Admitted to SVSU? To ensure you receive the optimal financial aid package, complete your 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). We've compiled some helpful tips and recommendations to assist you in the successful submission of your FAFSA.
Completing the FAFSA
The FAFSA must be completed each year the student wishes to apply for financial aid. Make sure to include SVSU's Federal School Code on your FAFSA, it is 002314.
The income information needed to complete the FAFSA form can be found on a previously filed tax return. (For example the 2019–20 FAFSA form requires your 2017 tax data). If you are not able to do the IRS Data Retrieval on the FASFA and do not have a copy of your tax return, you may be able to access the tax software used to prepare the return or contact your tax preparer to obtain a copy. You also may visit irs.gov/transcript to view and download a summary (called a “transcript”) of your tax return or to request that a tax transcript be sent to you by mail. The IRS Data Retrieval is the easiest way to input your tax information onto the FAFSA.
Applying for Financial Aid
FAFSA
- High School Diploma, GED or equivalent is required to be fully eligible (High School students typically complete the FAFSA in January of their senior year, and submit a copy of their diploma after it is received).
- Enrolled in a program leading to a degree or teaching certificate. That means a degree or teaching certificate must be the goal of the program. This includes a bachelor's degree, a master's degree, a specialist's degree (College of Education program), a doctorate degree (College of Health & Human Services program) or a teaching certificate.
To receive a Federal Direct Loan you must be enrolled at least half-time (6 credits for undergraduate students and 5 credits for graduate students).
*Guest students are not eligible for aid.
- Early completion of the FAFSA is recommended; some grants, scholarships and other aid may be limited and awarded on a first-come-first-serve basis, so apply early at FAFSA.gov
- Many financial aid programs offered through the State of Michigan require the FAFSA completed by March 1st.
- SVSU does not have a deadline, but encourages early application to ensure your aid is in place in time for any payment due date!
Completing the FAFSA is easy! Watch this instructional video, “How to Fill out the FAFSA”. Students are encouraged to submit the FAFSA Form online to ensure accuracy and speed of processing. If you prefer to fill out the FAFSA manually, the paper application is available here.
A legal parent includes a biological or adoptive parent, or a person that the state has determined to be your parent (for example, when a state allows another person’s name to be listed as a parent on a birth certificate). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, older brothers or sisters, widowed stepparents, and aunts and uncles are not considered parents unless they have legally adopted you.
Use the table below to determine whose information to provide on the FAFSA based on your parents’ marital status.
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Parents’ Marital Status:
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Provide Information for:
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Never Married
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The parent that you lived with most during the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, provide information about the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.
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Unmarried and both legal parents living together
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Both of your legal parents
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Married
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Both of your parents
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Remarried (after being widowed or divorced)
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Parent and Stepparent
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Divorced or Separated
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The parent that you lived with most during the last 12 months. If you did not live with one parent more than the other, provide information about the parent who provided more financial support during the last 12 months, or during the most recent year that you actually received support from a parent.
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Widowed
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Your parent
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- When submitting the FAFSA Form online, both the student and parent completing the FAFSA form should go here and request an FSA ID. The FSA ID will allow you (and your parent) to electronically sign the FAFSA form. You will use the same FSA ID each year you complete the FAFSA.
- The FSA ID is also used to look up your Direct Loan history, to complete loan counseling, and to electronically sign your Direct Loan Master Promissory Note (MPN). Go here for more information.
- How to create an FSA ID: If you forgot your FSA ID or password you can request a duplicate through the following site.
CONTACT US.
Scholarships & Financial Aid
Wickes Hall 141
cfsc@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4900
CFSC
Wickes Hall 131A
cfsc@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4900
Registrar
Wickes Hall 151
registrar@svsu.edu
(989) 964-4085