FAFSA
Education & Academia abbreviation · Academic
| Stands for | Free Application for Federal Student Aid |
|---|---|
| Categories | Education & Academia |
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid, an academic abbreviation also used in government.
Form from the US Department of Education that students complete each year to apply for federal grants, loans and work-study, and that states and most colleges also use to award their own aid. It uses tax information from two years earlier and produces a Student Aid Index (SAI).
Example: Complete the FAFSA as soon as it opens; some state grants run out of money early.
Usage notes
The FAFSA Simplification Act, passed in December 2020, shortened the form, replaced the Expected Family Contribution with the SAI and expanded Pell Grant eligibility. Its rollout for 2024–25 was delayed until December 30, 2023, and processing errors held up aid offers nationwide. Families now consent to direct transfer of IRS data. Pronounced "FAF-suh".
Related abbreviations
More academic abbreviations
- DSO – Designated school official
- EA – Early action
- EC – Extracurricular activity
- ED – Early decision
- EFC – Expected Family Contribution
- F-1 – F-1 student visa
- FE – Further education
- FGLI – First-generation, low-income
- FSA – Federal Student Aid
- FSEOG – Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant
- FTE – Full-time equivalent
- FWS – Federal Work-Study