Dallas Baptist University

top of Mahler Student Center at DBU
  1. Home
  2. Financial Aid
  3. Financial Aid Resources
  4. Completing the FAFSA

Completing the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important step in the financial aid process for both incoming and current students.

  • Current academic year: The FAFSA remains open through June 30 following the end of this academic year.
  • Upcoming academic year: The FAFSA is typically available beginning October 1 for the upcoming academic year. To apply for federal student aid, visit the Federal Student Aid (FSA) FAFSA website to complete the application for the appropriate academic year.

After you submit your FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education will send your processed information to the schools you listed on your application. Be sure to include Dallas Baptist University, using school code: 003560.

DBU Financial Aid is available to assist you with questions about completing the FAFSA. However, we cannot answer questions about your financial aid eligibility or status until we receive your FAFSA information.

Who Should Complete the FAFSA

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) helps determine your eligibility for federal financial aid and is an important step in the financial aid process at Dallas Baptist University (DBU). Both current and incoming students should complete the FAFSA for the academic year in which they plan to attend.

  • Currently enrolled students: If you are currently attending DBU and have not yet completed the FAFSA for the current academic year, you may still submit it through June 30 following the end of the academic year.
  • Incoming students: If you plan to begin attending DBU in the upcoming academic year, complete the FAFSA for that academic year to be considered for available financial aid. The FAFSA typically is made available each fall term (October 1) for the next academic year.

What Can I Do to Get Prepared?

Determine your eligibility status. Find out whether you are considered a dependent or independent student. This will help you understand what information needs to be provided on the FAFSA.

  • First-time filers: You will need to create an FSA ID on studentaid.gov. To do this, you’ll need a working email address (not tied to your school account).
  • Returning filers: You’ll need to remember your FSA ID username and password so you have it readily available when it’s time to file.
  • If you cannot retrieve your username or password, call the FSA Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 for assistance.

Whose Information Goes on the FAFSA?

Dependent Students: If you are considered dependent, you will need to provide both your information and your parent’s information. Both the student and parents must create an FSA ID.

For dependent students with divorced parents, the parent who provides the most financial support will need to provide their financial information. For more information on who qualifies as your parent on the FAFSA, please visit the Reporting Parent Information page to learn more about who is considered your parent when filing the FAFSA.

Independent Students: If you meet the criteria to be considered an independent student, only your information and, if applicable, your spouse’s information will be used on the FAFSA.

Special or Unusual Circumstances

If you cannot provide parental information due to special or unusual circumstances, such as homelessness or foster care, you can still file the FAFSA to the best of your ability. Follow the prompts on the FAFSA to proceed with this process. The DBU Financial Aid Office will reach out if additional information is needed once we begin receiving FAFSA applications. 

What Information is Collected by the FAFSA Form?

The FAFSA will ask questions about you and your family’s financial situation, including:

  • Demographic information (name, Social Security number, birthdate)
  • Federal tax information (income, business and farm assets, investments like stocks and bonds)

Most financial information is collected through the FAFSA Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX). You and your parent(s), if you are a dependent student, must provide consent and approval to share your federal tax information with the FAFSA.

The FAFSA uses prior-prior year tax information, meaning it generally relies on federal tax records from two years before the academic year for which you are applying. Your family size will generally be determined using information from those tax records. If your family size has changed since the tax year used for your application, you may be prompted to answer additional questions to provide updated information.

What if My Parent Doesn’t Have a Social Security Number?

If your parent does not have a Social Security Number (SSN), they can still complete the FAFSA by following the instructions located on this FSA webpage.

It is important to ensure that all information entered on the FAFSA form matches exactly with what is entered on the StudentAid.gov account. Even small discrepancies can cause errors that prevent the contributor from completing the FAFSA form.

Note: This process is different when the student does not have an SSN. For more detailed guidance and assistance, students and contributors can refer to the official Federal Student Aid website or contact their financial aid office at the institution they are applying to.

Scams

The FAFSA form is FREE. If a website asks you to pay to fill it out, you are not on the official FAFSA site. Always visit studentaid.gov to access the correct website.

Terms to Know

Student Aid Index (SAI): calculated by the FAFSA data; will determine student aid eligibility. This replaces the EFC that was used in previous years

Cost of Attendance (COA): includes tuition and fees, food and housing, books and supplies, miscellaneous expenses, and transportation

Contributor: a parent, stepparent, student, or spouse of the student who is providing information for the FAFSA.

Consent: required from all contributors in order for the IRS to share tax data directly to the FAFSA. If any contributor does not provide consent to share the tax data, the student will automatically be ineligible for aid

FA-Direct Data Exchange (FA-DDX): previously known as IRS Data Retrieval, this tool imports tax data directly from the IRS to the FAFSA

FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS): A summary of the completed FAFSA information. This replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) that was used previously

FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)

After the FAFSA has been processed, the Federal Student Aid office will send a FAFSA Submission Summary to you and an electronic version to DBU. This contains all the information you provided on the FAFSA, including your family's financial details, the list of schools you are applying to, and your Student Aid Index (SAI). Essentially, it's confirmation that your FAFSA has been processed and a summary of the information you've submitted. Financial Aid offices use your SAI to guide them as they put together a package of grants, scholarships, and loans that will make it financially possible for you to attend their school.

The FSS also indicates whether you have been selected for a process called verification and whether you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant. If you do not have a copy of your FSS, you can request a duplicate copy from the Federal Student Aid Information Center by calling 1-800-433-3243.