Apply for Financial Aid

Before you apply

 Before you begin the application process, learn what you need to do to get ready to apply.

Most types of aid we award are need-based, and you will be awarded your maximum aid eligibility up front. Here’s how we calculate your need:

Your cost of attendance (COA) – Student Aid Index (SAI) = Your need

Regardless of whether you receive need-based aid, non-need-based aid, or both, your award will never be more than your cost of attendance. And keep in mind that there’s no guarantee you’ll receive the whole amount you need to cover all of your expenses.

Be sure to apply as soon as possible after the application becomes available. The application will be available in December and we recommend filing before April 15.

The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) as the criteria used to determine whether you're eligible for certain types of aid, and if so, how much you can be awarded. Your SAI is calculated based on the financial information you provide on your FAFSA. (Your SAI doesn’t tell you what you’ll pay for your education, though. In many cases, families contribute more than the SAI to cover all expenses.)

For priority awarding, be sure to fill out a new FAFSA before April 15.

When you apply

Make sure you have the important pieces of information listed below. Having everything together before you start will make filling out the FAFSA easier.

To file your FAFSA, you and all household contributors need to create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. This is a username and password combination that you’ll use to securely access your financial aid information and electronically sign your FAFSA.

Learn more about your FSA ID

Check your One.IU To Do List and check your mail and email regularly for communication from us. Read and respond to all letters, emails, and other communications from us as soon as possible. If you have questions, contact us as soon as possible as well—we’re here to help you.

IU Bloomington’s federal school code is 001809.

Use the IRS data retrieval tool

When you update your FAFSA after filing your taxes, you may be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import your tax information directly into your FAFSA. You’ll find the IRS data retrieval tool in the Financial Information section of your FAFSA.

To use the tool to pull your tax information in automatically, you must have:

  • Filed a federal tax return with the IRS
  • A valid social security number
  • An FSA ID


Enter your data by hand

If you're not able to use the IRS data retrieval tool, you can enter your data manually.

You’ll need your federal tax return and W2 form for the year before (if you file your FAFSA by December 31) or for two years before (if you file your FAFSA after January 1) AND

  • Your parents’ federal tax return and W2 form if you’re a dependent OR
  • Your spouse’s federal tax return and W2 form if you’re married

Use estimated data

You can file your FAFSA even if you haven’t completed your tax return yet (remember, you can apply for the next year as early as October 1). Select “Will File” on the FAFSA application and give your best guess at the numbers. After you file your taxes, you can update your FAFSA and change your status to “Already Filed.”

You’ll need your Social Security number. You’ll also need your parents’ Social Security numbers if you’re a dependent.

Not a U.S. citizen? You’ll need your alien registration number, also known as your alien number, A-Number, or USCIS#.

You’ll need information about your savings, investments, and business assets. You’ll also need information about your parents’ savings, investments, and business assets if you’re a dependent.

Once you’ve gathered everything you need, you’re ready to file your FAFSA. The online application will guide you through the process—just follow the directions on the screen. You’re all set!

A note about dependency

Your dependency status is determined by a group of dependency questions on the FAFSA. If you can’t answer “yes” to any of the questions, you’ll be considered dependent and advised to supply parental information on your FAFSA.

You’re considered to be a dependent if you:

  • Are under 24 years old
  • Are not a graduate or professional student
  • Are not a veteran or member of the armed forces
  • Are not an orphan or ward of the court
  • Are not homeless or at risk for becoming homeless
  • Are not an emancipated minor
Learn more about dependency status

Which parent(s) to include

Not sure which parent’s information to include on your FAFSA? Get the details about reporting parent information.

After you apply

Read below for instructions and to learn more about what you can do after you apply.

After you file, you’ll be prompted to review your application and make any necessary corrections. Here are some of the most common mistakes you’ll want to avoid:

  • Switching two numbers (for example, “$1,200” instead of “$2,100”)
  • Adding too many or too few zeroes to a number
  • Listing your parents’ income as yours (and the other way around)
  • Forgetting to have your parent electronically sign the application with his or her FSA ID

Your FAFSA will be processed with the information you provide, so make sure everything is correct. We’ll notify you if we get your FAFSA but it can’t be processed.

(Note that you do not need to update your FAFSA based on changes to the amount of money in your bank account. We know that updating your FAFSA every time you write a check or make a deposit would be nearly impossible.)

You’ll get a financial aid notification letter from us as soon as we’ve put together an award package for you. If you receive more funding after your award package has been put together, and that funding causes your aid total to exceed your cost of attendance (COA), your award package may change. Remember, you can never be awarded more than your COA—and your aid can change even if it doesn’t exceed your COA.

If you’re an incoming freshman, we’ll send you a paper Financial Aid Notice letter beginning in February. It will include an estimate of your financial aid, your estimated cost of attendance, and other information you’ll want to know.

If you’re a current student, we’ll email you in June to let you know that your financial aid summary is available in the Student Center in One.IU.

You may be asked to verify the information you provided on your FAFSA before you can be declared eligible to receive financial aid. We’ll contact you by mail if you’re selected for verification. And check your One.IU To Do List—we’ll notify you there, too.

Be sure to complete verification as quickly as you can and turn in all required documents at the same time to avoid delays with your financial aid. To make sure your aid is processed in time for the fall semester bill, you should finish all required steps no later than June 15. We’ll process your file within three weeks after we have all your documentation.

Learn more about FAFSA verification

Use our secure contact form to send us your completed forms or mail them to:

Office of Student Financial Assistance
ATTN: Verification Department
Indiana University
408 N. Union Street
Bloomington, IN 47405

Need help with signing verification forms? Watch the video below.

Learn how to sign verification forms

Be sure to complete verification as quickly as you can and turn in all required documents at the same time to avoid delays with your financial aid. To make sure your aid is processed in time for the fall semester bill, you should finish all required steps no later than June 15. We’ll process your file within three weeks after we have all of your documentation.

Keep watching your IU email account and your To Do List for updates about the verification process.

Get information about your To Do List

Use our secure contact form to send us your completed forms or mail them to:

Office of Student Financial Assistance
ATTN: Verification Department
Indiana University
408 N. Union Street
Bloomington, IN 47405

Need help with signing verification forms? Watch the video below.

Learn how to sign verification forms

Make sure your financial aid is applied

Authorize IU to use your aid

Make sure you sign a Title IV authorization so your aid gets applied correctly.

Sign the paperwork

You’ll need to go through entrance counseling and sign a promissory note if you’re borrowing a federal loan.