FAFSA = Free Application for Federal Student Aid.  File it annually to be eligible for federal financial aid and state grants.  Some scholarship donors also require filing the FAFSA.  Vincennes University's college code is 001843. All campuses of VU—Vincennes, Jasper, Aviation Technology Center, American Sign Language Program, Distance Education, and Military Education Program—use this number.

To qualify for State of Indiana grants, residents of Indiana need to file the FAFSA annually no later than April 15.  If you have any edits that need to be fixed, you have to do that before we can provide any state grants.

Each student needs an FSA User ID to electronically sign the FAFSA, and at least one of the parents of students who need to provide parent data on the FAFSA also needs a FSA User ID.  You create this username and password at fsaid.ed.gov.  Be sure to write down or record your username and password on your cell phone notes because you need to use it a lot.  We recommend you start a financial aid folder, and your FSA User ID is one thing to keep there.

After you complete the FAFSA, one of three things happens.  (1) If you made a serious enough error, you will get no result, and we will communicate what you need to correct.  (2)You get results that the schools you listed on your FAFSA can use right away.  (3) You are identified by the FAFSA processing center for verification.  If your FAFSA is identified for verification, you'll have to provide us with more information.  We'll let you know at that time what we need.    

A lot of students and parents get nervous about the FAFSA, but if you take your time, read directions carefully, and use the help items that appear as you move to each box, it really isn't that bad.  Ask us for help if you need it.  Also, every year in October or November and then again in February we host College Goal Sunday on the Vincennes and Jasper campuses.  We have staff members on hand in a computer room to help you complete your FAFSA.  You can see the date each year at www.collegegoalsunday.org.

The more accurately you complete the FAFSA and any follow-up documents we request, the more quickly we can determine your award. Below we've attached a document that has a checklist for when you should do things and a list of common errors to avoid.