For the 2025-2026 financial aid application, the CSS Profile is available now and the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be available in December. This page will be updated throughout the year. 

U-M CSS Profile Code: 1839
UM-Ann Arbor Federal School Code: 002325

Applicants/Incoming Undergraduate Students:

  • Apply early! You don’t have to be admitted to apply. Complete both the CSS Profile and FAFSA as soon as possible, by Dec. 15 to receive your financial aid package sooner, get earlier consideration for scholarships from your school/college, and have more time to fix any issues if they come up.
  • Completing the CSS Profile is an important part of your aid application and is available now. Don't wait for the FAFSA to become available to complete your CSS Profile. Rather than waiting for all FAFSA data to become available, the Office of Financial Aid (OFA) will also utilize data available in the CSS Profile to develop financial aid packages.
  • Admitted undergraduate students who have submitted the CSS Profile, will receive their estimated financial aid package approximately two weeks after receiving their admissions decision, which is our typical window. This allows admitted undergraduate students to have information about the financial support available to them from U-M when evaluating their options.
  • U-M is the only public university in the state of Michigan that uses the CSS Profile, so we may be unique in our ability to provide admitted students with financial aid packages within our typical timeframe.
  • After you submit your FAFSA, check your FAFSA Submission Summary to review your responses and identify if any additional actions will be required to complete your FAFSA application. Watch your emails for additional communications from the U-M Office of Financial Aid and stay up to date by checking the Federal Student Aid website.

Returning Undergraduate Students:

  • Complete your 2025-2026 FAFSA by May 1. Financial aid offers for the 2025-2026 academic year will be emailed in the summer.
  • You only have to submit the CSS Profile once during your education at U-M. If you have never completed it, complete the CSS Profile by May 1. 

Graduate and Professional Students:

  • Admitted graduate and professional degree students should complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA by March 31. Financial aid offers will be emailed once the Office of Financial Aid has received the FAFSA information. 
  • Returning graduate and professional degree students should complete the FAFSA by May 1. Financial aid offers for the 2025-2026 academic year will be emailed in the summer.
  • University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) students should use the UMMS's School Code (E00398).
Common Errors When Completing the FAFSA

Look out for these common mistakes when completing your FAFSA. If you submit the FAFSA and you need to make corrections, learn How To Correct or Update Your FAFSA Form on the Federal Student Aid website.

  • Missing or incorrect school code ​
    • Use UM-Ann Arbor’s Federal School Code (002325). Note that there are multiple school codes identifying different campuses in the University of Michigan system. It may not be immediately obvious which one you are choosing because of the way the names are listed. We encourage you to search for the Ann Arbor campus using our code (002325) and add it to your FAFSA. Michigan residents: U-M must be the first code listed for state scholarships to be directed correctly. University of Michigan Medical School (UMMS) students:Use UMMS’s school code (E00398).
    • Remove any University of Michigan school codes attached to your FAFSA that are not 002325 (E00398 for UMMS students) to ensure your aid application is directed to the correct campus. 
  • No student signature
  • No parent signature
  • No student federal tax information (FTI) consent
  • Missing critical data from your parents (also called FAFSA contributors)
  • Missing or unconfirmed information about your U.S. citizenship status
The FAFSA Simplification Act

As a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act, Federal Student Aid updated the FAFSA process to expand access to federal student aid and provide an easier, streamlined FAFSA experience for students and families. The overhaul resulted in shifting timelines for the 2024-2025 FAFSA. We will continue to update this page with information for the 2025-2026 FAFSA.

Watch this 2-minute overview video.

Key FAFSA Updates From the FAFSA Simplification Act
  • The FAFSA will be available in December 2024 instead of Oct. 1 this year.
  • The FAFSA has been streamlined and is more user-friendly with fewer questions.
  • The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
  • Federal aid eligibility was extended to more students. 
  • IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) was launched to make entering tax information easier and will be required for students, spouses, and parents to transfer their 2023 tax information or non-filing status.
  • The number of family members in college no longer factors into the FAFSA calculation.
  • Untaxed items such as payments to tax-deferred retirement or pension plans, veteran’s non-educational benefits, and worker’s compensation are no longer required.
  • Parent assets now include the net worth of all businesses and the net worth of a family farm, if applicable.
  • For divorced or separated parents: The parent who provided the most financial support to the student will need to provide their information. Previously, the parent who the student lived with the most provided their information.
  • Everyone contributing to the FAFSA form online must have their own account on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website. Each contributor, including the student, will access their account with their own FSA ID (account username and password).
Terms to Know
  • Student Aid Index (SAI): Calculated by FAFSA data and will determine student aid eligibility. This replaces the EFC that was used in previous years.
  • Cost of Attendance (COA): COA includes tuition and fees, food and housing, books and supplies (including course materials and equipment), miscellaneous expenses, and transportation. 
  • Contributor: A parent, step-parent, student, or spouse of the student who is providing information to the FAFSA. 
  • Consent: Required from all contributors in order for the IRS to share tax data directly to the FAFSA. If any contributor does not provide consent, the student will automatically be ineligible for aid.
  • Direct Data Exchange (DDX): Previously known as IRS Data Retrieval; this tool imports tax data directly from the IRS to your FAFSA.
  • FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS): A summary of your completed FAFSA information. This replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) that was used in previous years.
Ways to Prepare
  • Apply for your FSA ID. A Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is required for all contributors including the student.
  • Determine who your contributors are. The FAFSA will also offer assistance when filing. Students, parents, step-parents, and a student’s spouse may be considered contributors.
  • Gather 2023 Federal Tax Information and W-2s. All contributors will need this information, if applicable.
FAQs

What is the FAFSA Simplification Act?

The FAFSA Simplification Act is a law that represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-2025 award year, including changes to the FAFSA. Learn more about the law.

Contact us at [email protected] if you have any additional questions. You can also find answers to your questions about the FAFSA in general on the Federal Student Aid website.

When will the 2025-2026 FAFSA become available?

The U.S. Department of Education will launch the FAFSA in December 2024.

What semesters are covered by my 2025-2026 FAFSA?

Fall 2025, winter 2026, and spring/summer 2026

When is the 2025-2026 suggested filing date for UM-Ann Arbor?

Dec. 15, 2024. The suggested filing date is not a deadline. It is set to encourage new undergraduate students to complete their aid applications (CSS Profile and FAFSA) as soon as possible so that we can provide preliminary financial aid information sooner. The UM-Ann Arbor deadline to apply for aid is March 31, 2025.

When is the 2025-2026 final financial aid deadline for UM-Ann Arbor?

March 31, 2025

What school code should I use for the FAFSA?

The UM-Ann Arbor school code is 002325. Be sure to look for UM-Ann Arbor specifically as there are different codes for each campus.

What school code should I use for the CSS Profile?

Use the U-M school code: 1839.

Is a contributor required to have an FSA ID?

Yes, all contributors must have an FSA ID.

My parents are divorced or separated. Which parent is a contributor for my FAFSA?

The parent who provides the most financial support to the student should be the contributor on the FAFSA.

Do the invitations to contributors to provide federal tax information and consent expire?

Yes. Invitations to be a contributor will be deleted when they have been inactive for 45 days. Any previously entered information will be deleted and the process will need to start over.

How can I be considered an independent student?

An independent student is one of the following: born before Jan. 1, 2002, married (and not separated), a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, a person with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor, a person who is unaccompanied and homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.

I’m a graduate student, how does this impact me? 

U-M graduate student financial aid processing relies on the FAFSA. Therefore, incoming and current graduate student aid will need to be processed once the federal government provides information. This could result in a delay from March to April in graduate student aid processing.

I’m a current undergraduate student, when will I receive my financial aid package? 

Current U-M undergraduate students can submit the FAFSA at any time and are encouraged to do so by May 1. We anticipate access to the FAFSA data in enough time to provide financial aid packages for existing students on our regular schedule.

Additional Resources
  • Apply for your FSA ID. A Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID is required for all contributors including the student.
  • Determine who your contributors are. The FAFSA will also offer assistance when filing. Students, parents, step-parents, and a student’s spouse may be considered contributors.
  • Gather 2023 Federal Tax Information and W-2s. All contributors will need this information, if applicable.