How to File the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the application used to determine your eligibility for federal and state financial aid. U.S. citizens and permanent residents should complete a FAFSA each year they are enrolled at least part-time at Drexel.
Please note: For the 2024-2025 aid year, the FAFSA process has gone through significant changes. Read more about the changes to the FAFSA here.
Tips for Completing the FAFSA
- The FAFSA is completed online.
- The 2024–2025 FAFSA is now available at the Federal Student Aid website.
- Any admitted student who received estimated federal financial aid in their package based on their CSS Profile should file a 24-25 FAFSA as soon as possible.
- The FAFSA will be based upon your family's financial information from two years prior (i.e., the 2024–2025 FAFSA will use 2022 tax year information).
- You (and your parent, if you are a dependent student) will need to create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID in order to complete and sign the FAFSA.
- It is important to complete the FAFSA by Drexel's priority deadline in order to be considered for all types of financial aid.
- Drexel's Federal School code for completing the FAFSA is 003256.
- Institutions will begin receiving FAFSA data in Mid-March of 2024.
- If you have any questions, you can contact a FAFSA customer service representative at 1.800.4.FED.AID (1.800.433.3243).
FAFSA Submission Summary (Formerly SAR)
The Department of Education typically takes 3–5 business days to fully process your FAFSA once you have submitted a complete application. Once your FAFSA is fully processed, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly SAR) that will include the information you provided on your FAFSA. If there are any errors or issues that you need to resolve, you will need to follow the instructions listed on the FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) to correct them. Your FSS (formerly SAR) will also include your Student Aid Index (SAI).
The information that is reported on your FSS (formerly SAR) is also sent to the schools you listed on your FAFSA. Typically, Drexel University should receive your FAFSA data approximately 2–3 days after you receive your FSS (formerly SAR). However, due to the FAFSA Simplification Act, Drexel won't start receiving 2025 FAFSA data until early February 2024. This means we won't be able to notify students that we've received their FAFSA until February 2024.
Priority Deadlines
In order to be considered for most types of financial aid programs, domestic students should complete the FAFSA by the priority deadlines listed below:
|
Deadline |
Early Action, Early Decision, and Regular Decision First-Year Applicants
|
March 1 |
Winter Entry Program Applicants
|
October 9
|
Transfer Applicants
|
One month prior to start term (recommended) |
New Graduate Applicants
|
March 1 |
Continuing Students |
April 1 |