

Through this role-based application, the FUTURE Act requires a direct data exchange from the IRS. The new Direct Data Exchange (DDX) replaces the current IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). It will streamline the FAFSA filing process by importing information directly from the IRS, including information for non-tax filers and families who are married and filed taxes separately. Contributors will need to provide consent to the DDX data exchange for the student to be eligible for federal, state, or institutional need-based financial aid. Contributors are the student, parent(s) of a dependent student, and spouse of an independent student (if married). Providing consent and personal and financial information doesn’t make a contributor financially responsible for the student’s educational costs. For more information on contributors and who will need an FSA ID, see the “Determine Who Will Need to Contribute to your FAFSA" section below.

The required parent information could change.

For dependent students with separated parents, the parent providing the most financial support must be included on the new FAFSA. For many students, this will align with the previous requirement of including the custodial parent.

Replacing the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI).

The term Expected Family Contribution (EFC) has been confusing for some families as it implies that it is the amount of money a family will need to pay for college rather than an index number to determine financial need. The hope is that the new Student Aid Index (SAI) will clarify that the number is an index number used by colleges to assess financial need.

A revised formula will be used to calculate the SAI

In addition to changing the name, the formula used to calculate the SAI has also changed.

  • The SAI can be a negative number that will be treated like zero when determining aid eligibility. It can show varying levels of need and goes as low as -$1,500.
  • There will be an increased Income Protection Allowance (IPA). The IPA is income that doesn't count towards your ability to pay for college.
  • The number of family members in college will no longer be taken into consideration for federal student aid.
  • Pell grants will be determined using either the Student Aid Index (SAI) or the family’s income and family size.
  • Household size is now referred to as family size and is based on the number of dependents claimed on taxes. There will be an opportunity to update this information when completing the FAFSA if this number does not reflect the true family size.
  • The SAI no longer includes some untaxed income that does not appear on the IRS 1040, 1040-SR, or 1040-NR. This income includes untaxed payments to tax-deferred pension and retirement savings plans represented by IRS Form W-2 box 12 codes D. E. F.G.H. and S; housing, food, and other living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy, and other veterans’ benefits; workman’s compensation; or cash support or any money paid on the student’s behalf, except funds provided by the student’s parents to the dependent student. Child support received will now be included in assets.
  • The value of farms or businesses will need to be reported.

Expanded and more transparent Pell Grant eligibility

Pell eligibility can be projected based on adjusted gross income and family size. Students can use the Federal Student Aid Estimator to estimate how much federal student aid they may be eligible for starting with the 2024-25 award year, including Pell Grant eligibility.

What can you do to prepare for the 2024–25 FAFSA?

We will communicate with students via their Wright State University email address as information is available. Before you begin the FAFSA, we recommend you determine who will need to contribute information to the FAFSA, and therefore may need an FSA ID. We also encourage you to gather information and documents you will need to file the FAFSA.

determine Who will need to contribute to your FAFSA

A Contributor is a new term and refers to anyone who is required to provide information, consent and approval, and a signature on the FAFSA form. Contributors are determined by your dependency status, tax filing status, and marital status. Contributors may include the student, student’s spouse, biological or adoptive parent(s), or step-parent. Please keep in mind that providing consent or providing personal and financial information doesn’t make a contributor financially responsible for the student’s educational costs. If you have questions about who would be a contributor to your unique situation, please contact RaiderConnect.

    contributors must request or Update an FSA ID

    The FSA ID is a username and password needed in order to contribute to the FAFSA. Please note, that anyone who needs an FSA ID will need to have a valid email address. If you or someone who needs to contribute to your FAFSA already has an FSA ID, make sure the information is current including legal name, date of birth, and email and home address. Parents, if you previously created an FSA ID when you were a student or for another child, you don’t need to create another one. You can only have one FSA ID linked to your Social Security number. If you forgot your FSA ID username and password, you can retrieve the information on the studentaid.gov website by clicking “Forgot Username” or “Forgot Password”.

    Contributors requesting or updating an FSA ID will want to wait until they receive an email from the Department of Education stating their identity has been verified and that they can use their account before beginning their portion of the FAFSA. 

    gather Useful Information and documents to have on hand when completing the FAFSA

    Contributors may need the following documents when completing the 2024–25 FAFSA:

    • Social Security Number (SSN), legal name, date of birth, and email addresses of each contributor
    • 2022 income tax returns
    • Records of child support received
    • Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts
    • Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms

    view additional resources

    The Department of Education has released a series of videos that cover preparing for the FAFSA form along with FAFSA FAQs. Still have questions? Contact RaiderConnect by calling 937-775-4000 or by sending an email to RaiderConnect@wright.edu.

     


    2023–24 FAFSA

    1

    Create an account (FSA ID).

    If you don't already have an FSA ID, you will want to create an account. Already have an FSA ID and need help troubleshooting your account? Learn more.

    • Student: The FSA ID is a username and password you will need in order to sign the FAFSA form online. If you don’t have an FSA ID, get an FSA ID here ASAP. It takes about 10 minutes to create an FSA ID. If this will be your first time filling out the FAFSA form, you’ll be able to use your FSA ID right away to sign and submit your FAFSA form online. If this is not your first time filling out the FAFSA form, you may need to wait one to three days for the account verification process before you can use your new FSA ID to renew your FAFSA form and sign it online.

    Need assistance creating an account? Learn more.

    2

    Gather documents needed to apply.

    The FAFSA will ask for information about you, your spouse if you are married, and for your parents if you are a dependent student. The FAFSA asks for income and tax information from two prior tax years. Example: When filing the 2023–2024 FAFSA (Summer 2023, Fall 2023, Spring 2024), you will need income information from the 2021 calendar year.

    For more information on what documents you will need, visit studentaid.gov.

    Keep these records! You may need them again. Do not mail your records to us.

    If you or your family have unusual circumstances (such as loss of employment or extraordinary expenses), submit your FAFSA with the data requested, then contact RaiderConnect for additional information or visit our FAFSA Adjustment page or Cost of Attendance Adjustment page.

    3

    Start the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

    Wright State's priority deadline for completing the FAFSA is February 1, prior to the start of the academic year. Remember, the FAFSA form is not a one-time thing. You must complete a FAFSA form for each school year you attend. Don't delay, apply today!

    Tips when starting the FAFSA

    Choose which FAFSA form you’d like to complete:

    • 2023–24 FAFSA form if you will be attending Summer 2023, Fall 2023, or Spring 2024.

    Create a save key. Unlike the FSA ID, the save key is meant to be shared. A save key is a temporary password that allows you and your parent(s) to “pass” the FAFSA form back and forth. It also allows you to save the FAFSA form and return to it later. This is especially helpful if you and your parent are not in the same place.

    4

    Fill out the Student Demographics section.

    This is information such as your name, date of birth, etc. If you have completed the FAFSA form in the past or if you log into the FAFSA form with your FSA ID, a lot of your personal information will be pre-populated to save you time. Make sure you enter your personal information exactly as it appears on your Social Security card. (That’s right, no nicknames.)

    Parents: Remember that the FAFSA form is the student’s application, not yours. When the FAFSA form says “you” or “your,” it’s referring to the student. Pay attention to whether you’re being asked for student or parent information. When in doubt, the banner on the left side will indicate whether you’re on a student or parent page.

    5

    List Wright State as a school you want your FAFSA information sent.

    In the School Selection section, add Wright State University (School Code: 003078) as a school to receive your FAFSA, even if you haven’t applied or been accepted yet.

    6

    Answer the dependency questions.

    In the dependency status section, you’ll be asked a series of specific questions to determine whether you are required to provide parent information on the FAFSA form.

    The dependency guidelines are set by Congress and are different from those used by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Even if you live on your own, support yourself, and file taxes on your own, you may still be considered a dependent student for federal student aid purposes. If you are determined to be a dependent student, you’ll be required to report information about your parent(s). If it is determined that you are an independent student, you won’t have to provide parent information and you can skip the next step.

    7

    Fill out the Parent Demographics section.

    This is where your parent(s) will provide basic demographic information. Remember that it doesn’t matter if you don’t live with your parent(s); you still must report information about them if you were determined to be a dependent student in the step above.

    Start by figuring out who counts as your parent on the FAFSA form. Visit the Federal Student Aid Who is my parent according to the FAFSA form? webpage.

    Learn what to do if you are not able to provide parent information due to special circumstances.

    8

    Supply your financial information.

    Here is where you and your parent(s) (if applicable) will provide your financial information. This step is incredibly simple if you use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT). The IRS DRT allows you to import your IRS tax information into the FAFSA form with just a few clicks. Using this tool may also reduce the amount of paperwork you need to provide to your school. So, if you’re eligible, use it! To access the tool, indicate that you’ve “already completed” taxes on the student or parent finances page. If you’re eligible, you’ll see a “LINK TO IRS” button. Choose that option and follow the prompts. Note: The information transferred from the IRS will not be displayed, but you will get a confirmation message letting you know that the transfer was successful. You’ll also know which items have been transferred from the IRS because you’ll see “Transferred from the IRS” in place of the answer fields. Please make sure to answer all other questions.

    In certain circumstances, you cannot use the DRT. If you cannot use the DRT, don't worry. You can enter your information into the FAFSA using the documents you gathered. Instructions are provided for each FAFSA question in the Help and Hints section on the right side of the page and are available by clicking Need Help? at the bottom of the page.

    Visit the Federal Student Aid Providing Financial Information webpage to learn more. Try the resource Simple Steps to Transfer Tax Information Into Your FAFSA Form graphic—Explains how to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to transfer tax information into the FAFSA form.

    9

    Sign and submit your FAFSA form.

    You’re not finished with the FAFSA form until you (and your parent, if you’re a dependent student) sign it. The quickest and easiest way to sign your FAFSA form is online with your FSA ID.

    Wright State University will receive your submitted FAFSA within 3–5 business days. Check WINGS Express to view the receipt of your FAFSA and next steps in receiving financial aid.

    Sign and Submit Tips:

    • If you (the student) logged in to the FAFSA form with your FSA ID, you won’t need to provide it again on this page, but if you’re a dependent student, your parent will still need to sign before you can completely submit.
    • Make sure you and your parent don’t mix up your FSA IDs. This is one of the most common errors we see, and why it’s extremely important for each person to create his or her own FSA ID and not share it with anyone.
    • Make sure the parent who is using his or her FSA ID to sign the FAFSA form chooses the right parent number from the drop-down menu. If your parent doesn’t remember whether he or she was listed as Parent 1 or Parent 2, he or she can go back to the parent demographics section to check.
    • If you have siblings, your parent can use the same FSA ID to sign FAFSA forms for all of their children. Your parent can also transfer his or her information into your sibling’s application by choosing the option provided on the FAFSA confirmation page.
    • We recommend signing the FAFSA form with an FSA ID because it’s the fastest way to get your FAFSA form processed. However, if you and/or your parent are unable to sign the FAFSA form electronically with an FSA ID, you can mail in a signature page. From the sign and submit page, select “Other options to sign and submit” and then choose “Print A Signature Page.” Just keep in mind that your FAFSA form will take longer to process if you go this route.

    Student Aid Report (SAR)

    Once you file your FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education's Central Processing System will process the application and send you a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR is not an Award Notice. The Student Aid Report contains a summary of the information you provided on the FAFSA. It also tells you whether or not you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. Check all of the information on your SAR carefully and if you need to you can correct your FAFSA. The SAR information will be sent to every school you listed on the FAFSA. Schools use the SAR information to determine your federal student aid eligibility.


    How to Make a Correction

    After you file your FAFSA, you can log back into studentaid.gov and make additional changes or corrections to the data you entered. Common corrections include:

    • Adding a school
    • Using the FAFSA IRS Data Retrieval Tool to update tax information
    • Manually updating tax information

    Federal Student Aid Contact Information

    Federal Student Aid Information Center
    Phone: 319-337-5665
    Toll-Free: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)
    If you are hearing impaired and have questions, please contact the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913.
     

    Federal Student Aid Estimator

    Before you complete the FAFSA form, the Federal Student Aid Estimator can help you understand your options to pay for college by providing an early estimate of your eligibility for federal student aid. Most people complete the Federal Student Aid Estimator in 5-10 minutes. You will want to have your federal tax information or tax returns for the student (and spouse if married) and parents for a dependent student. You will also want to have information on savings, investments, and assets for student and parents, if applicable.