There are numerous dates to attend a College Goal FAFSA completion event. Please click HERE for a list of all the locations and dates. Hopefully, you will find a date that works for you.
College Goal Wisconsin will be held in person or virtually in the fall. After you register, you will receive more information about your upcoming event.
Anyone interested in attending a postsecondary institution that might need financial assistance to pay for college. Also, if possible, students should bring parent(s) or legal guardian(s).
By attending College Goal Wisconsin and completing the FAFSA, you will have the necessary financial aid form completed to determine your eligibility for help to pay for college. By completing the FAFSA, you are not committing to enroll in college.
Sessions begin promptly at 6 p.m. Each event will begin with a brief introduction to the FAFSA completion process, followed by step-by-step instructions and assistance completing the form. The amount of time necessary varies from individual to individual; however, it is rare that time exceeds two hours.
You can bring all the materials to complete the FAFSA at College Goal Wisconsin. If you don’t have all the necessary materials, you can save the FAFSA and finish completing the form with your parents later.
Your parents should bring all the materials and they should be able to complete most of the FAFSA at College Goal Wisconsin. Then you can finish completing the form with your parents later.
You will be completing the FAFSA, and at no time will anyone ask to see your personal information. If you need help on a section that includes personal information, all information reviewed by the College Goal Wisconsin volunteers will be kept private and confidential and will not be used for any purpose other than helping you complete the FAFSA.
Spanish and/or Hmong interpreters may be available. Please email [email protected] to inquire about the site you plan to attend.
If you have questions about College Goal Wisconsin, please email [email protected]. If you have a question regarding your FAFSA, call 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend.
The FAFSA is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This is the form that is used to initiate the financial aid process regardless of where you plan to pursue a postsecondary education. The student and family information included on the FAFSA will be sent to colleges/universities you have identified on the form in order for a financial aid package to be prepared for you.
Yes, if you need to file a tax return. For the 2022-23 school year, student information is needed. If the student is dependent, parent information is also required. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is available to automatically import the tax information into the FAFSA.
Almost all students are eligible for student financial assistance. Each year, colleges, universities, and technical colleges assist all students (including full-time, part-time, and day and evening students) in finding available funds from federal, state and campus sources to make educational programs affordable. Many students don’t apply for financial aid because they don’t think they’re eligible or because they don’t understand student financial assistance regulations and procedures. The way to find out if you are eligible is to apply using the FAFSA. It is impossible to determine your eligibility without this document. At the very least you will qualify for a low-interest student loan, but you could also be eligible for grants, scholarships and the work-study program.
Yes, you should fill out the FAFSA online. You and a parent (if you a dependent student) will sign the FAFSA electronically with a FSA ID. You can apply and receive your FSA ID either before attending a College Goal Wisconsin event or while you are completing the FAFSA.
The FSA ID is
- Your User name and password. It replaces the FAFSA PIN number if you previously filed the FAFSA.
- Used to log into fafsa.ed.gov.
- Needed to complete IRS Data Retrieval.
- Used to access the National Student Loan Data System.
- Needed to complete entrance counseling for direct student loans or PLUS loans.
- Needed by the student and one parent if the student must use parental information on the FAFSA.
- Reused year after year.
- Needed to renew the FAFSA.
- Needed to make corrections on your FAFSA.
You create a FSA ID on the FSA ID website.
Your FAFSA information should be completed based on the information of the parent you lived with most during the last 12 months. If you didn’t live with either parent, or if you lived with each parent an equal number of days, use the information of the parent who provided the most financial support to you in the most recent calendar year. If the parent you live with is remarried, you will also need to include step-parent income information.
You must enter your Social Security number on the FAFSA form. If you don’t submit your Social Security number, the form will be returned unprocessed and you will not be considered for federal and state aid.
Under the federal definition, a student is an independent student if he/she meets at least one of the following conditions:
- Is 24 years old (born before January 1, 1997, for academic year 2021-22);
- Is a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces;
- Is an orphan (parents deceased); Is a ward of the court (or was a ward of the court until age 18);
- Has legal dependents other than a spouse;
- Is married;
- Is a graduate or a professional student in the fall of 2021;
- Has been in foster care anytime since age 13;
- Has a legal guardian;
- Is considered homeless.
No, these benefits are income for the person receiving them. Do not include as part of your income any TANF or welfare benefits received by another person even if they are designated for your support or care.
No. These benefits are income for the person receiving them. Do not include as part of your income any TANF or welfare benefits received by another person even if they are designated for your support or care.
No, this service is not income and the information is not collected on the FAFSA. However, note that you need to let your school know that you are receiving free dependent care; an allowance for dependent care may not be added to your cost of attendance.
You would answer “yes” to this question as long as you provide more than half of the child’s support.
A student is considered to be independent if he or she is a ward of the court, or was a ward of the court until the individual reached the age of 18. If your ward of the court status changed before you reached age 18, you may be considered dependent on your parent. In that case, you should talk about your situation with the financial aid administrator at your college.
The term “ward” is used to mean “dependent” of the court. You are a ward of the court (regardless whether this status is determined by the county or state) if the court has assumed custody of you. You should have court ordered documents that designate you a ward of the court.
You still can be a ward of the court if you have a legal guardian or foster parents; check with the court to determine your current status. Note: Neither legal guardians nor foster parents are considered parents when completing the FAFSA.
You must complete the FAFSA as an independent student. A legal guardian is not considered a parent for purposes of completing the FAFSA.
You are considered to be independent if you are a ward of the court, or were a ward of the court until you reached the age of 18. You should check “yes” to this question if you were a ward of the court until you reached 18.
No. Because of your status as a ward of the court, you are considered an independent applicant; parental signatures are not required.