Seniors and their parents are invited to join us from 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 14 in the commons at Meridian High School for a financial aid completion support event in partnership with Futures NW.

Before attending, review the financial aid completion document checklist below and make sure to create your FAFSA and WASFA account at least one week before the event.

During the event, interpreters will be available to help. Students are encouraged to bring their Chromebooks with them. Dinner will be provided. Registration for the event is encouraged, but not required.

If you have any questions, please contact school counselor Cheryl McBride, cmcbride@meridian.wednet.edu, or Regina Reid, rreid@futuresnw.org. We look forward to seeing you!

Financial Aid Application Completion Events Checklist

2025/2026 FAFSA or WASFA Application

HOW TO PREPARE (3 days minimum before the event):

Create your FSA ID or WASFA accounts (Parent/Contributors and Students)

Download your tax documents, if you don’t have a copy:

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/get-transcript

WHAT TO BRING TO THE EVENT:

All Applicants (FAFSA & WASFA) are encouraged to bring or have access to:

  • Your income information. This includes bank statements, 2023 W-2s or pay stubs, and the 2023 tax return.

  • Your parent(s)/guardian(s) (contributors), if you are 24 or younger.

  • Your parents/guardians’ financial information. Parents/guardians should bring a copy of their 2023 tax return.

  • Additional financial information such as child support statements; TANF or welfare; real estate; and investments;

  • Family business and/or investment farm financial documents.

  • List of colleges, universities, professional, and/or technical schools

  • You should bring a list (up to 20 schools) that you would like the FAFSA or WASFA to connect to. (Complete list with school codes to reference)

  • Parents/foster parent’s birthdates, SSNs (if applicable), and current personal email addresses. Legal spelling must be exact!

FAFSA filers must also have access to:

  •  Student Social Security Number or A-Number.

  •  Parent/guardians’ Social Security Number, Birthdate(s), email address ITIN, or A-Number (if they have one).

  •  The date you became a resident of WA state (month and year).

 

For the Following Sections, Only Bring Documents or Information that Applies to You to Create Your Account

  • Social Security Number OR Permanent Resident Number (if applicable)

  • You will need to know your own SSN or A-Number in order to create an FSA ID.

  • Student FSA ID and Parent/Guardian FSA ID

  • State ID Card or Driver’s License (optional)

Parents/Foster Parents (if adopted before 13 yrs of age) Records of Untaxed/Additional Income

Examples of untaxed income include:

  •  Child Support Payments

  •  Interests/Stocks Income

  •  Veterans’ Benefits

  •  Social Security Income Payments

  •  Disability Payments/Income

  •  Life Insurance Payouts

  •  ROTH Retirement Account Income and IRA Income

  •  Records of current Cash, Checking, and Savings Accounts

Application links:

FAFSA: https://studentaid.gov

WASFA: https://wsac.wa.gov/wasfa

Miscellaneous tips:

  • There is a checkbox if a parent has no Social Security Number (SSN). Do not provide ITINs or zeros during this step.

  • Parent Contributors must consent/agree to IRS data transfer in order for students to be considered for gift aid (examples: Pell, Washington College Grant, College Bound Scholarship).

  • Financial Aid hub for mixed-status families: FAFSA Hub – Presidents’ Alliance (higheredimmigrationportal.org)

  • You (the student) may qualify to complete the FAFSA if you are any of the following:

    • U.S. citizen.

    • U.S. permanent resident with a Permanent Resident Card (also known as a “Green Card”).

    • U.S. national (including American Samoa or Swains Island).

    • Citizen of the Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated States of Micronesia.

    • T-Visa holder.

    • A person with Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) status.

    • A person with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from U.S. Citizen and Immigration Services (USCIS) showing any of the following:

      • Refugee

      • Asylum Granted

      • Cuban-Haitian Entrant

      • Conditional Entrant (if issued before April 1, 1980)

      • Parolee (you must be paroled for at least one year, and you must be able to show that you are in the United States for other-than-temporary reasons with the intention of becoming a U.S. citizen or permanent resident)