The online FAFSA ®can be found on the Federal Student Aid website. This is the best way to make sure you FAFSA® gets submitted quickly and securely. You will need to log in with your FSA ID (or create a new ID if this is your first time). This can be used to log into many different Department of Education sites, so make sure to remember this ID and password.

If for some reason you cannot complete the FAFSA® online, you can fill out the paper version. While the online FAFSA® is typically received by Texas A&M within one week, the paper version may take up to 3-5 weeks to be received and processed, so we recommend submitting online when possible.

Financial aid funds are limited, so the earlier you can submit your FAFSA®, the better. Remember, the FAFSA® must be completed each year in order for you to receive financial aid.

The FAFSA® is available each year starting on October 1.

Please Note* The 2025-2026 will be available on a very limited availability for selected student submissions beginning October 1, 2024. The 2025-2026 FAFSA® will not be fully available for all students to complete until December 1, 2024.

All applicants for federal student aid are considered either “independent” or “dependent.” Dependent students are required to include information about their parents on the FAFSA®. By answering a few questions, you can get a good idea of which category you fit into.

• Will you be 24 or older by Dec. 31 of the school year for which you are applying for financial aid?
• Will you be working toward a master’s or doctorate degree (such as M.A., M.B.A., M.D., J.D., Ph.D., Ed.D., etc.)?
• Are you married or separated but not divorced?
• Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you?
• Do you have dependents (other than children or a spouse) who live with you and receive more than half of their support from you?
• At any time since you turned age 13, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a ward or dependent of the court?
• Are you an emancipated minor or are you in a legal guardianship as determined by a court?
• Are you an unaccompanied youth who is homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless?
• Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. armed forces for purposes other than training?
• Are you a veteran of the U.S. armed forces?
  
  

If none of the criteria listed above apply to you, you are considered a dependent student and are required to provide your parents’ financial information when completing the FAFSA®.  If you are unable to provide parent information, please contact our office. If you answered yes to any of these questions, then you are an independent student. You are not required to provide parental information on your FAFSA®. Beginning with the 2024 - 2025 FAFSA®, independent students will not be given the option to provide parent information.

If you have questions about your dependency status or need more information, please visit StudentAid.gov/dependency.

Occasionally, unusual circumstances may exist that warrant a review of a student's dependency status. Please contact us by telephone at 979.847.1787 for more information.

Per Federal regulations, Scholarships & Financial Aid cannot consider the following conditions as an unusual circumstance for a dependency status change:

• Parents refuse to contribute to the student’s education;
• Parents are unwilling to provide information on the FAFSA® or for verification;
• Parents do not claim the student as a dependent for income tax purposes;
• Student demonstrates total self-sufficiency.

Contributor refers to anyone who is required to provide information, consent and approval, and a signature on the FAFSA® form. 

Contributors may include: 

• Student
• Student’s Spouse
• Biological or adoptive parent
• Stepparent

For reporting purposes, “parent contributor” means your legal (biological or adoptive) parent or stepparent, or a person that the state has determined to be your legal parent. 

Use this guide to figure out which parent’s information to include (depending on your family's situation).

Question 1: Are your parents married to each other? 

If yes, then report information for both parents on the FAFSA®.

If no, then answer question 2.

Question 2: Do your parents live together? 

If yes, then report information for both parents on the FAFSA®, even if they were never married, are divorced, or are separated.

If no, then answer question 3.

Question 3: Did you live with one parent more than the other over the past 12 months?

If yes, then report information on the FAFSA® for the parent you lived with more. Also, if this parent remarried, you will need to report information for your stepparent on the FAFSA®.
 
If no, then report information on the FAFSA® for the parent who provided more financial support over the past 12 months or in the last year you received support. Also, if this parent remarried, you will need to report information for your stepparent on the FAFSA®. 

The following people are not your parents unless they have legally adopted you:

• Widowed Stepparent
• Grandparents
• Foster Parents
• Legal Guardians
• Older Brothers or Sisters
• Aunts or Uncles
  
  

If you’re not sure whom to report as a parent, you can visit the Student Aid website or call 800-4-FED-AID (800-433-3243).

The Student Aid Index (SAI) is an evaluation of your family’s ability to contribute to college expenses. The SAI is calculated using a formula established by law. All the financial information you provide on the FAFSA® is considered in the formula. Also considered are your family size and the number of family members who will attend college during the year. Schools use the SAI to determine your federal student aid eligibility and financial aid offer.

Note: Your SAI is not the amount of money your family will have to pay for college nor is it the amount of federal student aid you will receive. It is a number used by the school to calculate the amount of financial aid you are eligible to receive.

The FAFSA® asks for income information from two years ago, but we understand that a lot can change in two years. If you experienced a change in your financial situation, we may be able to review your application to take this into account. Please see the information regarding special circumstances on our Apply for Aid page for more details.