To apply for federal and state financial aid, students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) each academic year. This is the first and most important step in determining your eligibility for grants, federal loans, and other types of aid.

The FAFSA is used to calculate your Student Aid Index (SAI) and helps determine your eligibility for financial aid.

• SWAU’s Federal School Code is: 003646
• Apply at: FAFSA.gov

We recommend submitting the FAFSA as soon as possible after it becomes available, as some funds are limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis.

Use the chart below to determine which year’s tax information is required:

In most cases, you can use the IRS Direct Data Exchange tool to import tax information automatically. This helps simplify and speed up the application process.

• New Students: If you are admitted and have submitted your FAFSA, you will receive your financial aid offer with or shortly after your acceptance letter.
• Current Students: If you submit the FAFSA by our deadline, you will typically receive your updated financial aid offer by early summer.

If you cannot provide parent information due to unusual family or personal circumstances, you may still be able to submit the FAFSA as a provisional independent student.

Examples of unusual circumstances include:

• Parental abandonment
• Legal separation from your parents
• Unsafe home environment

We encourage you to reach out to our Financial Aid Office for guidance on how to proceed. Supporting documentation may be required.

Contact Financial Aid

Once your financial aid has been awarded, you may view the College Financing Plan in your student portal. This federally standardized document helps compare financial aid offers across schools by showing key details like total cost, grants and scholarships, and estimated net cost.

To view your College Financing Plan:

1. Log in to Student Self-Service
2. Navigate to the Financial Aid tab
3. Select your aid year and award package
4. Click the “College Financing Plan” link to view or print

Need help? Contact our team; we are happy to walk you through it.