Applying for Federal Aid

If you need assistance completing your FAFSA, stop into the Enrollment Center and a Financial Aid Specialist will be available to help. You can also refer to the how-to video for a quick tutorial.

1. Create your FSA ID to gain access to all federal aid websites. 
   • We recommend that you use a permanent personal email address rather than a school email that will expire after a time.
   • If parent information is part of your FAFSA, your parent will need to create and use her/his own unique FSA ID as well. Only one FSA ID may be associated per email address.
2. Complete the FAFSA.
   • GRCC’s school code: 002267.

If you are a dependent, this information is also needed from your parents to complete the FAFSA:

• FSA ID for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student). Don’t have one yet? Create your FSA ID now.
• Social Security Number for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• 2020 W-2 forms or other records of money earned for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• 2020 Federal Income Tax Return for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• Spouse’s 2020 Federal Income Tax Return (if married).
• You may use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) within the FAFSA to retrieve your tax information for 2020 tax year. 
• 2020 untaxed income records – Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records if any, for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• 2020 bank statements for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• 2020 business and farm records along with stock, bonds and other investment records for you and your parent (if you are a dependent student).
• Alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen).

Note:  For the 2022-2023 FAFSA (Fall 2022, Winter 2023, Summer 2023), increase all documents by one year and use 2020 income information. 

• Look over your Student Aid Report (SAR) carefully to make sure it is correct. You will receive your SAR from the Department of Education. This information will be used to determine your eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, student loans and most other types of aid.
• Use your Online Center My Financial Aid webpage to check your:
  • Financial aid status and awarded funds.
    • If a FAFSA has been filed and released to GRCC, status information will be provided here.
  • Items that still need to be completed will appear on your "Tasks" tile, and details will be shared on how you can provide that information.
• Refer to the Important Dates for when funds will be available in the book store to purchase books and supplies against.

The federal government selects some students for verification to ensure the information provided on the FAFSA is correct. This process requires students to provide documents that support the information entered on the form.

Helpful resources for this process:

• The information you need to complete this process is found on your Online Center "Tasks" tile.
• Forms you may need to complete are available on our website. Be careful that you are in the correct academic year for the forms you need. 

Effective Jan. 9, 2019, students and parents unable to obtain federal tax return transcripts needed to satisfy income verification requirements may now submit signed federal income tax returns (ex: 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ) that were previously submitted to the Internal Revenue Service. Signed 2020 federal income tax returns are required for 2022-2023 FAFSA income verification.

Please note: 2020 tax information is required for 2022-2023 FAFSA.

For students selected for verification for the 2022-2023 academic year, the school must have received all required verification documents and a valid SAR or ISIR (complete and accurate) no later than 120 days after the student’s last day of enrollment, or September 16, 2023 whichever is earlier.