School & Education

If you are a public high school student in Illinois, you are required to file either of the following to graduate and receive a high school diploma:

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or
• The Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application).

If you decide you do not want to file either of those applications, students who are at least 18 years old or legally emancipated may complete a nonparticipation form. Students who are not 18 years old or legally emancipated must get a nonparticipation form signed by a parent or guardian. For questions regarding the nonparticipation form, you can email the Illinois State Board of Education at [email protected].

FAFSA is an application that is required in order to apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study, and loans for colleges and career schools. FAFSA information is also used by colleges to determine your eligibility for state and school aid. 

What information do I need to fill out FAFSA?

When you start your FAFSA application, the application will prompt you for certain information, including:

• Student Social Security number A number that the federal government gives to each U.S. citizen. It keeps track of their earnings and retirement benefits. ,
• Parent(s) Social Security numbers, if you are a dependent A person who relies on another for support, such as a child or person with a disability student,
• Student driver’s license number, if applicable,
• Student Alien Registration number or A-number, if not a US citizen,
• Federal tax information (via W2 information or tax returns) for the student, student’s spouse, and student’s parents, if applicable,
• Records of untaxed income, such as retirement plan withdrawals,
• Information about other financial holdings, such as savings accounts, checking accounts, cash, or investments,
• Information about child support Money paid by a parent to help another parent support a minor child or an adult child with a disability ,
• A list of the colleges and universities you would like to send your information to for financial aid consideration.

You can start and save your application in your FAFSA account, so you do not need to fill it out all at once. You can return to it at a later time.

When is the FAFSA deadline?

The federal deadline to submit your FAFSA is June 30 at 11:59 PM Central Time. However, it is better to submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after the application opens. The FAFSA application opens on October 1. You should also check deadlines for schools and scholarships. Many have earlier deadlines, often around January and February. 

FAFSA and citizenship

Undocumented students, including DACA students, are not eligible for federal student aid. However, they may be eligible for state or college financial aid, in addition to private scholarships. It is important to note that you do need a Social Security number to complete the FAFSA form. 

If the student is a U.S. citizen but their parent(s) are undocumented, the student can still file the FAFSA form. Your parents’ citizenship status doesn’t affect your eligibility for federal student aid. In fact, the FAFSA form doesn’t even ask about your parents’ status.

Resources to help you file FAFSA

Illinois requires public high schools to help students file their FAFSAs. Starting with the 2025-2026 school year, the law requires every school to have a FAFSA contact person. This person can answer A written statement used to respond to the complaint or petition in a lawsuit questions about FAFSA and refer students to outside resources. The school should provide the person's name and contact information to seniors. 

Here is a list of other resources that may be helpful:

• Filling out the FAFSA, and
• Federal student aid resources.

If you are a youth in foster care, you can learn more about where to get help with filling out the FAFSA and about what resources are available to you.