The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will help you qualify for college, state and federal financial assistance. It’s the most important step in pursuing an affordable education.
File your FAFSA online. Watch the following video for a walkthrough.
The basics:
- Learn your state’s FAFSA deadline.
Manchester encourages you to complete your FAFSA by March 1 as this meets most deadlines nationally.The Indiana deadline for state funds is April 15. You may submit your FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year beginning Nov. 22, 2024.
- Collect and have ready necessary documents/information:
- Social Security Number or Permanent Resident Card
- W-2 records for each job worked this year (for both student and parents/guardians)
- Income tax information (for both student and parents/guardians)
- Acquire student and parent Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) at http://fsaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm (you’ll use these to electronically sign your FAFSA).
- Complete and submit your FAFSA for free at http://studentaid.gov/
- The FAFSA should always match the next year you’ll be in college and attending classes (For Fall 2025, use 2025-2026 FAFSA).
The Federal Student Aid Office makes your information available to all schools that you list on your FAFSA – you may list up to 20. Manchester’s school code is 001820.
Review Your Award:
Once you’ve submitted your FAFSA, what happens next? Here is another helpful walkthrough video:
- Manchester will produce a Financial Aid Offer Letter using your FAFSA results. It will display your itemized costs and aid. It also will lay out payment options and other helpful resources.
- View your Financial Aid Offer Letter in Manchester's Spartan Self Service through ChetNet.
- Check out these Four Easy Steps to review your Financial Aid Offer Letter.
- Access forms you might need from our Office of Student Financial Services.
- Your Admissions Counselor will call you to discuss your Financial Aid Offer Letter. We’ll spend as much time with you as you need.