FAFSA Requirement

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used to apply for federal financial aid. Students graduating in the Class of 2026 complete the 2026-27 FAFSA. Note: Some scholarships will require the FAFSA.

The 2026-27 FAFSA (for students who will graduate from high school in 2026) is open now.

Students and families should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible.

Completing the FAFSA by January 15 is recommended in order to meet priority deadlines for scholarships and financial aid.

• Scholarships: Money that does not have to be repaid, usually based on the student’s ability, skills or talents.
• Grants: Money that does not have to be repaid, based on the student and family’s financial situation. The most common is the Pell Grant, but there are other grant programs.
• Loans: Money that must be repaid. Some student loans do not have to be repaid until after the student graduates from college.
• Work-Study: Money earned from an on-campus job.

FAFSA provides access to funds to help pay for the cost of education after high school, including tuition, books, fees, and living expenses.

Filing out the FAFSA and being accepted to a college allows students to know how much financial aid they are eligible to receive.

Filing out the FAFSA gives students access to the largest source of financial aid.

The FAFSA is useful for anyone planning to attend a four-year college or university, a two-year college, or a career/trade school.

A new Nebraska law (Neb. Rev. Stat. § 79-729) requires that all students who are graduating from a Nebraska public high school in 2026 must complete the 2026-27 FAFSA or opt out. 

All students who are graduating from a Nebraska high school in 2025 or later must complete the FAFSA or opt out.

Even if you are just curious about funding, completing the FAFSA provides an estimate of federal aid eligibility. Students who are in college should complete the FAFSA each year.

Before completing your FAFSA, you must create a Student Aid account.

• Determine dependency status - use the dependency questions on the FAFSA checklist (English | Spanish) to determine if parent information is required.

• For dependent students, determine which parent's information to report. Use the Parent Wizard to determine who counts as a parent on the FAFSA. The person(s) identified by the Parent Wizard must contribute information and needs a student aid account.
• Use the FAFSA Tools from EducationQuest to help:
  • FAFSA Checklist - English
  • Lista preparativa para la FAFSA  - Spanish
  • How to Create a Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) - English
  • Como Crear una Cuenta de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (FSA ID) - Español 
  • How to Create a Federal Student Aid Account (FSA ID) Without a Social Security Number - English*
  • Como Crear un FSA ID Para Aquellos sin un Número de Seguro Social - Español*

*Parents without a Social Security Number may either create a Federal Student Aid account to complete the FAFSA or opt out of the FAFSA by notifying their child's counselor.

Go to https://studentaid.gov and click on Create Account.

• Legal name - be sure that the name entered matches exactly (pay close attention to spaces and hyphenated names).

• Social Security Number - each student must have a Social Security Number or a USCIS number in order to create an account. Parents are able to create their own accounts to contribute information to their child's FAFSA. Mixed-status families (where the student has a Social Security Number, but their parent does not) may either create a Federal Student Aid account to complete the FAFSA or opt out of the FAFSA by notifying their child's school counselor.
• Date of Birth
• Email address - each student and their parent need separate email accounts, do not use your school email accounts.
• Mobile phone number - each student and their parent will need separate phone numbers.
• Answer the challenge questions - choose answers that are easy to remember and that won't change over time.
• Enter validation codes to confirm your email and mobile number to set up the Authenticator App.
• Be sure to save your information in a secure place.
• Information used to create your account has to be verified, which may take up to three (3) days. A FAFSA cannot be submitted until the StudentAid.gov account is verified.

Begin organizing financial documents for both the student and the parent(s). This includes 2023 tax returns and the value of cash, checking, savings; investments and business or farm.

Go to https://studentaid.gov and log in.

Start a 2026-27 FAFSA.

When you enter information to link accounts, make sure to enter the other person's name exactly as they entered it on their account.

Follow the prompts to complete the FAFSA. Parents and students will both "sign" using their Student Aid account.

If you would like to receive help with completing the FAFSA, your school counselor can help you make an appointment with EducationQuest.

A parent/guardian may sign an opt-out form available from their child’s school counselor.

Opting out of the FAFSA now does not prevent you from later choosing to file the FAFSA.

If you would like an estimate of how much federal student aid you may be eligible to receive, you can use the Federal Student Aid Estimator at studentaid.gov. Remember, this is an estimate, not the actual FAFSA. The Estimator is accepted by some scholarship agencies for students/families who are unable or choose not to file the FAFSA.

• The EducationQuest website has resources under FAFSA Tools. They also provide free in-person or virtual appointments in English and Spanish. Contact the Omaha office at 402-391-4033. EducationQuest Specialists visit each OPS high school a couple times a month; students/parents can schedule an appointment through the counseling office.
• Contact your child’s school counselor. School counselors are ready to answer questions and help with the process.
• StudentAid.gov is the official government site for federal financial aid. There are many resources to help families understand the process and file correctly.
• Students learn about the FAFSA from their school counselors and from teachers in Personal Finance classes and Advisement.
• Resources and links are posted in the School Counseling section of the Omaha Public Schools website under FAFSA information.
• Admissions and financial aid representatives at area colleges are able to provide assistance.
• Community organizations that focus on helping students graduate from high school and pursue post-secondary education can also help provide answers.
• If you are on the FAFSA website and need help filling out the FAFSA form, use these free tools:
  • In the online FAFSA form, select the question mark icon next to a FAFSA question to view a “tool tip” that provides information about how to answer that question.
  • Visit FAFSA Help to find answers to common questions.
  • In the online form, chat with a virtual assistant.
  • Chat with, email, or find a phone number for the Federal Student Aid Information Center.