Federal Aid Information

What is FAFSA?

Staff and volunteers help students complete FAFSA.

The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA establishes a student's eligibility to receive federal, state, and private student financial aid. Federal student financial aid means grant, loan and work-study money for your education from the federal government. Federal student assistance programs can help pay for post-secondary education at an accredited college, technical, or vocational school. Students wish to apply for need-based scholarships from The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria, you must first submit the FAFSA. The FAFSA can be submitted at www.FAFSA.ed.Gov.

How does the program work?

The government takes the information you submit on the FAFSA and determines what your family is expected to be able to pay for your post-secondary education. A report of your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is then sent to you and, at your request, the institutions to which you have applied for admission. Once you have been accepted, the institution develops a financial aid package for you that may include federal grants, loans, work-study money, and, perhaps, a state or institutional grant. Add these to your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) and, the hope is, that you have the funds to pay for one year of schooling. If, as often happens, there is a gap between the financial aid you have put together and the cost of college, one source of additional funds is The Scholarship Fund of Alexandria.

Who is eligible to submit the FAFSA?

Anyone may apply who is a citizen of the USA, a lawful resident, or a resident with asylum/refugee status. If you are uncertain about your eligibility to file, please come by the Scholarship Fund office and we will help.

Where and when can I get the FAFSA application?

Information on filling out the FAFSA is available in the Scholarship Fund Office (A-121) and on the Internet at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The FAFSA worksheets are available in the Scholarship Fund Office beginning in December of each year.  Additional help is available online or at 1-800-433-3243 or 1-800-4-Fed Aid.

How do I fill out the FAFSA form?

Line by line help filling out the FAFSA form will be offered at a workshop on December 16, 2010, 7:30 p.m. at T.C. Williams. Help is also available in the Scholarship Fund of Alexandria and Financial Aid Office. To complete FAFSA, you will need information from:

• The student and parent 2009 income tax return (IRS Form 1040, 1040A, or 1040EZ).
• W-2 Forms and other records of money earned in previous year.
• Records of untaxed income, such as welfare, social security, AFDC or ADC, or veterans benefits.
• Current bank statements.
• Current mortgage information.
• Business and farm records.
• Records of stocks, bonds, and other investments.
• Student's driver's license and social security number.

When should I submit the FAFSA form?

The completed application should be submitted as soon after January 1 as you are able. We recommend February 1 at the latest. If you do not have complete tax information for the 2009 tax year by February 1, you should submit the FAFSA based on estimates from your wage and tax statements. Be sure to follow up with corrections as soon as you have filed your 2009 taxes. If you need help or have questions about the FAFSA, please come to the Scholarship Fund office, 7:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday through Friday or call us at 703-824-6730.  You may also email questions to This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .