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Can I Make Corrections to My FAFSA After Submitting?
By
Zach Skillings
Zach Skillings is the Scholarships360 Newsletter Editor. He specializes in college admissions and strives to answer important questions about higher education. When he’s not contributing to Scholarships360, Zach writes about travel, music, film, and culture. His work has been published in Our State Magazine, Ladygunn Magazine, The Nocturnal Times, and The Lexington Dispatch. Zach graduated from Elon University with a degree in Cinema and Television Arts.
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Annie has spent the past 18+ years educating students about college admissions opportunities and coaching them through building a financial aid package. She has worked in college access and college admissions for the Tennessee Higher Education Commission/Tennessee Student Assistance Corporation, Middle Tennessee State University, and Austin Peay State University.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Many ask themselves the following question: “Can I make corrections to my FAFSA?” If you submitted your FAFSA form and then realized you need to make a correction, there’s no need to worry. You can edit your FAFSA even after you submit it. This means you can correct mistakes, update information, and add or delete schools. It’s important that your FAFSA is accurate and up to date, so we’re here to walk you through any edits you need to make.
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Make corrections if:
You made a mistake
If you made a simple mistake (such as checking the wrong box for your citizenship status or year in college), the error could affect your financial aid eligibility. Update your information by signing into FAFSA.gov with your FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID)and correct the mistake by following the directions outlined below.
You entered the wrong social security number
If you entered the wrong social security number,. Remember, this changes the process date of your FAFSA. You can also contact Federal Student Aid and ask to be mailed a paper copy of your SAR. Once received, you can make changes on paper and mail back to Federal Student Aid. If you’ve passed your school’s priority deadline, contact the university’s financial aid office and ask their advice on how to update your FAFSA.
You applied for the wrong year
Throughout most of the calendar year, the FAFSA is actually available for two academic years. If you completed the FAFSA for the wrong academic year, you’ll need to fill out a new application for the correct year. Unfortunately, you can’t simply change the year on your original application.
You need to add or delete a school
You’re allowed to add and remove schools from your FAFSA after submitting the form. Just keep in mind that you can list no more than 10 schools on the FAFSA at once. To add or delete schools, log into FAFSA.gov with your Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. From there, you’ll be able to make updates to your list of schools.
Also see: How to add schools to the FAFSA
Your dependency status changed
Some students experience a change in dependency status between submitting their FAFSA and receiving their financial aid. You would have a different dependency status if (1) you become pregnant or become a parent, (2) you enter a legal guardianship, or (3) you’ve become an emancipated minor. If any of this applies to you, log into your FAFSA to update your information. Changes to marital status are the exception. If you’ve married or divorced since submitting the FAFSA, contact the financial aid offices at the schools listed on your FAFSA. Remember, you’ll most likely have to provide documentation of your change to your financial aid office, so keep any copies of court papers you might receive.
You’re selected for FAFSA verification
If (and only if) you’re selected for FAFSA verification, you must update your information if the number of people in your household has changed. Verification is the process your school uses to confirm that the data reported on your FAFSA form is accurate. Some students are selected for verification randomly, while some schools verify all students’ FAFSA forms. Remember that you only need to make applicable changes to your household size if you’re selected for verification.
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How to make corrections to your FAFSA
Follow these steps to correct or update information in your FAFSA:
- Log into your Federal Student Aid account at FAFSA.gov using your FSA ID
- Navigate to the “My FAFSA” page and select “Make FAFSA corrections”
- Create a save key, which is essentially a password (but not the same as your FSA ID and will go away after the FAFSA has been resubmitted.)
- Correct, update or change your information as needed
- Submit the FAFSA correction
FAFSA corrections made online usually take 3-5 days to process. Making corrections online is usually the most convenient option. However, you can also make corrections by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). And while it’s the least efficient option, you can also correct your FAFSA via mail.
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Related: What to do if you’re selected for FAFSA verification
What information can’t be corrected online?
In some cases, the FAFSA won’t let you update certain fields online even if your information has changed. When this happens, contact the school’s financial aid office in order to correct or update your information. If you encounter any of the following situations, contact the financial aid offices of the schools listed on your FAFSA.
Marital status
As mentioned previously, you cannot update changes to your marital status online. If you get married or divorced after submitting your FAFSA, speak with your school’s financial aid office to see if an updated FAFSA is required.
Financial situation
The FAFSA uses tax return information from two years prior, so your financial situation may be different at the time of application. Speak to the financial aid office if there will be a significant change in your financial situation that can’t be reported on the FAFSA form.
Also see: What is an EFC and how do I interpret mine?
When is the FAFSA corrections deadline?
For student aid consideration for the 2024–25 award year, you must complete the FAFSA between Oct. 1, 2024 and June 30, 2024. Remember to submit all corrections or updates by 11:59 p.m. CT on September 14, 2024. However, many states and colleges have earlier deadlines. Find your state’s deadline here. Because of the variation in state and college deadlines, you should fill out the FAFSA as soon as possible after Oct. 1 to ensure you don’t miss out on available aid and if you need to make a correction, complete it as soon as possible.
Don’t miss: FAFSA 101 guide
Key Takeaways
Frequently asked questions about making corrections to the FAFSA
What is the most common mistake made on the FAFSA?
How long does a FAFSA correction take?
