How to Fill Out the FAFSA: A Step-by-Step Guide for 2025–26
The FAFSA unlocks billions in federal grants and loans every year — but only if you fill it out correctly. Here is every step, simplified.
Find scholarships you actually qualify for, understand student loans, navigate FAFSA, and plan your total college cost — all in one place.
Gates Scholarship
STEMDeadline: Jan 15
$20,000
per year
Dell Scholars Program
Need-BasedDeadline: Dec 1
$10,000
per year
Coca-Cola Scholars
MeritDeadline: Oct 31
$20,000
per year
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Hand-picked opportunities with upcoming deadlines
Ron Brown Scholar Program
Amazon
Society for Science
Pat Tillman Foundation
Harry S. Truman Scholarship Foundation
Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation
Actionable advice from financial aid experts
The FAFSA unlocks billions in federal grants and loans every year — but only if you fill it out correctly. Here is every step, simplified.
Federal loans come with protections private lenders can't match — but private loans sometimes offer lower rates. Here is how to decide.
Being the first in your family to attend college is hard enough — these scholarships specifically reward that courage with real money.
Most scholarship essays sound the same. Here is how to write one that stands out — with a structure used by past winners and expert reviewers.
The SAI replaced the EFC in 2024 and determines how much aid you get. Here is exactly how it is calculated — and legal ways to reduce it.
Tuition is just the beginning. When you add housing, meals, textbooks, and fees, the real cost of college can be 60% higher than what you see on a school's website.
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