TASFA Frequently Asked Questions

The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is an application for students classified as Texas residents who are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid using the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The TASFA is used by colleges or universities to help calculate a student’s eligibility for state and institutional financial aid and is not an actual award (i.e., grant or scholarship). Filling out the TASFA does not guarantee that you will receive state or institutional financial aid.

Use the TASFA or FAFSA? tool to help you decide which application to complete. Students classified as Texas residents who are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid using the FAFSA are encouraged to complete the TASFA. To review the FAFSA filing requirements, visit studentaid.gov or contact the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend. The federal application covers federal and state financial aid opportunities. If you meet the FAFSA filing requirements, you should submit a completed FAFSA. DO NOT COMPLETE BOTH THE FAFSA AND TASFA.

No. Filling out the TASFA after filling out the FAFSA will not make you eligible for additional financial assistance. The FAFSA determines an applicant’s eligibility for federal, state, and institutional aid. The TASFA helps institutions determine a student’s eligibility for state and institutional aid and is only intended for applicants who are ineligible for the federal Title IV program. If you are looking for more financial aid options, please contact the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend. 

No. It is free to complete the TASFA, and you should never be charged a fee to apply for financial aid. Be careful giving out your personal information or paying someone that promises to help you get financial aid.

A notary public typically charges a fee to notarize a Texas residency affidavit, but you can find some nonprofits who provide this service for free. Some high schools and colleges have an on-campus notary public available to students as well.

Please note: A notary public in the United States is not the same as a notario público; a notary public may not give legal advice or prepare legal documents. Watch out for scams or anything that sounds too good to be true. If you are unsure about a service or the notary process, please contact the financial aid office at the college you plan to attend.

Both the paper and online TASFA forms typically become available each year (for the following school year) on October 1, in alignment with the FAFSA. While the paper form is available in English and Spanish, the online version is currently only available in English.

The TASFA requires students to provide certain demographic, household, and financial information. If you are married, you will also need to provide your spouse’s information. If you are considered a “dependent” student for financial aid purposes, you will be required to provide applicable parent information to submit your TASFA.

It’s recommended that you have the following items available when filling out the TASFA:

• Student W-2s
  • Spouse or parent W-2s, if applicable
• Student tax transcripts
  • Spouse or parent tax transcripts, if applicable
• Student’s college ID (optional)

Always follow up with the institution you plan to attend to find out if additional documentation is needed to determine your eligibility for financial aid.

Yes. The January 15 deadline is used by many institutions to prioritize their limited funding, but you may still be eligible to receive financial aid even after the priority deadline has passed. Make sure you submit the TASFA along with all required documentation to the financial aid office at the institution you plan to attend before the state priority deadline to maximize your funding opportunities.

ALERT: The State Priority Deadline was extended to April 15, 2024 for the 2024-2025 application year by the THECB. This is only for the specified application year and will revert to January 15 for future years.

A list of participating institutions can be found on the College for All Texans website, which includes the Texas nonprofit public and private schools that are required to accept the TASFA and participate in state financial aid programs.

Trade schools (for-profit/proprietary school) do not qualify for state financial aid, so you do not need to complete the TASFA. To check if the college or school you’re interested in attending accepts the TASFA, check the list of participating institutions on College for All Texans.

If you do not have a Social Security number, you will not be able to register with the Selective Service online, but you can register at your local post office. Find out more details at sss.gov and talk to the institution you plan to attend.

The institution you plan to attend will determine if you are considered a Texas resident, which is different than your residency status related to immigration. Find out more about the core residency questions and the Texas residency eligibility on College for All Texans. Texas residency is an eligibility requirement for many state financial aid opportunities, so talk to your college’s registrar or financial aid office if you have questions related to your state residency status.

Talk to your high school to find out what proof will count towards the TASFA/FAFSA completion requirement for graduation. You can also reach out to the college you plan to attend to obtain proof that you submitted your application.

Select “Forgot your password?” and a code will be emailed to you to create a new password. If you still cannot access your account, please submit an online inquiry through Contact Us (select “Financial Aid Question” for the contact reason).

No. While you can always print or save a copy for your records, you do not have to mail a paper copy anywhere if you submitted your TASFA online. The colleges or universities you selected on the online application will receive your information electronically within 24 hours of submission.

If it’s determined that you need parental information (based on your answers), you will need to enter your parent’s information on their behalf. A parent will be required to review and acknowledge the information entered on the TASFA before you can submit your application.

During the application process, a secure link to access your TASFA will be sent to your parent’s email address that you enter in the Parent section. Only one parent is required to review and acknowledge the information entered on the TASFA.

Your parent will need a valid email address that is different than yours to review and acknowledge the information entered on the TASFA. If your parent doesn’t have an email account, you may help your parent set up their own email account or decide as a family to fill out a paper copy of the TASFA. You can find the paper application in English and Spanish on the TASFA homepage.

A paper copy of the TASFA is available on the TASFA homepage that you can fill out and print if you cannot complete it online. Once it’s complete, sign and mail a copy of your paper TASFA to each financial aid office at the college or university you’re applying to. You do not need to send your application to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

If you have submitted your TASFA online, you can follow up with the colleges or universities you selected to find out if they need additional information or documentation. You can always log back into your TASFA and go to the Applications page to view the colleges you selected and date your application was sent.

Before submitting or mailing your application, contact your institution’s financial aid office to clarify the procedure. Each institution may have a different process for processing paper TASFAs. Some institutions may prefer that a paper TASFA is mailed directly to the Financial Aid Office, and other institutions may prefer that you upload or email a copy through a secure platform. For any questions on the submission process or to confirm your TASFA has been received, contact the financial aid office of the institution you plan to attend directly.

For any questions on the submission process or to confirm your TASFA has been received, contact your institution’s financial aid office directly. Your institution will review the information on your TASFA to assess your financial need and your eligibility for state and institutional financial aid.

Once you fill out the paper TASFA, you will have to send or upload a copy to each college you are interested in attending or currently attend. Before submitting or mailing your application, contact your institution’s financial aid office to clarify the procedure. Once confirmed, print multiple copies and complete the following:

• Fill out the College section on the paper TASFA, based on where you plan to live, specific to each college (with parent, on-campus, off-campus).
• If you’re a current college student, include your college ID if you’ve been provided one. This number helps the financial aid office match your TASFA with your college enrollment record.
• Wet sign each paper copy separately.
• Mail or upload the copy to each institution’s financial aid office.
• Check with each institution to see if they need any follow up documentation.

Do not mail your paper copy TASFAs to the THECB. Send your paper TASFA directly to the institution you plan to attend, and they will review the information to determine your eligibility for financial aid options available at that location.

First, ask your high school what type of proof is acceptable to meet the requirement for graduation. Next, call the institution you plan to attend and ask for the proof in the format that your high school will accept.