Applying for Financial Aid for the 2024-2025 Academic Year.

CMCC uses the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid. The FAFSA is now available for students to use to apply for financial aid for fall 2024 and spring 2025.  There have been significant changes made to the FAFSA that students should be aware of as they prepare to apply for financial aid. For example, the number of questions on the FAFSA has decreased from over 100 to less than 40.  Please read through all of the information below as we believe it will help you understand the changes to the FAFSA and to successfully navigate the FAFSA process.

Create your FSA ID

The first thing that you will need do to file the FAFSA is to create a Federal Student Aid Account. When setting up the account, you will be creating an FSA ID. This is your username and password. To create your FSA ID, go to StudentAid.gov and click on “Create Account.” If you already have an FSA ID, it is a good idea to log in to your account to confirm that all of your contact information is still correct.

If you are required to provide parental information on your FAFSA, one or both of your parents will also need to create an FSA ID. This is true even for individuals who do not have Social Security Numbers.

Once you create your FSA ID, it takes the Social Security Administration 3 working days to validate your Social Security Number before you can use your FSA ID, so do not wait until the last minute to start this process!

If you feel you need help in setting up your FSA ID, we encourage you to watch this video from the Finance Authority of Maine: Creating an FSA ID – YouTube

The FAFSA and Your Contributors

Every person, including you the student, who provides information for your FAFSA is referred to as a ‘contributor.’ A contributor is anyone required to provide information, a signature, and consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly to the student’s FAFSA.

Contributors may include the student, the student’s spouse, a biological or adoptive parent, or a stepparent. Contributors are not financially responsible for the student’s education.

For information on who is considered a contributor, please review this video from the U.S. Department of Education: Who Is a Contributor on the 2024–25 FAFSA® Form?

New Consent and Approval Process

You the student and any contributors identified on your FAFSA must provide consent and approval. This consent and approval must be provided even if one of the contributors does not have a Social Security Number, did not file taxes, or filed taxes outside of the United States.

If any of the student’s contributors fails to provide consent and approval or refuses to provide them, the student will not be eligible for federal student financial aid.

When the student and their contributors provide consent and approval to the U.S. Department of Education on the FAFSA, they are agreeing to:

• Share personally identifiable information provided on the FAFSA with the IRS;
• Have federal tax information transferred directly to the FAFSA;
• Allow the U.S. Department of Education to use the federal income tax information to determine the student’s eligibility for federal financial aid;
• Allow the U.S. Department of Education to share the federal income tax information with colleges and universities listed on the student’s FAFSA, as well as higher education agencies such as the Finance Authority of Maine.

What You Will Need to Complete the FAFSA

If you are considered a dependent student who is required to provide parental information, you and your parent(s) will need:

• Your FSA ID
• Your Social Security Number, legal name, date of birth, and email address
• Your 2022 federal income tax returns (including schedules)
• Your current bank statements

Your parent(s) will also need the same information listed above. If your parents are married and filed a joint federal income tax return for 2022, only one of your parents needs to have an FSA ID.

If you are considered an independent student who is not required to provide parental information, you will need:

• Your FSA ID; if you are married and you and your spouse filed separate tax returns for 2022, your spouse will also need an FSA ID.
• Your Social Security Number, legal name, date of birth, and email address
• Your (and if married, your spouse’s) 2022 federal income tax returns (including schedules)
• Your current bank statements

To ensure that Central Maine Community College receives your FAFSA, be sure to include our school code, which is 005276.

Time frame for you to Receive Your Financial Aid Notification from CMCC

The U.S. Department has announced that they will begin providing students’ FAFSA information to colleges in the first half of March 2024, and on a rolling basis thereafter.  CMCC will begin emailing financial aid award notifications to students during the second half of March 2024.