How to Apply
To be considered for most forms of financial aid awarded by the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA) you must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The application is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. You must include the school code for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
School Code: 001775
College Name: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Address: 620 East John Street, Champaign, IL 61820-5712
Information on how to complete the FAFSA is available through the Seven Easy Steps to the FAFSA; A Student’s Guide to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid tutorial.
When to file the FAFSA
You must file the FAFSA each year as soon as possible after January 1 for the upcoming aid year (fall, spring, and the following summer). The preferential filing date for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is March 15.
Beginning February 1 each year, the IRS Data Retrieval process is the preferred way to provide income and tax information on the FAFSA. This process allows filers to link to and transfer IRS data to the FAFSA. This should result in a faster and more accurate financial aid application process. The IRS Data Retrieval process should be available through the FAFSA application process approximately two weeks after you electronically complete your federal tax return. If you are required to file a federal tax return, it is recommended that you submit it electronically before completing the FAFSA; however if you have not completed your tax return by March 15, you should submit the FAFSA using estimated income and tax information.
If you complete your FAFSA using estimated information, approximately two weeks after you electronically submit your Federal Tax Return to the IRS, you should go to the FAFSA website and select "Correct your FAFSA" to use the data retrieval process to update previously reported estimated information. Please do not send copies of your tax returns to the Office of Student Financial Aid (OSFA). If any documentation is needed from you in order to complete your financial aid file, you will be contacted by OSFA. In order to be considered an on-time applicant only the FAFSA must be completed by March 15. Additional required documents should be submitted as soon as possible; however they are not required by the March 15 preferred filing date. Detailed information on using the IRS data retrieval is available through the IRS Data Retrieval – 2012-2013 FAFSA tutorial.
Eligibility to file the FAFSA
To be eligible to file the FAFSA and qualify for federal grants and loans, you must
- be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
- be enrolled in an eligible program
- have a high school degree or G.E.D.
- be registered with Selective Service if you are male
- have a valid Social Security Number
- not have been convicted of a drug offense while receiving financial aid
Full FAFSA requirements are available at www.fafsa.ed.gov.
"Seven Easy Steps to the FAFSA" and “IRS Data Retrieval – 2012-2013 FAFSA” were created by University of California Santa Barbara and used with their permission.
