Guidance for Families 

Financial Aid Requirement

Understand Texas’ financial aid application graduation requirement

Texas Education Code states that students must take one of the following actions to graduate:

• • Complete and submit the FAFSA
  • Complete and submit the TASFA
  • Submit a signed opt-out form to their high school counselor
    

How students may opt out

Students and families may choose to complete an opt-out form, with a Spanish opt-out form also available, based on their needs and personal circumstances. However, parents and guardians do not need to provide a reason for choosing to opt out of the financial aid application graduation requirement. Regardless of the option selected, school counselors and advisors can continue to help students and families understand the benefits of completing a financial aid application and the resources available to support them. Keep in mind that students who opt out of the requirement can still complete and submit financial aid applications if they change their minds. 

Students can opt out of completing the financial aid application in one of three ways: 

• • Option I: Your student is aged 18 years or older or is an emancipated minor under Chapter 31, Texas Family Code. 

• • Option II: You (parent or legal guardian) decline on the student’s behalf or authorize the student to decline. Signature requirements depend on the option selected on the form. 

• • Option III: Your student’s school counselor authorizes the student to decline for good cause, as defined by local policy. Both the student and school counselor must sign the opt-out form. 

Understand how financial aid helps students.

Financial aid is money to help pay for college or training after high school. By submitting the financial aid application, students can get financial aid for the upcoming school year. So even if your student isn’t sure about attending college now, completing an application leaves the door open for this decision later in the year.

The financial aid application process can be confusing, and some families may not be sure if completing an application is the right choice for their student. Some families may even be nervous about completing an application that requires sensitive personal information. Check out this helpful resource on Debunking Financial Aid Myths in English or Debunking Financial Aid Myths in Spanish to learn the truth about these applications so that you can make the best decision for your student.

Availability of aid
Financial aid comes in many forms, including grants, scholarships, and loans. It also comes from many sources. The federal government, state agencies, colleges, private companies, and banks are a few. This variety helps make it possible for students to qualify for financial support, regardless of their family’s background or financial situation. Completing a financial aid application does not mean that a student is required to accept any funds offered, including student loans. Families should decide what type of aid and how much they want to accept based on their situation and needs.

Free aid
As mentioned, student loans aren’t the only form of financial aid out there. Students must submit the appropriate financial aid application to be considered for federal aid and many state and institutional aid programs. Some scholarship providers also use the FAFSA or TASFA information, while others have separate application requirements. Grants and scholarships generally do not have to be repaid. However, remind students to review the terms of each award to understand all the conditions. 

Understanding the Lingo
What’s the difference between grants and loans? What does net price mean, and what does my Student Aid Index (SAI) have to do with it? If you find yourself asking these questions, or others, you may want to familiarize yourself with common financial aid terms. Federal Student Aid’s Dictionary provides a helpful list of all the terms you need to know. 

Long-term impact on student goals
By the year 2030, it’s predicted that at least 60% of jobs in Texas will require some form of higher education credentials or training. Attending college or getting training after high school helps today’s students compete in tomorrow’s workforce. Why not apply for money that can help them do that?

Help your student prepare for the application.

As your student gets ready to complete a financial aid application, they may need your support in the following areas:

• • Figuring out which application to complete
  • Determining their dependency status
  • Determining which parental income to report on the application
  • Gathering necessary information and materials
  • Keeping track of important dates and deadlines
  • Avoiding common errors

Figuring out which application to complete

Students will submit one of the following applications to apply for financial aid:

• • FAFSA
    • Online FAFSA application for federal, state, and institutional aid
    • Only available to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and certain eligible noncitizens*
  • TASFA
    • Online or paper TASFA application for state and institutional aid
    • Available to Texas residents who are not eligible to complete the FAFSA. You can also access the Spanish State Financial Aid Eligibility resource for extra guidance on Texas residency requirements. 

Note: Some institutions may require the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA or TASFA. Be sure your student reviews the institution’s financial aid website to find more information. 

Determining student dependency status and which parent to report

When applying for financial aid, students are considered either dependent or independent. Financial aid dependency is not the same as IRS/tax dependency. Dependent students must report parent income information on their application. As a reminder, “parent” only refers to biological or adoptive parents.

The following resources can help you figure out your student’s dependency status and which parent (if any) to report on their financial aid application:

• • Determining dependency status  

• • • Financial aid dependency guide in English  

• • • Financial aid dependency guide in Spanish 

• • Which parent(s) to include for financial aid applications 

• • • Who's my parent? infographic in English  

• • • Who's my parent? infographic in Spanish 

• • How to report parent income for financial aid applications 

• • • Reporting parent information in English  

• • • Reporting parent information in Spanish 

• • Answers to frequently asked questions about financial aid 

• • • Financial Aid FAQs in English  

• • • Financial Aid FAQs in Spanish 

Gathering necessary information

Completing the financial aid application is much easier if you have the information you need to complete the form. Students and parents of dependent students may need the following to complete their application:

• • Social Security number or alien registration number (if an eligible noncitizen) 

• • StudentAid.gov accounts for the student and each required contributor 

• • Information needed to invite contributors, such as email addresses 

• • Federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned from the prior-prior tax year (two years before the year you’re completing the application) 

• • Bank statements and records of all investments and businesses 

• • Records of untaxed income (if applicable) 

• • Current balances for cash, checking, and savings accounts 

See the Financial Aid Application Checklist in English or Financial Aid Application Checklist in Spanish for a list of materials needed to complete the application. Encourage your student to connect with the college’s financial aid office about any extra documentation they may need from them.

Resource spotlight: Watch Federal Student Aid’s Create and Access Your StudentAid.gov Account to learn how to create an account.

Note: Students should use a personal email address for any financial aid or college accounts. Students will lose their district-assigned email addresses after they graduate high school.

Keeping track of important dates and deadlines

Financial aid is offered in annual cycles that run from July 1 to June 30 of the following year. Students should complete an application for the year they are requesting financial aid, and not the current academic year.

The financial aid applications (FAFSA, TASFA, and CSS Profile) are available October 1 each year. This is the earliest date that a student can complete and submit their application to apply for aid during the upcoming school year. Financial aid is often awarded on a first-come, first-served basis, so encourage your student to apply as quickly and accurately as possible after October 1. 

Help your student keep track of the following financial aid deadlines:

• • State priority deadline – Many Texas institutions use January 15 as the priority deadline for state financial aid. Applying by this date may improve a student’s opportunity to receive limited funds, but it does not guarantee an award.
  • College deadline – Each college sets its own financial aid deadline. Encourage your student to double check each college’s deadline. In some cases, it may be earlier than the state priority deadline.
  • Federal deadline – The federal filing deadline is June 30 of the financial aid award year. However, we strongly encourage students to apply by the earliest priority deadline set by the state or college. The longer students wait to apply, the less likely financial aid will be available.

Keep in mind that students need to apply for financial aid every year they’re in school. Visit Federal Student Aid to learn more about when to apply for FAFSA Application Deadlines in English or the FAFSA Application Deadlines in Spanish.

Resource Spotlight: Your student can receive free virtual advising support via text message! The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board developed a chatbot named ADVi  - short for advisor – to provide on-demand support to Texas students to help ensure that they receive the information they need to access higher education. When your student signs up to receive text messages from ADVi, they get: 

• •  weekly tips and reminders about upcoming deadlines, along with nudges to complete key college application and enrollment milestones; 
  • 24/7 access to an AI-powered virtual advisor that can answer questions via text; 

• • backup support from our virtual advisors if a student has needs or questions beyond what ADVi can provide; 

• • information and tips to help with college applications, planning, and financial aid; and 

• • resources to help navigate the transition to college. 

High school seniors can opt in through either My Texas Future or ApplyTexas. If your student doesn’t receive an invitation to sign up for ADVi on their account dashboard, they can also update their account settings and turn on SMS/Text Message Notifications to begin receiving ADVi text messages. 

Once they’re opted in to ADVi, they should receive their first text within a week! 

Currently, ADVi only sends outgoing text messages in English. However, students can ask ADVi to respond to questions in a different language by using #language (Don’t forget the #!). They can also text #human at any time to forward a message to a trained college advisor for personalized support. 

Avoiding common student errors

Financial aid applications can be complex, and even small errors may delay processing or require corrections. Check out these helpful videos from Federal Student Aid to answer some common questions and help you avoid mistakes on your student’s FAFSA:

• • How do I complete the FAFSA form if my parent is a noncitizen?
  • How do I create a StudentAid.gov account if I don’t have a Social Security number?
  • How do I complete the FAFSA form if my parents are divorced or separated?
  • Why do my contributors and I need our own StudentAid.gov accounts for the FAFSA form?
  • What does it mean to provide consent and approval on the FAFSA form?

Know where to get additional support. 

You aren’t the only person who can help your student complete a financial aid application. Ask your student’s school counselor or advisor about financial aid events or other opportunities for support. Some schools host campus-wide events on nights or weekends. Others have financial aid “office hours” during the school day. Your student may also be able to work on their application during class. Remind your student what information they’ll need if this is the case.

Before meeting with a school counselor or other financial aid advisor, preview the application so you better understand where you and your student need help.

• • FAFSA: Use the PDF version of the FAFSA to see all the questions your students will need to answer when completing the application online. You can also find the Spanish pdf version of the FAFSA through the FSA website.
  • TASFA: Print a copy of the English TASFA application or the Spanish TASFA application and highlight any confusing places. Be sure to review the notes on pages 7–13, which answer a lot of common questions. Or use these helpful resources to guide you through completing your student’s TASFA: 

• • • Online TASFA Walkthrough in English or in Online TASFA Walkthrough in Spanish

• • • Annotated Paper TASFA in English or Annotated Paper TASFA in Spanish 

Resource Spotlight: The amount of information out there can be overwhelming. One resource that you and your student can access is the Pay for college tab from My Texas Future. It has topics outlining College Costs and Savings, Explore Financial Aid, Compare types of aid, and Apply for scholarships. It will help you both understand costs associated with postsecondary institutions, types of aid available, and access to scholarship opportunities.

Help your student with next steps

Submitting a financial aid application is only the first step to getting money for college or training after high school. Learn how to support your student in what comes next.

• Make sure their application was correctly submitted and received by the college. Students filing FAFSA can check their Federal Student Aid account by logging in with the username and password they created when they submitted the application. Students who submit the Online TASFA can log in and check the Applications page to see which colleges they selected and when they sent the application. They should contact each college’s financial aid office to confirm receipt, provide any additional documentation, and check their eligibility or award status. Students submitting a paper TASFA should follow each institution’s submission instructions and contact the financial aid office directly.
• FAFSA only: Review the FAFSA Submission Summary. This document will show your Student Aid Index and an estimate of the financial aid you may be eligible to receive. Encourage your student to look over the section “Next Steps". To learn more, watch the video "What Happens After Submitting Your FAFSA Form?" from the Federal Student Aid website.
• Respond to verification requests. Students may be asked to submit additional paperwork if their application is selected for verification. If selected for verification, colleges and universities may request a copy of your tax return transcript or other information to verify eligibility for aid. To learn more about what happens after your FAFSA Form is processed, visit Federal Student Aid’s How to Review and Correct Your FAFSA Form page.
• Decide what aid to accept. Students can choose to select some, all, or none of the financial aid offered to them. Have your student review Questions to consider for award letters in English or Questions to consider for award letters in Spanish to better analyze their financial aid offers. In general, encourage your student to accept gift aid, such as scholarships and grants, before accepting loans. If they're accepting loans, make sure you and your student understand the loan terms and interest rates. Students should also pay attention to whether the aid they’re receiving is renewable in future years. For more information, read Federal Student Aid’s Accepting Financial Aid page. You can also use uAspire’s College Cost Calculator to help analyze and compare financial aid offers. 
• Consider if your situation has changed. Your student’s financial aid award is based on prior-prior year income. That means students applying to receive financial aid to attend college in the 2027–2028 school year will provide income information from 2025 tax returns. A lot can change in two years! People can move or lose jobs. New circumstances may arise that affect your income or ability to pay for tuition. If you feel like your student’s financial aid application does not reflect your current situation, your student can appeal their award offers after their application has been processed by their schools. Students should contact the school they plan to attend to confirm their appeal process. The school will likely request an appeal letter. Use the following resources from uAspire to learn how to craft an appeal letter and review sample templates: 
  • How to appeal your financial aid 
  • Sample financial aid appeal letters 

• Learn how aid is paid out. Depending on the type of aid offered, students may need to complete additional steps. For example, students receiving federal loans must complete entrance counseling and sign a master promissory note. Students offered work-study will need to apply for work-study jobs at their college. Read Federal Student Aid’s Receiving Financial Aid page to learn more about how and when your student can expect to receive their student aid payments.
• Understand how to stay eligible for aid. Students must submit a financial aid application every year that they need financial aid. Students should get familiar with both federal and school policies for maintaining financial aid eligibility. Read Federal Student Aid’s Staying Eligible page to find more information about what your student must do to keep receiving their federal student aid.

Big takeaway: Encourage students to check any communication portals frequently. This includes their email, their FSA account, any college application portals they’ve created, and regular postal mail.

These steps might look different for students completing the TASFA. Encourage your student to contact the colleges they’re applying to if they have questions or concerns about applying, receiving, or maintaining eligibility for financial aid. 

• PDF: Learning the facts about financial aid 

• • Debunking financial aid myths in English or 

• •  Debunking financial aid myths in Spanish 

• Article: Federal Student Aid’s Dictionary 

• Article: Federal aid eligibility 

• PDF: Texas residency requirements  

• • Financial aid eligibility in English or  

• • Financial aid eligibility in Spanish 

• PDF: Determining dependency status 

• • Financial aid dependency guide in English or 

• •  Financial aid dependency guide in Spanish 

• PDF: Determining which parent information to include 

• • Who’s my parent? infographic in English or 

• •  Who's my parent? infographic in Spanish 

• Article: Student dependency status:  

• • Reporting Parent Information in English or 

• •  Reporting parent information in Spanish 

• Presentation: Frequently asked questions about financial aid 

• • Financial Aid FAQs in English or 

• •  Financial Aid FAQs in Spanish 

• PDF: Materials needed to complete financial aid forms Financial aid application checklist 

• •  Financial aid application checklist in English or 

• •  Financial aid application checklist in Spanish 

• Homepage: StudentAid.gov account 
• Video: Create and Access Your StudentAid.gov Account
• PDF: Download and complete the FAFSA (English) or Solicitud Gratuita de Ayuda Federal para Estudiantes (Spanish)
• Video: How do I complete the FAFSA form if my parent is a noncitizen?
• Video: How do I create a StudentAid.gov account if I don’t have a Social Security number?
• Video: How do I complete the FAFSA form if my parents are divorced or separated?
• Video: Why do my contributors and I need our own StudentAid.gov accounts for the FAFSA form?
• Video: What does it mean to provide consent and approval on the FAFSA form?
• Article: Important FAFSA dates and deadlines (English) or Fechas límite de la FAFSA (Spanish)
• Article: How to review and correct your FAFSA
• Article: What is the FAFSA Submission Summary?
• Video: What happens after submitting your FASFA Form?

• Homepage: Complete the TASFA (available in both English and Spanish)
• Presentation: Online TASFA Walkthrough (English)
• Presentation: Online TASFA Walkthrough (Spanish)
• PDF: Annotated Paper TASFA (English)
• PDF: Annotated Paper TASFA (Spanish)

• Homepage: College cost calculator
• Homepage: Student loan information center (English) or Préstamos estudiantiles (Spanish)
• PDF: Analyzing award letters 
  •  Questions to consider for award letters in English or 
  •  Questions to consider for award letters in Spanish 

• Article: Special circumstances appeal letter
  • How to appeal your financial aid
  • Sample financial aid appeal letters 
• Article: Accepting financial aid
• Article: Receiving financial aid
• Article: Staying eligible