FAFSA Season Is Here!

The 2018-19 FAFSA opened on October 1, 2017. This newsletter is for UF College of Dentistry (UFCD) students and includes all you need to know about completing the FAFSA.

FAFSA stands for FREE Application for Federal Student Aid. You should never pay a fee to complete the FAFSA. Go directly to FAFSA.ed.gov to complete the official FAFSA.

Who Should Complete a 2018-19 FAFSA?

Everyone in the UFCD Classes of 2019, 2020, and 2021!

UFCD Class of 2018 – You only need to complete the 2018-19 FAFSA if you plan to pursue an advanced or graduate program for which you will need financial aid.

Why Should I Complete a FAFSA?

The FAFSA is the key to unlocking financial aid! It’s required for loans, UFCD scholarships, and UFCD grants. 

It can’t hurt to have a complete FAFSA on file – it can only help. We recommend that you complete a FAFSA even if you do not plan to borrow loans. Completion of a FAFSA does not obligate you to borrow loans.

What’s the Deadline for the FAFSA?

UF’s “on time” deadline for receiving the results of your FAFSA from the federal processor is December 15, 2017.

We highly recommend that you apply well before Dec. 15! The federal processor can take 3-5 business days to complete their analysis and send your FAFSA to UF.

The on-time deadline has no bearing on your eligibility for loans. All UFCD students in the DMD program with a FAFSA on file may take out unsubsidized and/or Grad PLUS loans.

Special Note: Why the “On Time” Deadline Matters

Priority consideration for UFCD scholarships and grants is given to students who meet UF’s on-time deadline. Students with late FAFSAs are not guaranteed consideration for UFCD scholarships.

If you want to put yourself in the best position to be awarded FREE money, plan to complete your FAFSA no later than Dec. 8. That way, you know you'll meet the Dec. 15 on-time deadline!

What School(s) Should I List on My FAFSA?

UFCD Classes of 2019, 2020, & 2021 – University of Florida is the only institution you need to list. Our school code is 001535.

UFCD Class of 2018 & enrolling in an advanced/graduate program – List all institutions to which you are applying or have had an interview. You can include up to 10 schools on your FAFSA.

How Can I Prepare to Complete My FAFSA?

Step 1

First, make sure you have an FSA ID! The FSA ID is the username and password you use on all Federal Student Aid websites, such as FAFSA.ed.gov and StudentLoans.gov.

Second, verify that your personal information associated with your FSA ID is accurate.  This can be done on the “Manage My FSA ID” website. A legal name change is a common reason for needing to update your personal information.

Step 2

Gather financial information such as: records of untaxed income; cash, savings, and checking account balances; and investments.

This information should be accurate as of the day you complete the FAFSA. (This is also true for personal information such as marital status.)

Step 3

Have your federal tax information or returns ready, as well as your parents’ tax information if you plan to provide it. (See below for a special note on parent tax information.)

The 2018-19 FAFSA requires 2016 tax information. You do not need to update your FAFSA with 2017 tax information – in fact, you shouldn’t! Your 2016 tax information is all that is necessary.

Please note: The IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) will be available to quickly and securely transfer tax data from the IRS to the FAFSA. We still recommend having your own tax records handy because you may need to manually input certain data. The FAFSA will prompt you if manual input is required.

Want a quick reference for FAFSA prep? 

Click here for an infographic from Federal Student Aid.

Are There Any Changes to the FAFSA for 2018-19?

Yes. Tax data that is transferred via the IRS DRT will be displayed to you differently than it has been in the past. This change is intended to better protect your sensitive financial information.

Transferred tax data will be masked within your FAFSA. This means that, instead of the actual numbers, you will see the phrase “Transferred from the IRS”. Student Financial Affairs staff will still have access to your actual tax data.

Should I Input Parent Tax Information on My FAFSA?

The FAFSA will not require you to input parent tax information (because all DMD students meet the FAFSA criteria for being independent). However, to be considered for the aid programs listed below, you must list your parents’ tax information.

Note: Including parent information on your FAFSA does not affect your eligibility for federal loans whatsoever (because all DMD students meet the FAFSA criteria for being independent).

Health Professions Loans & Loans for Disadvantaged Students – These subsidized loan programs require parent financial information to be included on your FAFSA. The only exception to this requirement is if both parents are deceased. The regulations for these loans do not allow for any other extenuating or special circumstances.

UFCD Scholarships – Parent tax information is required to be on your FAFSA for consideration. Detailed information on the reasons for this requirement is available on our Scholarships FAQ website.

In general, you can include parent tax information on your FAFSA even if your parents do not file U.S. taxes and/or live outside the United States. If your parents do not file taxes, you’ll simply select the option “Not going to file” where indicated on the FAFSA. If your parents live outside the United States, please click here for detailed information on what to do.

If you are unable to input parent information on the FAFSA but want to be considered for scholarships, you will be given the opportunity to document your circumstances on the scholarship application.

Who’s my parent when I fill out the FAFSA?

Click here for a flowchart to help you determine the correct parent information to include on your FAFSA