As of the end of March, we have started receiving FAFSA data. We are currently working on getting offers ready and we are committed to sharing your financial aid offer as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience. Learn more about recent changes to the FAFSA.
NOTE: The FAFSA form is currently available for short periods of time while they monitor site performance and update the form to provide you with a better experience.
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This form assesses a student’s financial need and is what the Office of Financial Aid uses to offer students federal loans, grants, and work-study.
To be eligible for federal aid through the FAFSA, follow these steps:
Go to studentaid.gov and create an FSA ID which is a username and password. If you are a dependent, both you and your parent(s) or guardian(s) will need to create separate FSA ID’s. Save your username and password as you will use them every year to submit your FAFSA. To start, click on “Create an Account” in the upper right-hand corner of the screen. If a family member does not have a social security number, they can still complete the process to create an FSA ID. Directions to create an FSA ID without a social security number can be found in English and Spanish.
Under “FAFSA Forms,” select “Complete the FAFSA form” to start.
List UNK (school code: 002551) under the School Selection section.
If eligible, use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to upload your financial information. If you are not able to do this, you will need to manually enter tax return information from two years prior to the FAFSA year.
Sign and submit your FAFSA form. If you are a dependent, both you and your parent(s) or guardian(s) will need to sign the FAFSA with your own separate FSA IDs.
Once you have been admitted to UNK and your FAFSA process is completed, you will receive a financial aid offer from UNK through paper mail and email. You can also view your financial aid offer in your MyBLUE account.
For the 2024-2025 offer year, the FAFSA will be available December 2023 through June 30, 2024. You (and your parent when applicable) will report income and tax information from tax year 2022. Important Note: The 2024-2025 FAFSA is currently undergoing changes called the FAFSA Simplification Act. Learn more about upcoming changes.
For the 2023-2024 offer year, the FAFSA will be available October 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024. You (and your parent when applicable) will report income and tax information from tax year 2021.
To estimate your federal financial aid eligibility, use the FAFSA4caster tool to get an estimate of your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) and an estimate of your federal student loan, grant, and work-study eligibility.
Here are solutions to the common difficulties encountered when completing the FAFSA:
Trouble using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)? If you are receiving an error that indicates the “address or other identifying information does not match the IRS records,” verify that the information you enter is EXACTLY as it appears on your federal income tax return, using the same abbreviations and no punctuation.
Certain tax filers are not eligible to use the Data Retrieval Tool. Tax filers who are married but filed separate tax returns, or those who filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return will not be able to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. You may complete your FAFSA by manually entering your tax information.
Taxes not yet filed? If you have filed for an extension on your tax return, you can submit the FAFSA using estimated tax information, but you must provide the UNK Office of Financial Aid with the approval of the extension from the IRS.
Not sure whether you will need to put your parents' information on the FAFSA? Visit the Federal Student Aid website to determine your dependency status.
Read and respond promptly to all communication sent to you. The federal processor will select some applications for data verification, which will require submitting additional documents. The FAFSA will be processed once we receive all requested documents.
If you need help filling out the FAFSA, use these free tools:
Read the “Help and Hints” located on the right side of any FAFSA entry page
Click “Need Help?” at the bottom of any FAFSA entry page
Chat (in English or Spanish) with live technical support staff by clicking the “Help” icon with the big question mark at the top of any FAFSA entry page and selecting “Contact Us” below “Browse FAQs”
Contact the UNK Financial Aid Office - Email: finaid1@unk.edu Phone: (308)-865-8520
Additionally, you can always schedule an appointment to fill out your FAFSA form with a Financial Aid Administrator by calling or emailing the Office of Financial Aid.
Your FSA ID serves as your electronic signature and provides access to your personal records with the U.S. Department of Education systems. You will use your FSA ID to fill out your FAFSA every year, as well as view your federal student loan total and repayment information. Your FSA ID username does not expire. Create your student or parent FSA ID.
Here are some tips to keep in mind about the FSA ID:
Never tell anyone your FSA ID – not even your parent, child, school official, or loan company representative. Remember, your FSA ID is your signature. Protect it!
Create your own FSA ID. Letting someone else create or use your FSA ID can cause problems or delays with your student aid. Never make an FSA ID for someone else.
You'll use your FSA ID every year you fill out a FAFSA and for the lifetime of any loans. Take some time to create a memorable username, password, and answers to your "challenge questions." Keep your FSA ID in a safe place or memorize it.
One of your parents might need an FSA ID as well. If you need to provide information about your parents on the FAFSA, one of your parents will have to sign the application. Your parent can create an FSA ID and then sign the FAFSA electronically using their FSA ID. Not sure if you will need to put your parents' information on the FAFSA? The Federal Student Aid website has an FAQ to answer questions on Dependency Status for students and parents.
Each e-mail address can be associated with only one FSA ID. If you share an e-mail address with someone else, only one of you will be able to use that e-mail address to create an FSA ID. For example, if you're a dependent student, and you and your mom share an e-mail address, one of you must use a different e-mail address when creating an FSA ID.
At first, you will only be able to use your FSA ID to complete, sign, and submit an original FAFSA. Within one to three days of creating your FSA ID, you should receive an e-mail indicating that you may now use your FSA ID for all of its purposes – including to submit a Renewal FAFSA.
If you have an FSA ID and you've forgotten your FSA ID username or password, watch the video below for instructions on how to retrieve it.
Some applications for Federal Student Aid are selected for a process called verification which is used to confirm the data provided on your FAFSA. FAFSAs are selected for verification for many reasons and being selected does not mean that you did anything wrong.
If your FAFSA is selected for verification, you will be required to submit additional documentation to UNK in order for your financial aid to be offered. UNK will notify you via email and on your MyBLUE “To-Do" section to let you know the type(s) of additional documentation that will be required. Note: If you have not been contacted by the UNK Financial Aid Office, it is likely that your application hasn't been selected and there is no further action for you to take.
We recommend you complete verification as soon as possible so financial aid can be offered to you in a timely manner. You will not be offered aid until your file is completed. Consequently, you may be negatively impacted due to fund availability the longer you wait to submit your documents.
You can find forms required for the verification process, along with instructions on how to complete them, on UNK’s Verification Process webpage.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not provide families with a place to explain special circumstances affecting their ability to pay for the student's education. The Federal Need Analysis Methodology (FM), which calculates a household's Estimated Family Contribution (EFC), is a rigid formula with no provisions for exceptions. To remedy this, Congress has delegated to the school's financial aid administrator(s) the authority to compensate for special circumstances on a case-by-case basis with adequate documentation. This authority is often referred to as a financial aid administrator's ability to make a "Professional Judgment."
If you believe that your tax return from two years prior (used for the FAFSA form) is not a good representation of your current financial situation, please complete the Special Circumstances Form below in its entirety.
