FAFSA Renewal Email Campaign: October December 2016

FAFSA Renewal Email Campaign: October–December 2016

Audience: 2016–17 Non-Pell Recipients 2016–17

Subject line: Important: Renew your FAFSA now

Dear {First Name},

It’s time for you to renew your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) if you are going to school between July 1, 2017 and June 30, 2018.

Renew My FAFSA(button)

Two Big Changes to This Year’s FAFSA

The FAFSA launched on October 1, three months earlier than in previous years. Complete your FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize your financial aid eligibility.

The 2017–18 FAFSA asks for older (2015) income and tax information than in previous years. This makes it easier to complete your FAFSA because, at this point, most people have already filed their 2015 taxes and can transfer their tax information directly into the FAFSA right away using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. This is fast, accurate, and lessens the amount of paperwork that may be required by your school.

Start Your FAFSA

Go to fafsa.gov.
Click the green “Start a New FAFSA” button.
Enter your (the student’s) FSA ID (username and password) on the left side. Remember: Do not share your FSA ID with anyone, including your parents.
From the “Get Started” page, click the “FAFSA Renewal” button to begin.
Create a save key. This is a temporary password that will let you (a) return to the application later if you don’t complete it right away, and (b) share your application with your parent.

Fill Out and Submit Your FAFSA

Help is available for every question in the “Help & Hints” boxes on the FAFSA.

Much of your information will be carried forward from last year. Review that information and update it as needed.
Your income and tax information won’t be carried over, but you can easily transfer the information from the IRS in the “Financial Information” section. Just select that you’ve “Already completed” taxes, then click “Link To IRS.”
Once you are done entering all your information, be sure to sign and submit the form. You aren’t done until you reach the “Confirmation Page,” which you should read carefully and save for your records.

Your state and school probably have deadlines earlier than the federal deadline. State deadline information is available here. Check your school website or with your school’s financial aid office for any school deadlines.

Thank you,

U.S. Department of Education

Federal Student Aid

Audience:2016–17 IndependentPell Recipients

Subject line: Important: Renew your FAFSA now

Dear [First Name],

Next year’sFAFSA® launched early—it’s time to re-apply for the Pell Grant.

If you want to apply for the Pell Grant again for next year, you need to renew your FAFSA.

Plus, several states and schools have “first-come, first-served” financial aid programs that can run out of money quickly. Don’t miss out on financial aid—submit your FAFSA as soon as possible!

Start the FAFSA(button)

Remember to use your FSA ID when starting the FAFSA. This will speed up the process and help you avoid common mistakes. If you're a dependent student, your parent will need an FSA ID to sign your FAFSA online.

Two Major Changes to the 2017–18 FAFSA:

The FAFSA launched on October 1, three months earlier than in previous years. Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize your financial aid.
The FAFSA now requires last year’s (2015) tax information. This makes it easier to complete your FAFSA! Since you have already filed your 2015 taxes, you can electronically import your tax information directly into the FAFSA. This is fast, accurate, and reduces the amount of paperwork that may be required by your school.

What happens if I wait to fill out the FAFSA?

You could miss out on lots of money for college. Some states and schools have limited financial aid to offer and some types of aid are awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Fill out the FAFSA right now if you want to get as much financial aid as possible! (Even if your deadlines aren’t for a while.)

If I fill out the FAFSA now, will I have to update it after I file 2016 taxes?

No. For your 2017–18 FAFSA, you only provide 2015 tax information. You do NOT provide 2016 tax information, even after you’ve filed 2016 taxes.

What if my income has gone down since 2015? Can I report my 2016 tax info instead?

No. You do not have the option to report your 2016 info on your FAFSA. We understand that for some families, 2015 income information may not accurately reflect your current financial situation. If you have experienced a loss of income since the 2015 tax year, complete the FAFSA with your 2015 info, and then contact the financial aid office at your school to explain and document your change in income.They have the ability to review your situation and may consider making adjustments to your FAFSA.

For more information on the FAFSA changes, go to StudentAid.gov/fafsa-changes. To start the FAFSA, go to fafsa.gov.

Thank you,

U.S. Department of Education

Federal Student Aid

Audience:2016–17 DependentPell Recipients

Subject line: Important: Renew your FAFSA now

Dear [First Name],

Next year’s FAFSA® launched early—it’s time to re-apply for the Pell Grant.

If you want to apply for the Pell Grant again for next year, you need to renew your FAFSA.

Start the FAFSA(button)

Two Major Changes to the 2017–18 FAFSA:

The FAFSA launched on October 1, three months earlier than in previous years. Complete the FAFSA as soon as possible to maximize your financial aid.
The FAFSA now requires last year’s (2015) tax information. This makes it easier to complete your FAFSA! Since you and/or your parents have already filed your 2015 taxes, you can electronically import your tax information directly into the FAFSA. This is fast, accurate, and reduces the amount of paperwork that may be required by your school.

What happens if I wait to fill out the FAFSA?

Do I need to provide my parent’s information on my FAFSA?

Even if you fully support yourself, pay your own bills, and file your own taxes, you may still be considered a dependent student for federal student aid purposes. If that’s the case, then you’ll need to provide parent information on your FAFSA. Dependency guidelines for the FAFSA are determined by Congress and are different from those of the IRS. Find out whether you need to provide parent information by answering these questions.

If I fill out the FAFSA now, will I have to update it after I file 2016 taxes?

No. For your 2017–18 FAFSA, you only provide 2015 tax information. You do NOT provide 2016 tax information, even after you’ve filed 2016 taxes.

What if my family’s income has gone down since 2015? Can we report our 2016 tax info instead?

No. You do not have the option to report your 2016 info on your FAFSA. We understand that for some families, 2015 income information may not accurately reflect your current financial situation. If you have experienced a loss of income since the 2015 tax year, complete the FAFSA with your 2015 info, and then contact the financial aid office at your school to explain and document the change in income.They have the ability to review your situation and may consider making adjustments to your FAFSA.

For more information on the FAFSA changes, go to StudentAid.gov/fafsa-changes. To start the FAFSA, go to fafsa.gov.

Remember to share this information with your parent(s)!

Thank you,

U.S. Department of Education

Federal Student Aid