TASFA
JANUARY 15th is the PRIORITY DEADLINE for TASFA COMPLETION
However, each school has its own deadline. Meeting school and state deadlines can make a difference in the amount of aid a student receives.
TO START, PLEASE WATCH THE PRESENTATION BELOW
VIDEO TO GO HERE
DO I NEED TO COMPLETE FAFSA or TASFA?
If a student is eligible to complete the FAFSA, he/she should complete the FAFSA. However, if a student is not eligible to complete the FAFSA, he/she could complete the TASFA.
If a student is going to complete the TASFA, we recommend contacting Mr. Barnett directly. The TASFA is different than the FAFSA and may raise numerous questions about how to complete it. Support could even include individualized advising sessions, where Mr. Barnett will assist you in completing all necessary components of TASFA.
AM I ELIGIBLE TO RECEIVE STATE AID?
To qualify for state financial aid, a student must meet the four provisions displayed below:
WHAT YOU’LL NEED TO COMPLETE TASFA
Students and families may need the following documentation when filling out the TASFA:
- Selective Service registration number: Students assigned male at birth must provide proof of registration with the Selective Service. The institution will not be able to release state funds until the acknowledgment card is provided. For more information, visit the United States Government Selective Service System website.
- Federal tax information: Students and their parents must provide federal tax documentation including tax returns, tax return transcripts, and W-2s. For more information on obtaining a tax return transcript, visit the IRS Get Transcript website.
- Cash earnings: If the student or their parents did not have to file a federal income tax return but earned wages that were paid in cash, this information must also be reported.
Similar to the FAFSA, students completing the TASFA are classified as dependent or independent for purposes of financial aid. Dependent students must report parent income information on their TASFA applications, while independent students only report their own income information.
Depending on the institution’s policies, students applying for state financial aid may be asked to submit an electronic TASFA (eTASFA), a paper TASFA, and/or a paper FAFSA. Students should always check with each college's financial aid department to verify which form of the application they prefer or accept.
HOW TO COMPLETE TASFA
There are 6 sections to the TASFA that must be completed with accurate information:
If a student's TASFA is reviewed and determined to be incomplete, the student aid award will be placed on hold until all documentation has been submitted. Funds are awarded according to availability and in the order that students complete and submit their applications. A student's TASFA completion date is the day on which the last required document is turned into the financial aid office, not the day on which an application is initially submitted.
HOW CAN I GET HELP ON COMPLETING TASFA?
If you need any help or have any questions about how to complete any section of the TASFA, please contact Mr. Barnett directly. Support could even include individualized advising sessions, where Mr. Barnett will assist you in completing all necessary components of TASFA.
MEETING THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENT
In order to meet the Financial Aid Graduation Requirement, a student must do one of the following in order to graduate:
- Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
- Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) (current year form is available through the link at the bottom of the page)
- Submit a signed opt-out form