High School Counselor Information

Welcome to the Texas Southmost College High School Counselor Information page. This page is designed as a resource for high school counselors seeking information and guidance about Financial Aid assistance.

Applying for Financial Aid

What information do I need when I fill out the FAFSA?
You should have the following information and documents with you as you fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.ed.gov using school code: 030646. You are encouraged to submit the FAFSA by the priority deadline of January 15th of each year.

• Your Social Security Number
• Your parents’ Social Security numbers if you are providing parent information*
• Your driver’s license number if you have one
• Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a U.S. citizen
• Federal tax information or tax returns** including IRS W-2 information, for you (and your spouse, if you are married), and for your parents, if you are providing parent information
• Use income records from two years prior to the academic year for which you are applying: for instance, if you are filling out the 2019-2020 FAFSA, you will need the 2017 income tax information
• If you have not filed an income tax return, complete and submit the FAFSA using estimated tax information
• Records of your untaxed income, such as child support received, interest income, and veterans non-education benefits, for you, and for your parents, if you are providing parent information
• Information on cash; savings and checking account balances; investments, including real estate but not including the home in which you live; and business and farm assets for you, and for your parents if you are providing parent information.

* Not sure whether you will need to put parents’ information on the FAFSA? Check out “Am I Dependent or Independent?” 

** If you will file your taxes before filling out your FAFSA online, you might be able to have your tax information automatically retrieved from the IRS and inserted in your FAFSA.

Resources

Information for Financial Aid Professionals (IFAP) https://ifap.ed.gov/ifap/

College for All Texans: Provides information about paying for college including assistance from state programs and scholarships.