FAFSA Information
2025–26 FAFSA Form Coming Soon
The 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form will be available to the public on or before Dec. 1, 2024.
Tips for Students Preparing To Fill Out the FAFSA® Form
Students should do the following to prepare for filling out the FAFSA form:
- Create a StudentAid.gov account (if you don’t already have one).
- Have your documents ready (e.g., 2023 tax returns; records of child support received; current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts; and net worth of investments, businesses, and farms).
- Use the Who’s My FAFSA Parent? Wizard to identify which parent(s) will be a required contributor on their FAFSA form.
- Have their contributor information ready (e.g., first and last name, Social Security number [if you have one], date of birth, email address, and mailing address [if you don’t have a Social Security number]).
Troubleshooting
Some students and families are having difficulty completing or submitting the FAFSA. Please be persistent and patient through the process and don’t give up.
If you or your family has questions, our teams can support you:
CCS Admissions – 313.664.7425 – [email protected]
CCS Financial Aid – 313.664.7495 – [email protected]
Dos and Don’ts for New Students
Do
- File a 2025-26 FAFSA when it opens on December 1. The sooner you file, the sooner you will receive a financial aid award package.
- Schedule college visits and explore campuses to ensure you have all the information necessary to make your final decisions.
- Confirm your interest in enrollment if you know where you are attending. CCS requires an enrollment deposit, housing deposit, and for you to attend New Student Orientation.
- Use the SAI Estimator to understand how much aid you should expect to receive for the 2025-26 academic year.
- Use net price calculators to gain a general understanding of college costs.
- Research and apply for scholarships: use this list to find scholarships that you may qualify for. They have varying requirements so you may qualify!
- Use school counselors, admissions counselors, financial aid counselors, academic advisers, college success coaches, and faculty as resources if you have questions about your educational future.
Don’t
- Be afraid to ask for help. No matter what stage you are in, the Financial Aid office staff are here to help!
- Assume you know whether you will or will not qualify for financial aid based on past results.
- Wait to apply to college or schedule classes until your financial award is available.
Additional Information for Returning Students
Complete your 2025-2026 FAFSA by June 1, 2025 at studentaid.gov. The CCS school code for FAFSA is 006771.
All Michigan Students should file by July 1, 2025, to ensure they meet the deadline for Michigan State Grants.
Resources
The following resources will be particularly useful as you prepare to fill out your FAFSA.
- 2025–26 FAFSA® Prototype — Use the prototype to gain a deeper understanding of the 2025–26 FAFSA form user experience ahead of its release.
- 2025–26 FAFSA®Form Preview Presentation — Presentation providing screenshots of the online FAFSA form.
- “FAFSA® Updates” — Financial Aid Toolkit page that include latest forms and information associated with the FAFSA process.
- StudentAid.gov/fafsasupport — Announcement informing students and parents about 2025–26 FAFSA availability and resources.
- Am I a contributor on my child’s FAFSA® form? infographic — Image to help parents determine whether they’ll be required to contribute information on their child’s FAFSA form.
- Parent & FSA ID Flowchart
- CCS Undergraduate Scholarship & Aid
- CCS Graduate Scholarships and Financial Aid
If you or your family have questions, our teams can support you:
CCS Admissions — 313.664.7425 — [email protected]
CCS Financial Aid — 313.664.7495 — [email protected]
FAQs
What is the FAFSA?
The financial aid process begins with the completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). The FAFSA is the only application that CCS uses to determine eligibility for federal, state and institutional awards such as loans, grants and work-study. All U.S. citizens and permanent residents with proper documentation are eligible to complete a FAFSA. The CCS school code is 006771.
What is the CCS school code for FAFSA?
The CCS school code for FAFSA is 006771.
What is the FAFSA Simplification Act?
The FAFSA Simplification Act is a law that represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024–25 award year, including changes to the FAFSA. Learn more about the law.
Contact us at [email protected] if you have any additional questions.
When will the 2025-26 FAFSA become available?
The U.S. Department of Education shared that the form will be available to the public on or before Dec. 1, 2024.
What semesters are covered by my 2025-26 FAFSA?
Fall 2025, Winter 2026 and Spring/Summer 2026
When is the 2025-26 Suggested Filing Date for New Incoming Students at CCS?
As soon as possible or by May 1.
When is the 2025-26 Suggested Filing Date for Returning Students at CCS?
As soon as possible or by June 1.
The FAFSA application says all “Contributors” need a FSA ID. What is a “Contributor”?
A Contributor is anyone who is asked to provide information on the student’s FAFSA. This includes the student, student’s spouse (if applicable), biological or adoptive parent, or the spouse of the remarried parent who is on the FAFSA.
Is a contributor required to have an FSA ID?
Yes, all contributors must have an FSA ID.
Do the invitations to contributors to provide federal tax information and consent expire?
Yes. Invitations to be a contributor will be deleted when they have been inactive for 45 days. Any previously entered information will be deleted and the process will need to start over.
I’m a graduate student, how does this impact me?
CCS Graduate Studies financial aid processing relies on the FAFSA for US domestic students. Therefore, incoming and current graduate student aid will be processed once the federal government provides information. This could result in a delay in graduate student aid processing.
My parents are divorced or separated. Which parent is a contributor for my FAFSA?
The parent who provides the most financial support to the student should be the contributor on the FAFSA.
I’m a current CCS student, when will I receive my financial aid package?
Current CCS students can submit the FAFSA at any time and are encouraged to do so by June 1. We anticipate access to the FAFSA data in enough time to provide financial aid packages for existing students on our regular schedule.
