Free Application for Federal Student Aid

The 2024-25 FAFSA is open

Students seeking financial aid have to apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA. The FAFSA helps determine your financial aid eligibility, including grants, loans, and work-study employment that helps to pay for your college education.

The best time to complete your application for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 financial aid is before March 1.
We award financial aid on a first-come, most-in-need basis.

  • To maximize your financial aid, submit your form as soon as possible. Late submissions may qualify for a Federal Pell Grant or Direct Loan, but FLC's need-based aid may be unavailable.
  • Create an FSA ID to confirm your identity and so you can sign Federal Student Aid documents electronically. A parent will also need to create an FSA ID to sign the FAFSA if they are contributing to the application.
  • You’ll receive an email confirmation from the Department of Education that includes your SAI and Pell Grant eligibility (if applicable) upon completing the FAFSA.
  • Once you have received your SAI number, fill out our Net Price Calculator to get the best possible estimate.
  • We'll process your financial aid packages the first full week in May.

Submit a FAFSA application

*The application for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 financial aid would typically open on Oct. 1, but this year, it opened in January. The Department of Education warns that the FAFSA will occasionally be unavailable. The intermittent outages will be used to make improvements.


Important dates for 2024-25

March 1: Extended Priority FAFSA filing date.

Mid-March: FLC will receive FAFSA information from the Department of Education.

May 6: FLC will begin sending official financial aid offers.

June 1: Extended Confirmation Deadline for admission to FLC.

Extended Financial Aid assistance

MWF all of February: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
February 29: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Contact Skyhawk Station for help

Changes to the FAFSA

The Department of Education has made changes to the FAFSA that will help make the application process easier for students and families.

Watch a video to understand the changes

Contributors
Student and parent/contributor sections
SAI is the new EFC-acronyms to know
Other changes that will impact some families 

How to...

ASSET program for undocumented students

Undocumented students, new or continuing, are eligible for in-state tuition through FLC's ASSET program if they have attended high school in Colorado for at least three years immediately before graduation or completion of a Colorado GED.

Eligibility for the ASSET program:

  • Attend a public or private high school in Colorado for at least three years before graduation OR earn a Colorado GED
  • Enroll in a Colorado college or university within 12 months of high school graduation or GED completion, OR graduate/complete GED before September 1, 2013, and have lived in Colorado for 18 months before the semester starts
  • If you did not enroll within 12 months of high school graduation or GED completion before September 1, 2013, you must provide proof of living in Colorado for 18 consecutive months before the semester start. The proof must show a Colorado address.

How to apply for FLC's ASSET program:

  • Provide:
    • Copy of lease agreement signed by all parties or rent receipts
    • Copy of warranty deed or tax liability statement for homeowners
    • Students who lived with a friend or relative must provide a notarized statement from that person indicating the property address and the dates of residence
  • Provide at least two of the following documents:
    • Colorado state identification or driver’s license
    • Colorado vehicle registration
    • Proof of employment (W-2 or check stubs)
    • Signed copies of Colorado income tax return or Colorado tax transcript for the previous year

To apply for ASSET in-state tuition

  • Complete the College Opportunity Fund (COF) affidavit indicating you are or will be applying for legal presence in Colorado.
  • The Admission Office will give you a Fort Lewis College ASSET Affidavit to fill out that will require additional documents. Submit the packet to the Admission Office 30 days before the semester starts.
  • Provide official final high school transcripts from a Colorado school you attended for at least three years or official Colorado GED transcripts.
  •  If you are transferring from another college, provide proof of acceptance at a Colorado college or university within 12 months of completing high school or your GED.
CAFSA application - the FAFSA alternative for undocumented students

Financial aid for undocumented students

The Colorado ASSET Bill allows undocumented students to be considered for financial aid from the state of Colorado. Students must complete the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA) to be considered.

*ASSET Students do not need to complete the FAFSA application.

Check financial aid file - WebOPUS

View your awarded financial aid on WebOPUS once the Financial Aid Office processes your FAFSA.

*Incoming students: hang tight! Official award letters will start going out the first full week of May.

FAFSA Information Release

You can give permission to Fort Lewis College to release information regarding your student education records, including financial aid information from your FAFSA record. 

Student Aid Index (SAI), formerly Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

Students must show "financial need" to receive federal, state, and private financial aid. When a student completes the FAFSA, the Federal Department of Education uses a formula to determine a student's Student Aid Index (formerly the Expected Family Contribution). The Financial Aid Office uses your SAI number to determine your eligibility for different types of financial aid.

Calculating your financial need


Cost of Attendance (COA) - Student Aid Index = Financial Need
 


Need-based aid is financial aid you can receive if you have financial need and meet other eligibility criteria. You can't accept more need-based aid than the amount of your financial need.

The following are examples of federal non-need-based student aid programs:

Contact us

Skyhawk Station

Email: skyhawkstation@fortlewis.edu
Phone: 970-247-7301
Drop-in: 9 a.m. - 4 p.m., Monday - Friday

Walk-in

Skyhawk Station staff will check you in and guide you to a self-service kiosk or connect you with a Skyhawk Specialist or Advisor.