The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a standard form that helps determine if you qualify for federal aid, such as federal grants, loans, and work-study. Colleges also use this information to determine what institutional-based aid you are eligible for. In Missouri, you are required to file a FAFSA in order to be considered for most state financial aid opportunities, including Access Missouri, the A+ Scholarship Program, and the Fast Track Incentive Grant.
Last year, Missouri provided more than $163 million in financial aid to over 62,000 students. Anyone considering college should file a FAFSA to see if they qualify for help.
The Access Missouri Grant Program is a need-based financial aid opportunity for Missouri residents. To qualify for Access Missouri, students must file a FAFSA each year. Eligible students who file their FAFSA by Feb. 3, 2025 are guaranteed to be awarded this grant. Students who file before April 1, 2025 may also receive the grant, depending on available funding.
If you are going to college for the first time and you have never filed a FAFSA, regardless of when you graduated high school, you are considered a new student. If you are a new student, the first step to filing your FAFSA is creating your FSA ID at studentaid.gov. Your FSA ID will be used to file your FAFSA each year you are in school, so use a personal email to set it up. Once you have your FSA ID, follow these six simple steps to file your FAFSA:
Finding a way to help your child pay for school can be overwhelming, but the FAFSA helps to simplify that process. As a parent, you must provide some information to your student’s FAFSA in order for them to receive federal aid, even if you do not have the ability to contribute to the cost of schooling.
