Complete Your FAFSA

Are you a current or prospective student, a senior finishing high school, an adult learner, or a recent high school graduate planning to attend college? If so, please join us for assistance with FAFSA completion. It should take no more than 45 minutes.

• Colleges and universities use the FAFSA to award grants, scholarships, and campus employment.
• You will work with an experienced financial aid advisor to complete your Free Application for Federal Student (FAFSA).

Don’t miss out on financial aid opportunities that can help you complete your educational goals! Visit our Financial Education Events for more details. Contact the Student Financial Aid and Scholarship Office at 216-987-6000, option 2.

The Fall semester marks the beginning of the financial aid award year at Tri-C. To be considered for federal financial aid, students must complete the FAFSA for the applicable FAFSA year by the deadline.

The US Department of Education provides more than $150 billion in grants, loans, and work-study each year to help pay for college or career school education and most students qualify for some form of financial aid. You should complete your FAFSA as soon as possible. Please be aware of important payment deadlines to ensure successful registration for the semester in which you plan to attend.

We offer live weekly webinars to help you complete your FAFSA. Join us!

Step 1: Create a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)

The FSA ID serves as your electronic signature for the FAFSA and allows you to access your federal student aid details, including student loan information. Dependent students will also need to have at least one parent obtain an FSA ID as well. In cases of divorce/separation, this should be the parent who provides the most financial support. Apply for a FSA ID here.

Tip: Keep your FSA ID and password in a safe place – you’ll use it every year.

Step 2: Gather your income information

The FAFSA requires income information for the student, as well as the student’s spouse or parent(s), as applicable. Most income information you need to provide will be included on tax returns and W-2s. We recommend having these forms available for reference. The following chart indicates which income information you will report based on your planned attendance.

You will also need to provide untaxed income, such as child support received. Please note that social security benefits are not reported on the FAFSA unless they are included in the Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) on your tax return.

Step 3: Gather your Asset Information

The FAFSA will ask the current balance/value of assets for you, your spouse, or parent(s), as applicable. Assets may include the following:

• Current total of cash, savings, and checking accounts
• Current net worth of investments (real estate/rental properties, trust funds, stocks, bonds
• Current net worth of certain businesses and farms

Assets do not include the value of the home/farm you live in, businesses with 100 or fewer full-time (or full-time equivalent) employees, life insurance, retirement plans (401[k] plans, pensions, etc.), and a family-owned commercial fishing business.

Step 4: Complete the FAFSA

Once you’ve gathered your income information and created your FSA ID, you’re ready to complete the FAFSA online. The FAFSA system will guide you step by step, skip any questions that don’t apply to you, and check for errors before you submit

Be sure to list Tri-C’s Federal School Code, 003040, in the school section to ensure we receive your application.

After submission, the U.S. Department of Education will process your FAFSA within 3–5 business days. You’ll then receive a FAFSA Submission Summary, which lists all the information you reported. Review this carefully for accuracy; this is the same information Tri-C receives electronically.

Need assistance? Our financial aid team is here to help. Contact us anytime with questions.

Step 5: Submit Additional Documentation

Some students may need to submit additional documents or are selected for a process called verification. During this process, we compare the information you reported on the FAFSA to the documentation you submit to the Office of Student Financial Aid and Scholarships to confirm your financial aid eligibility. Documents that may need to be provided include, but are not limited to:

• Verification worksheets
• Tax and income documents
• Identity verification documents

If additional information is needed to complete your financial aid award, you will be notified via email. Please submit any requested documentation within two (2) weeks to ensure your financial aid application is processed in a timely manner.

If you do not have a copy of your federal tax return, you can access a copy of your IRS tax return transcript online, by mail, or via phone transcript service at (800)908-9946.

Step 6: What Happens Next?

If no additional documentation is required, or once verification is complete, you will receive an email notification that your financial aid award is available in My Tri-C Space. Your financial aid award will list the aid you qualify for, which may include federal grants, work-study, and student loans. More information about the types of financial aid available can be found on our Student Aid Programs webpage.