It is necessary to submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to be considered for most federal financial aid programs. Many state financial aid programs and various scholarships also require the submission of the FAFSA. The Department of Education processes the FAFSA and notifies applicant with the Student Aid Report (SAR). The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.studentaid.gov.
The FAFSA can be submitted online at www.studentaid.gov or you can obtain a paper form from your guidance counselor or by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). If you are hearing-impaired and have questions, contact the TTY line at 1-800-730-8913.
Federal Student Aid is available seven days a week to assist students and parents with FAFSA-related questions ONLY via phone, e-mail, and chat with a live agent.
Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) 1-800-433-3243
The live chat and email options can be found here.
HOURS OF OPERATION
Monday – Friday: 8 a.m.–11 p.m. Eastern Time (ET)
Saturday-Sunday: 11 a.m.–5pm ET
Closed on federal holidays, the day after Thanksgiving, and Dec. 24.
Open on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and President’s Day.
Open 11 a.m.–5 p.m. ET on New Year’s Day.
Hearing Impaired?
TTY calls only
1-800-730-8913
The following information will help you complete the FAFSA. Please note that the financial documents should be for two years prior to the academic year of which you’re applying. Example: If you’re applying for aid for the 2020-21 school year, you will need information for 2019.
Note: If you choose to complete the online FAFSA make sure to apply for a FSA ID at https://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm. The FSA ID serves as your electronic signature. Students need a FSA ID and at least one parent of dependent students need a FSA ID.
Gathering the Documents Needed to Apply
- Your Social Security Number
- Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
- Your federal income tax returns and W-2s from two years prior, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
- Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
- Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
- An FSA ID to sign electronically.
Your on-line FAFSA is not complete until you submit it and view the confirmation page (it will also be emailed to you). You can also print out the confirmation page and keep for your records.
If you require help completing the FAFSA, you can sign up for a session at our office by clicking the button below, contact us at GeauxFAFSA@la.gov, or text 50056 with your questions and a LOSFA representative will assist you.
