FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The FAFSA is a free form that may be completed without professional assistance via paper or electronic forms provided by the U.S. Department of Education.

To apply for federal financial aid, you need to fill out the FAFSA and return it to the U.S. Department of Education, which processes it and sends the information to the colleges you've listed on the form. Schools use the information to decide how much financial aid they will give you if you attend their institution.