FAFSA: What You Need To Know

Complete the FAFSA form today!

The FAFSA is crucial for determining eligibility for federal, state and institutional financial aid, as well as many scholarships. Despite this, some students skip it due to its complexity or the belief they won’t qualify. This leads to significant unclaimed aid — $1.4 million in Pennsylvania and up to $4.4 billion nationwide in unused Pell Grants by the high school class of 2024, according to the National College Attainment Network.

PA High School Seniors! Apply for the 2026 $1,000 PACAC Scholarship and the $1,500 Benjamin James Memorial Scholarship today! The deadline is February 2, 2026.
Visit StudentAid.gov now or see below for additional resources:
- Create your FSA ID (see in General FAQs below) for student and parent(s).
- Watch for FAFSA completion events at your local high school, community centers and here at Alvernia – stay tuned to this website for updates!
- Bookmark this site to learn about upcoming events.

In This Section

Office of Student Financial Services

Scholarship Sweepstakes

PA Residents

PHEAA is giving away $2,500 no-essay scholarships to Pennsylvania Residents through the PA Forward Student Loan Program.

No Essay
Quick Entry
12 Winners Chosen in August and December
Enter at pheaa.org/ss through Dec. 15

DE, MD, NJ, OH, VA, and WV Residents

Keystone Student Loans is giving away $2,500 no-essay scholarships for DE, MD, NJ, OH, VA, and WV residents

No Essay
Quick Entry
12 Winners Chosen in August and December
Enter now at keystonestudentloans.org/ss

Resources

PHEAA Financial Aid webinars

The Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) offers FAFSA and financial aid resources for our Pennsylvania residents and our out-of-state families, too!

FAFSA Completion Events Near You

PHEAA conducts seasonal FAFSA Completion Help Events. These sessions are always free to the public.

Scholarships

2025 Graduates

If you have taken a student loan, repayment will start in 6 months or less for you and/or your parent. Check out our extensive repayment and budgeting resources for students and parents and reach out if you would like to go over your loan exit counseling in person or via Zoom at sfs@alvernia.edu.

Please see the Federal Student Aid website for the most up-to-date info on the federal repayment programs.

Helpful Links and Webinars

Helpful Articles

Financial Aid In The News

Financial Aid Timeline

The key to financing your education is to plan early and keep your options open. The more you know about how financial aid works, the better prepared you will be to pay for college programs. The following timeline will help prospective undergraduate families. If there are any questions, contact the Office of Student Financial Services at 610-796-8201 or sfs@alvernia.edu. Documents may be faxed to 610-796-8336.

August through September

Apply to Alvernia University via our online portal or The Common Application (be sure to list Alvernia as one of your schools).
Schedule an individual visit to campus or join us for one of many Admissions Visit Events.
Take the SAT or ACT.
Make sure student & parent 2024 federal taxes are filed (if applicable)
Create your FSA ID (see in General FAQs below) for both student & parent(s)
Watch for FAFSA completion events at your local high school, community centers, and here at Alvernia – stay tuned to this website for updates!

December to May

Complete the FAFSA online. The FAFSA opens October 1st. Look for FAFSA completion events in your area and bookmark this website for updated events throughout the fall!
PA State Residents: Be sure to complete your FAFSA by May 1 to be considered for the PA State Grant. Residents of states other than PA: Please check your state’s FAFSA filing deadline and if they consider reciprocal grants.
Apply for scholarships. See our Outside Scholarships page for more info and connect with your high school, local community, professional organizations, & businesses for opportunities.
Confirm your Alvernia University enrollment by sending your confirmation form and deposit to the Admissions Office.

Updated FAFSA Terminology

Previous Terminology	New Terminology
EFC (Expected Family Contribution)	SAI (Student Aid Index)
FSA ID	Studentaid.gov Account
Parent(s); Parent Spouse; Applicant Spouse	Contributors
IDR (Income Data Retrieval) & FAFSA Signature	FTI (Federal Tax Information) and Consent
Room & Board	Housing & Food
Student Aid Report (SAR)	FAFSA Submission Summary

General FAQs

StudentAid.Gov Account (Previously known as FSA ID)

What is a StudentAid.Gov Account, previously called Federal Student Account Identification (FSA ID)?

When creating a StudentAid.Gov Account, the username and password will be used by students and contributors to access federal student aid websites. If you already created a Federal Student Aid Identification Account (FSA ID) previously, you are good to go! It will be just a change of name.

Who needs a StudentAid.gov account, and what is it used for?

All students and contributors must create an account if they are:

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form
Signing your Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Applying for repayment plans
Completing loan counseling
Using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Help Tool

How do I create an account?

To create an account, go to StudentAid.gov and click "Get Started." You will need to provide:

Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
Full name
Date of birth
Email address
Mobile phone number
You will also need to create a memorable username and password and complete challenge questions and answers to retrieve your account information if you forget it.

When should I create an account?

You can create an account at studentaid.gov at any time, but it is recommended that you create it at least a week or two before you start filling out the FAFSA form. This will give you time to verify your account and make sure that it is working properly. New ID’s typically take up to 3 business days to verify.

What if I need help creating an FSA ID?

This step-by-step guide can help with detailed information. Please also see the following quick video.

My parent or spouse doesn't have a Social Security Number (SSN). Would they still be a contributor to my FAFSA?

Yes, starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA, your parent or spouse will also be required to create a StudentAid.gov account and verify it. To create a StudentAid.gov account, they can choose the option that allows them to create it without an SSN, and follow instructions.

What is two-step verification and why do I have to set it up for my StudentAid.gov account?

Two-step verification is a security feature that helps protect your StudentAid.gov account from fraud. When you enable two-step verification, you will be required to enter a code from your mobile phone in addition to your username and password when you log in to your account.

Does each contributor need a unique phone number or email for multi-factor authentication?

Yes. Each contributor must have a unique phone number or email for multi-factor authentication. See the FAQ below regarding ‘Contributors’ for more information.

Do both parents need to create an account or just one like before?

This depends on the family's situation. For example, if a student has married parents filing taxes separately, both parents will need to create an account. See the FAQ below regarding ‘Contributors’ for more information.

If Independent and married, does my spouse need to create an account or just one like before?

This depends. If a student if married and files taxes separately, the spouse would be considered a contributor and would need to create an account. See the FAQ below regarding ‘Contributors’ for more information.

What is the impact if the student and parent already have an FSA ID? Do they need to create another StudentAid.Gov account?

None. Just ensure they are verified and ready to use when the FAFSA 2024-25. Please note FSA ID’s expire if unused. Updated or new FSA ID’s take up to 3 business days to verify.

What are Contributors on the FAFSA?

Who are contributors for FAFSA purposes?

A contributor is anyone required to provide consent and approval for obtaining federal tax information needed to complete a student's FAFSA. If applicable, it may include:

Student
Student's spouse
Parent, biological or adopted
Parent's spouse (stepparent)

Who are not contributors?

The following are not contributors unless they have legally adopted you:

Grandparents
Foster parents
Legal guardians
Brothers or sisters
Aunts or uncles

How are contributors determined?

The student's or parent's answers to certain questions on the FAFSA form will determine which contributors (if any) will be required to provide information.

What do contributors need to provide?

Name
Date of birth
Social Security number
Email address
Personal and financial information

What steps do contributors need to follow?

Receive an email informing you that you've been identified as a contributor.
Create a StudentAid.gov account if you don't already have one.
Log in to your account using your FSA ID account username and password.
Review information about completing your section of the FAFSA form.
Provide the required information on the student's FAFSA form.

What if I am a contributor and don't want to provide my information?

Being a contributor does not implicate financial responsibility. However, if a required contributor refuses to provide their information, it will result in an incomplete FAFSA form, and the student will become ineligible for federal student aid.

In cases where biological parents are not married, who should provide information on the FAFSA?

The parent who provides the most financial support should complete it.
If one parent pays child support, that parent should complete the FAFSA if the child support amounts to more than half of the student's support.
If a dependent student's parents are unmarried and living together, both parents will need to complete the FAFSA as contributors.
If the parent who provides most financial support is remarried, that parent and the stepparent's income should be on the FAFSA, even if they were not yet married on the requested tax year.

What is Consent on the FAFSA?

Why do I need to provide consent?

The Future Act requires all contributors on the FAFSA to provide consent to share their tax information with the IRS. This consent is necessary for the Department of Education to request federal tax information from the IRS and to use that information in the federal student aid application process.

What happens if I don't provide consent?

If you, as a student, or a spouse or parent, don't provide consent on the FAFSA, you will not be eligible for any federal aid.

What happens after someone provides consent, or Federal Taxes Information (FTI) Approval, on the 2024-25 FAFSA?

Providing consent allows the Department of Education to use your name and social security number to match with the IRS so the IRS may share your tax information with the Department of Education to determine a student's eligibility for federal student aid.

Do I still need to provide consent if I had a low income and was not required to file taxes or even if I had zero wages?

Every contributor still needs to provide consent on the FAFSA, so the IRS can confirm to Federal Student Aid (FSA) that you, your parents, or spouse didn't file taxes.

What happens if a contributor does not provide consent?

Students who have been determined ‘dependent’ and whose contributor does not provide consent will be eligible only for an unsubsidized Stafford loan. Please contact sfs@alvernia.edu for assistance if you have questions about your contributor’s consent.

What happens if a contributor provides consent but doesn't sign the application?

Starting 2024-25, all parties must complete the FAFSA application online. If a signature is missing, the parent or the contributor that needs to complete their section and/or sign the application must obtain an FSA ID and get into the application and complete their section.

Federal Taxes, Assets & Financial Data

Will students still be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)?

No. Starting FAFSA 2024-25, the DRT will no longer exist. Federal Student Aid (FSA) will now directly transfer Federal Tax Information (FTI) from the IRS into the FAFSA form as long as you have provided FSA with the consent to do so.

Will non-custodial parents be contributors if they have not claimed the child on their taxes?

Yes. Starting with the Simplified FAFSA, students will determine which parent to report based on which one provides the most financial support. The reported parents will provide consent to transfer their taxes data even if they do not claim the student on their taxes.

If parents who are remarried provide more financial support to the child than a biological parent, does the stepparent have to provide their tax information?

Yes. If the parent providing more financial support is remarried, the stepparent's tax information is required.

What if my parent or stepparent does not want to provide their tax information for my FAFSA?

We cannot provide tax advice, but our Federal Aid Counselors can offer to talk directly with the parent or stepparent to explain why the Department of Education requires their information. Please email sfs@alvernia.edu for more information.

Can my parent or I self-report our income on FAFSA?

Yes, but you still need to provide consent. We recommend you choose FAFSA provide your income from IRS taxes. If your situation has changed from the required tax year, please contact our office after you’ve received your completed financial aid offer.

What if I had a low income and was not required to file taxes?

Students whose parents were not required to file a federal income tax return will automatically receive a SAI of -1500.

Why are assets different on the FAFSA 2024-25?

Starting 2024–25 award year, some financial information previously considered income or previously excluded from asset reporting will be required as assets instead. These include:

Annual amount of child support received.
Net worth of all businesses, regardless of the size or number of employees.
Net worth of farm including the value of a family farm (family primary's residence is still excluded). This includes the fair market value of land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops, and machinery actively used in investment farms or agricultural or commercial activities, minus any debts help against those assets.
For dependent students, education savings accounts will only be counted as parental assets if the account is designated for the student.

Professional Judgment & Appeals

Learn more at Alvernia's Professional Judgment & Appeals page.

First-Time Students

Congratulations on your acceptance to Alvernia University! Understanding financial aid and the process is an important part of attending college. 100% of Alvernia University students receive some form of financial aid, and it all starts with the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA has been around since the Higher Education Act of 1965, but over the last two years it has undergone major changes. Since you’re new to the FAFSA, the following FAQs should help you to familiarize yourself with the process and get you started. Feel free to contact our office or your Admissions Counselor with any other questions. We are here to help!

FAFSA Checklist

Have These Documents On Hand

Having the following information and forms on hand will help you fill out the FAFSA:

Your Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card)
Your driver’s license (if any)
W-2 Forms from two years prior and other records of any money earned
Your (and/or your parents’) Federal Income Tax Return from two years prior — IRS Form 1040, foreign tax return, or tax return from Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated State of Micronesia
Any untaxed income records for two years prior — e.g., payments to tax deferred pension and savings plans, tax exempt interest and child support received two years prior
Records of taxable earnings from Federal Work-Study or other need-based work programs
Records of any grants, scholarships, and fellowship aid that was included in your or your parents’ adjusted gross income (AGI)
Any current bank statements
Any current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bonds and other investment records
Documentation that you are a U.S. permanent resident or other eligible noncitizen, if applicable

Source: National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators

FSA ID/StudentAid.Gov Account

What is a StudentAid.Gov Account, previously called Federal Student Account Identification (FSA ID)?

Who needs a StudentAid.gov account, and what is it used for?

All students and contributors must create an account if they are:

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form
Signing your Master Promissory Note (MPN)
Applying for repayment plans
Completing loan counseling
Using the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Help Tool

How do I create an account?

To create an account, go to StudentAid.gov and click "Get Started." You will need to provide:

Social Security number (SSN) or Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN)
Full name
Date of birth
Email address
Mobile phone number
You will also need to create a memorable username and password and complete challenge questions and answers to retrieve your account information if you forget it.