FAFSA Help

Here you will find answers to common financial aid questions, helpful FAFSA resources, links to additional websites, and other tips that can help students and families navigate the world of financial aid.

Watch the “Preparing for the FAFSA Form” playlist videos from Federal Student Aid to understand what information and documents you’ll need to fill out the FAFSA form.

ICAN has served the educational community and the students of Iowa since 1998. Their team of advisors are available to help Iowa students and families navigate the college planning process and provide personal assistance in completing the FAFSA.

Schedule a session with an ICAN Advisor.

2025-26 FAFSA Checklist: 

2024-25 FAFSA Checklist:

View the Federal Student Aid (FSA) YouTube videos playlist “2024–25 FAFSA FAQs” to better understand what’s changed on the new FAFSA.

An FSA ID consists of an account username and password that you create in order to gain access to the U.S. Department of Education's online systems, including StudentAid.gov. An FSA ID can also serve as your legal signature when completing electronic documents.

You'll need your Social Security number (SSN) (if applicable) and your own email address to create an FSA ID.

Students and contributors completing the FAFSA for the first time must create their StudentAid.gov Account (FSA ID) AND have it verified prior to starting a FAFSA.

ICAN Help Page

Create your FSA ID Account

Protect your StudentAid.gov Account Information

Store your information in a secure location. Do not share it with anyone. You will need your account information in order to complete the FAFSA each year, as well as to receive and manage your federal student aid. Student loan borrowers will use the account information to complete required loans steps as a first time loan borrower (Master Promissory Note - MPN and Loan Entrance Counseling) as well as the required Loan Exit Counseling when you graduate from college or stop out from school at any time.

Citizens of the Freely Associated States include the three entities:

  • The Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH)
  • The Federated States of Micronesia (FM)
  • The Republic of Palau (PW)

If you're a citizen of the Freely Associated States you can complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form.

How do I submit a FAFSA® form if I'm from the Freely Associated States?

You will complete the FAFSA as any other student would, however a few questions will require that you answer in a specific way regarding your state residency, citizenship status and A-Number. You should answer the following questions on your FAFSA form in this manner:

  • Legal Residence State? - Select the appropriate Freely Associated State that you are from (MH, FM, PW)
  • Citizenship Status? - Select that you are an Eligible Noncitizen
  • Alien Registration Number (A-Number)? - Leave the A-Number item blank

Because you aren't providing an A-Number, your application won't go through the DHS match. NICC will request documentation of your Freely Associated States citizenship. You should have a passport from the Freely Associated States or a I-94 form that you will present to the Financial Aid Office to complete the approval process.

Federal Student Aid Help Page - Eligibility for Non U.S. Citizens

What types of financial aid am I eligible for?

Students who are citizens of the Freely Associated States may be eligible for Federal Pell Grants, FSEOG and Federal Work Study, but are not eligible for Direct Loans.

You may also be eligible for state of Iowa grants from Iowa College Aid if you meet the student eligbility criteria (FAFSA filing deadline, program of study, SAI, etc.). These grants may include the Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, Iowa Kibbie Grant and Iowa Vocational-Technical Grant.

A contributor refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student's form (such as a parent/stepparent or spouse). A student's or parent's answers on the FAFSA will determine which contributors (if any) will be required to provide information.

If you are a dependent student for FAFSA purposes, you'll need to provide information about your parents. Refer to Federal Student Aid to help determine which parent's information you will need to report on the FAFSA.

For dependent students, financial information was previously needed from the parent(s) the student had lived with the most in the last 12 months. Starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA, financial information will be required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.

Contributors will receive an email informing them that they've been identified as such by the student, and will need to log in using their own FSA ID to provide the required information on the student's FAFSA.

Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student's education costs, but it does mean the contributor must provide information on the FAFSA or the application will be incomplete and the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.

The definition of net worth of businesses and investment farms changed on the FAFSA beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA. This information is provided to give guidance in answering this question on the FAFSA.

What is considered a business or investment farm?

They are businesses the family owns (including a small or family-run business) or income-producing farms the family owns, including the fair market value of land, buildings, livestock, unharvested crops, and machinery actively used in investment farms, agricultural, or commercial activities.

How should applicants and their families report the net value of a farm on which their principal place of residence also sits?

Applicants should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets. The principal residence may include the family's home, as well as structures and land adjacent to the home that are not being used, stored, or sold for farming or other commercial activities. Property values are generally assessed at a rate that considers the use of the property and the value of the land. Applicants and their families may refer to their property tax assessments from municipal, county, or state governments to help determine and separate the value of their principal residence from other property. Debts owed against the principal residence, such as a mortgage, should also be subtracted from the assessed value of the residence to determine the net value.

FSA Help Reference Page

ICAN Assistance

What do I qualify for?

How much and what type of financial aid will you get is a common and very important question when determining how to pay for college.

Your Student Aid Index (SAI) is a formula based index number ranging from -1500 to 999,999. Where your SAI falls within the SAI range will help NICC determine how much financial aid you may be eligible for. A negative SAI indicates you have a higher financial need. For example, if you have an SAI of -1500, you'll qualify for a maximum Pell grant, if you meet all student eligibility requirements.

Your SAI will also determine eligibility for state aid from Iowa College Aid, such as the Iowa Last-Dollar Scholarship, Kibbie Grant and Vocational-Technical Grant, if you are an Iowa resident and meet the student eligibility criteria set forth by the state.

Where do I find my SAI?

  • If you have not yet completed a FAFSA, use the Financial Aid Estimator tool to help estimate your Student Aid Index (SAI).
  • If you have completed a FAFSA follow these steps to find your SAI:
    1. Log in to StudentAid.gov using your account username and password.
    2. Select your processed FAFSA submission.
    3. Select "View FAFSA Submission Summary."
    4. Select the "Eligibility Overview" tab.

How does NICC use my SAI?

Once we receive your completed FAFSA, we will review all of the student eligibility criteria (i.e., SAI, residency, program of study, enrollment level, etc.) and prepare a Financial Aid Offer that estimates what type of aid you may receive and how much to expect for an academic year. We will notify you via your NICC email account when your offer is ready to view.

After your FAFSA is submitted and processed, you should access your FAFSA Submission Summary, an electronic document that summarizes the information you reported on your FAFSA. It includes your estimated eligibility for a Federal Pell Grant and federal student loans, your Student Aid Index (SAI), and whether you 've been selected for verification or have any errors requiring a correction to be made to your FAFSA.

Check the status of your FAFSA form by logging in to your StudentAid.gov account and selecting your FAFSA submission from the "My Activity" section of your account Dashboard.

NICC will also alert you of any additional steps that you may need to complete in order to finalize your FAFSA. Monitor your NICC email account for next steps on viewing your Financial Aid Checklist in NICC's Self Service Student Portal. A financial aid offer is available only when your financial aid file is complete.

How to Review and Correct your FAFSA

Learn About Your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)