After the FAFSA/Dream Act: Next Steps
Check the Status of your FAFSA
Once you’ve submitted your FAFSA online, you will receive an email confirming your FAFSA has been processed. It takes about three days for the form to be processed and sent to the college(s) selected. Submitting your FAFSA electronically allows you to immediately check your FAFSA status. If you submit a paper FAFSA, you can check the status once it has been processed, which takes anywhere from seven to 10 days after the date you mailed the form.
This year, FAFSA processing times may be longer. That’s because the U.S. Department of Education introduced the new simplified form, Better FAFSA.
Important links and resources:
- A helpful video about the next steps after submitting FAFSA can be found here.
You Might Be Selected for Verification
Verification is a process in which the federal government and colleges can request copies of specific documents to confirm the accuracy of the information reported on financial aid forms. Some students are randomly selected for verification while others are selected due to conflicting information that the colleges are seeing on the financial aid forms.
Examples of documents required for verification can include any of the following if applicable:
- Official tax transcripts or tax returns
- Proof of citizenship/residency
- Documentation of legal guardianship
This process must be completed in a timely manner! If you receive a verification request from a college you need to respond as quickly as you can so you do not miss out on potential financial aid that is first-come, first-served. Note that these verification requests may come through email, the school portal, and/or the regular postal mail.
Institutional Documentation Service – CSS Profile Submissions Only
For students required to complete the CSS Profile, there is a follow-up step that is similar to verification which is called Institutional Documentation Service (IDOC). If required, this process will also require you to submit additional documentation.
Important Links and Resources:
- Watch a helpful video that shows how to request a tax transcript via IRS.GOV to be mailed home here.
- To find out you are required to complete IDOC, check out this website.
- Created by the College Board, this is a series of slides and videos that reviews the IDOC process that can be found here.
Create a WebGrants 4 Students Account
California students also need to be aware of the steps to take to secure their Cal Grant, Middle-Class Scholarship (MCS), or Chafee Grant, if awarded. For general information about these financial aid programs, see our post “All About Cal Grants and Other CA Financial Aid”. After you submit your FAFSA or Dream Act, you will need to create a WebGrants 4 Students (WG4S) account. This is the online portal that allows you to track the status of your state financial aid, complete required To-Do items and manage their award, and review your state financial aid history and remaining eligibility.
It is crucial that students complete your required steps by the appropriate deadlines, such as:
- Confirm your intended school of attendance or make a school change
- Certify your high school graduation date, for current high school seniors
- Complete the Transfer Entitlement Certification, for community college transfer students
- Complete the Cal Grant C Supplement, if being considered for Cal Grant C
Keep in mind that the timelines for you to complete these steps may vary depending on if you are a first-time applicant or renewing your award, as well as what type of award you are being considered for. You should keep track of their deadlines to ensure that you do not miss out on any state financial aid you may be eligible for. Once you have completed all of the requirements on your WG4S account, your intended college will be able to confirm their eligibility and move forward with issuing payment of their award.
Important Links and Resources:
- Watch a help video created by the California Student Aid Commission about how to create your WebGrants 4 Students account here
Check out a detailed description of how to complete certain steps on WG4S here.