The first step is to decide which application you will use to apply for aid. In Colorado, the two choices are the FAFSA or the CASFA. You will only fill out either the FAFSA or the CASFA – not both. Which one you will do depends on your citizenship status.
FAFSA
If you are a U.S. citizen, Legal Permanent Resident (have a green card), or eligible non-citizen A student who is not a U.S. citizen or permanent resident but has an immigration status that allows them to apply for financial aid using FAFSA. Follow the link for a list of eligible non-citizens., you will complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). You need to fill out this application every year that you are in college. Most colleges have a priority deadlineThe date a college sets for you to submit your financial aid application. You can usually submit after this date, but submitting before will give you a better chance of getting more aid., which can be found on the financial aid page of their website. To get as much aid as possible, submit the FAFSA before that deadline. Your college may also require you to complete an extra financial aid application, such as the College Scholarship Service (CSS) profile.
Step 2: Determine Contributors
CASFA
If you are not eligible for federal aid (for example, if you are undocumented), check with your college’s financial aid office to learn which application(s) to complete. Most Colorado colleges use the Colorado Application for State Financial Aid (CASFA), which is an online application that is similar to the FAFSA and can only be used in Colorado. To be eligible for CASFA, you must have lived in Colorado and gone to a Colorado high school for at least one year before graduating. Other colleges may require you to complete another application like the CSS Profile or the college’s own aid application.
All you need to know to fill out CASFA
Note: If you are a U.S. citizen or Legal Permanent Resident (have a green card), you must complete the FAFSA to apply for financial aid. In limited circumstances, a student who is eligible for Federal Student Aid may choose to complete CASFA due to parental privacy concerns, but this means making an informed choice to give up any federal aid, like Pell grants. Click here for more information.
More Resources
If your high school has a DSF Future Center, please see your DSF college advisor.
View or download a quick reference sheet about FAFSA and CASFA eligibility.
Review the details of what defines an “eligible noncitizen.”
