Alaska FAFSA Completion Initiative

Alaska FAFSA Completion Initiative (AFCI)

Complete the FAFSA now with ACPE

Alaska FAFSA Completion Initiative (AFCI)

AFCI is a collective effort of education and workforce development professionals to increase FAFSA completion rates in Alaska year over year through partnerships and statewide collaboration, as well as trainings and dissemination of FAFSA materials.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), administered by the US Department of Education Federal Student Aid (FSA), is a one-stop application for federal, state, institutional, and other financial aid that can be used toward college and/or career training expenses.

In Alaska, FAFSA is required for eligible students to receive the Alaska Education Grant (AEG) and the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS). Completing the FAFSA is an essential step to ensure students maximize the funding opportunities available to them for college and career training.

ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training

ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training provides a line-by-line overview and in-depth analysis of the 2026-27 FAFSA process.

Education and Workforce Development professionals gain better understanding and navigation of the FAFSA form to ensure they can independently support students/families and adult learners with successful FAFSA completion!

ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training (MTF) sessions take place:

Weekly, on every Monday and Thursday
From 2:00 to 3:45 pm
Virtually on Zoom

PLEASE NOTE: This is not a series of training sessions. Weekly ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training sessions are separate sessions that cover exactly the same material. Individuals only need to register and attend one session; however, multiple sessions are available to accommodate a variety of schedules.

Attention!
Although everyone is welcome to attend ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training (MTF), it is specifically designed to train professionals who assist others with the FAFSA. MTF delivers a step-by-step tutorial on how to complete the FAFSA and offers deeper dives into a variety of more complex student scenarios. Student/contributor FAFSA's are not completed during Master the FAFSA Training sessions.

Individuals needing assistance with personal FAFSA completion are encouraged to explore ACPE’s extensive FAFSA completion resources on this page.

Please reach out with questions to Dominika Szpotanska, ACAC Coordinator, at dominika.szpotanska@alaska.gov.

FAFSA Process Steps

STEP 1: DETERMINE YOUR DEPENDENCY STATUS

Tip: Use our FAFSA Dependency Status guide for help

STEP 2: IDENTIFY YOUR FAFSA CONTRIBUTOR(S)

Tip: If you’re a dependent student, use our FAFSA Parent Wizard tool for help
Tip: If you’re a student with unusual family circumstances, use our Student Unusual Circumstances on the FAFSA guide for help
Tip: If you’re a student experiencing homelessness or at risk of becoming homeless, use our Student Homelessness on the FAFSA guide for help

STEP 3: GATHER NECESSARY FAFSA DOCUMENTS

Tip: Review our FAFSA Documents Checklist for help

STEP 4: CREATE YOUR STUDENTAID.GOV ACCOUNT (FSA ID)

Tip: Watch our Creating Your StudentAid.gov Account tutorial for help
Tip: If you already have a StudentAid.gov Account but can’t access it, watch our Troubleshooting Your StudentAid.gov Account tutorial for help

STEP 5: COMPLETE YOUR SECTION OF THE FAFSA AND INVITE YOUR CONTRIBUTORS (IF ANY)

Tip: Watch our FAFSA Line-by-Line tutorial for help
Tip: Make an appointment with our Success Center Staff for help
Tip: Join our weekly, virtual FAFSA Wednesdays for help

STEP 1: GATHER NECESSARY FAFSA DOCUMENTS

Tip: Review our FAFSA Documents Checklist for help

STEP 2: CREATE YOUR STUDENTAID.GOV ACCOUNT (FSA ID)

Tip: Watch our Creating Your StudentAid.gov Account tutorial for help
Tip: If you already have a StudentAid.gov Account but can’t access it, watch our Troubleshooting Your StudentAid.gov Account tutorial for help

STEP 3: ACCEPT YOUR STUDENT’S INVITATION AND COMPLETE YOUR SECTION OF THE FAFSA

Tip: Watch our FAFSA Line-by-Line tutorial for help
Tip: Make an appointment with our Success Center Staff for help
Tip: Join our weekly, virtual FAFSA Wednesdays for help

ACPE's FAFSA Completion Resources

ACPE offers a variety of FAFSA completion resources for students, families, educators, and stakeholders. Review our FAFSA Completion resources below to learn more.

Request FYF Presentation

Make an Appointment with ACPE Success Center Staff

Join FAFSA Wednesdays

Creating Your StudentAid.Gov Account

Step-by-step tutorial how to create a StudentAid.gov account.

FAFSA Line-By-Line

Walk-through of the 2026-27 FAFSA process for a student and a contributor.

Troubleshooting Your StudentAid.Gov Account

Step-by-step tutorial how to troubleshoot a StudentAid.gov account.

FAFSA Dependency Status:
Twelve questions to determine if a student is dependent or independent for federal student aid purposes
FAFSA Documents Checklist:
Overview of documents and information for a student and a contributor to have readily available while completing the FAFSA
FAFSA Process-Quick Guide:
Overview of each FAFSA section for a student and a contributor; financial aid terms plus FAFSA-required documents
FAFSA Prep Step-by Step:
Three steps for students to review before starting the FAFSA
FAFSA Parent Guide:
Five steps for parents to follow to complete their section of the FAFSA
FAFSA Parent Wizard-Who is your Parent Contributor on the FAFSA?:
Q&A for students to determine which parent(s) should participate in their FAFSA
Mythbusting: FAFSA Edition:
Ten common misconceptions about the FAFSA
Student Homelessness on the FAFSA:
Three steps for students experiencing homelessness to follow to make the FAFSA process easier
Student Unusual Circumstances on the FAFSA:
Three steps for students experiencing unusual family circumstances to follow to make the FAFSA process easier
Student Special Financial Situation on the FAFSA:
Steps for students and families experiencing special financial circumstances to take in the FAFSA process

FAFSA Myths

FAFSA is your one-stop application unlocking many forms of finanical aid that can be used for career training expenses - grants, scholarships, work-study, and yes loans too. However, loans are not the only form finanical aid you can access throught the FAFSA.

There is no income limit for the FAFSA. Your eligbility depends on several factors, not just familiy income. Additionally, state, institutional, and other financial aid that is not need-based, scholarships may still require a completed FAFSA.

FAFSA form uses the Prior-Prior Year's tax information, which means for the 2026-27 FAFSA cycle, you will use the 2024 taxes, not the 2025 taxes.

FAFSA stands for FREE application for Federal Student Aid. Free is in the name! If you are being charged any amount of the money to complete the FAFSA it is a scam.

With the improved and simplified FAFSA form, new applications can be completed in as little as 20 minutes and renewals in 10 minutes or less!

While excellent grades can help you earn merit-based scholarships, most need-based financial aid programs do not require a specific GPA. As a matter of fact, FAFSA does not take academic performance into consideration at all.

Its crucial to fill out the FAFSA form every year you're in college or career school because things can change. For instance, your school or state might create a new grant or scholarship or the factors used to calculate your aid could change from one year to the next.

Filling out the FAFSA does not obigate you to accept any financial aid or loans offered. It simply outlines what you may be eligible to receive.

FAFSA data is protected by laws like Privacy Act of 1974 and the Federal Education Rights and Privacy Act FERPA. These laws help ensure FAFSA information is used to determine if a student is eligible for financial aid and govern states' and institutions use of FAFSA data

You can should complete your FAFSA before submitting any college or career school applications as some states or institutions may have early deadlines to apply for their limited funds. You can add or delete schools on your FAFSA at any point afterwards.

Alaska Financial Aid Offices

Alaska Financial Aid Offices Alaska Pacific University (APU) Email financialaid@alaskapacific.edu Call 907-564-8341 Drop by 4101 University Drive, Anchorage, AK 99508 APU Financial Aid website: Click Here
Alaska Financial Aid Offices University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF) Make an online appointment Email uaf-financialaid@alaska.edu Call 907-474-7256 Drop by 107 Eielson Building, 1820 Salcha Street, Fairbanks, AK 99709 UAF Financial Aid website: Click Here
Alaska Financial Aid Offices University of Alaska Anchorage (UAA) Make an online appointment Email financial.aid@uaa.alaska.edu Call 907-786-1480, option 4 Drop by Enrollment Services Center, 2901 Spirit Way, Anchorage, AK 99508 UAA Financial Aid website: Click Here

Alaska Financial Aid Offices Iḷisaġvik College Email fin.aid@ilisagvik.edu Call 907-852-1708 Drop by Stevenson/NARL Main Campus, Utqiaġvik (Barrow), AK 99723 Iḷisaġvik College Financial Aid website: Click Here
Alaska Financial Aid Offices Alaska Vocational Technical Center (AVTEC) Email studentaid@avtec.edu Call 907-224-6156 Drop by 809 Second Avenue, Seward, AK 99664 AVTEC Financial Aid website: Click Here
Alaska Financial Aid Offices University of Alaska Southeast (UAS) Make an online appointment Email uas.finaid@alaska.edu Call 907-796-6296 Drop by Novatney Building, 11066 Auke Lake Way, Juneau, AK 99801 UAS Financial Aid website: Click Here

ACPE's Statewide FAFSA Experience Survey

Historically, Alaska has ranked last in FAFSA completion, meaning Alaska’s students lose access to millions of dollars in financial aid. The FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, unlocks access to not only federal, but also state*, institutional, and other financial aid that can be used by our students to cover college and career training expenses.

To better understand patterns of FAFSA completion, identify common challenges and barriers, and inform future statewide policies and programs to increase FAFSA completion rates and postsecondary enrollment in Alaska, the Alaska Commission on Postsecondary Education (ACPE) has partnered with Hays Research Group LLC to conduct a statewide survey to hear from Alaska residents ages 18-55 years old regarding their experiences with the FAFSA.

For assistance with FAFSA completion, please explore ACPE’s extensive FAFSA completion resources on this page.

Please reach out with questions to Dominika Szpotanska, ACAC Coordinator, at dominika.szpotanska@alaska.gov.

* In Alaska, FAFSA is required for eligible students to receive the Alaska Education Grant (AEG) and the Alaska Performance Scholarship (APS).

FAFSA Materials
At-A-Glance

FAFSA Dependency Status
Click to Download »

FAFSA-Process-Quick-Guide - Front
FAFSA-Process-Quick-Guide - Back
Click to Download »

FAFSA-Parent-Wizard
Click to Download »

FAFSA-Prep-Step-by-Step
Click to Download »

FAFSA-Parent-Guide
Click to Download »

Weekly Master the FAFSA Training

Education and Workforce Development professionals who support students/families and adult learners with FAFSA completion are encouraged to take advantage of this free professional development opportunity.

Individuals needing assistance with personal FAFSA completion are encouraged to explore ACPE’s extensive FAFSA completion resources on this page.

ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training (MTF) provides a line-by-line overview and in-depth analysis of the 2026-27 FAFSA process.

ACPE’s Master the FAFSA Training (MTF) sessions take place:

Weekly, on every Monday and Thursday
From 2:00 to 3:45 pm
Virtually on Zoom

Weekly FAFSA Wednesdays

Students/families and adult learners needing expert assistance with FAFSA completion/corrections and StudentAid.gov Account (FSA ID) creation/troubleshooting.

FAFSA Wednesdays sessions take place:

 Weekly, on every Wednesday
 Between 3:00 and 6:00 pm
 Virtually on Zoom

Registration is not required – individuals can join any time.

Breakout rooms are used if more than one individual participates at the same time to maintain the privacy of sensitive information.

Join on Wednesdays

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