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Financial Aid Application Tips

Navigating finances, FAFSA, loans, and scams can seem daunting. Here are some tips to make the process easier and more understandable.

General Financial Aid Tips

Complete Forms at the Same Time

Getting all of the financial information organized to complete for the FAFSA & CSS/Profile can be daunting. Don't make it worse by having to organize twice. Plan ahead, block out some time to focus on the FAFSA and CSS/Profile to complete them together.

Have Tax Information Handy

Both FAFSA and CSS/Profile will require the tax information from two years ago (2017 income tax information is needed for the 2019-2020 academic year). Have this tax information nearby when completing the financial aid applications. You may need to reference it more than once.


CSS/PROFILE Tips

Syracuse University requires undergraduate students interested in applying for Syracuse University Grant to file the CSS/PROFILE annually. Use the guide below to assist you when filing your CSS/PROFILE.


FAFSA Tips

Syracuse University requires all students interested in applying for federal financial aid to file the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) annually. To avoid common mistakes, check out the following resources.


Warnings about Financial Aid Consultants and Scholarship Scams

National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ Fact Sheet


Special Circumstances

Sometimes special circumstances can impact a student's financial aid situation, including certain living arrangements or family situations that may change during your time at Syracuse University. This may result in the need to clarify your situation with the Office of Financial Aid and Scholarship Programs. Read more about Special Circumstances .