Complete the FAFSA/WASFA
Complete an application for federal FAFSA or state financial aid WASFA as early as possible, the application is now open. Your application must be complete by April 30, 2024. It's also a good idea to have a parent or guardian with you to help you answer questions and gather the documents you'll need.
Completing the FAFSA or WASFA is Required
Your total financial aid package is determined by first applying the financial aid you are eligible for, then any other tuition-related scholarships and funding you may receive are applied. Next, the remaining tuition balance is funded by Seattle Promise dollars, available through the Families, Education, Preschool, and Promise (FEPP) levy.
In addition to tuition funding, students with economic need may also receive an equity scholarship to aid with books, supplies, transportation, and other college-related costs. This tiered approach helps your funding go the furthest and maximizes the number of students who can access college. More about how your Seattle Promise scholarship works can be found here.
Important Changes This Year
The 2024-25 FAFSA and WASFA applications have been simplified. Here are a few changes and updates to be aware of.
- Parents and stepparents are called “contributors” on the new form.
You and your parent will need to create your own FSA ID (StudentAid.gov account) as soon as possible. This process will now take 3-5 business days, so plan for extra time. This is because the Social Security Administration must verify you and your parent/guardian's status. For students whose parents are divorced or separated and do not live together, the parent on your FAFSA will be the parent/contributor who provides you with the most financial support. Check out the federal student aid video for more information on contributors.
- Contributor tax information will be transferred from IRS.
Fewer questions are asked about your parents' financial information. Consent and approval for the transfer of tax information is required to receive federal aid. This is required for all, including those who do not have a Social Security Number (SSN) or do not file US taxes. If your parents/guardians have not filed their 2022 taxes, they should work on completing that process as soon as possible. The new FAFSA application requires that financial information be pulled directly from IRS data when possible, so there’s less information to enter manually.
- The calculation to determine aid eligibility has been reformulated and renamed.
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) has been reformulated and given a new name, the Student Aid Index (SAI). This calculation determines a student’s eligibility for certain types of aid. The new methodology removes the number of family members in college from the eligibility calculation. This means families with multiple college students could receive less federal aid for the 2024-25 school year. However, the SAI will expand the Federal Pell Grant to more students, approximately 930,000 additional Pell Grants will be awarded.
- Students can now list up to 20 schools on their FAFSA via the online application.
Don't forget to include the college code you want your FAFSA/WASFA information sent to.
- Seattle Central College School Code is 003787
- North Seattle College School Code is 009704
- South Seattle College School Code is 009706
Questions? Attend an online workshop to get support.