Completing the FAFSA & MASFA

Before starting the FAFSA form, each contributor must create an FSA ID. A contributor is anyone required to provide information on the FAFSA, including you, your biological or adoptive parent(s), your spouse, or your parent's spouse.

If a contributor has a Social Security number, they should enter it exactly as it appears on their Social Security card when creating an account. Those without a Social Security number can still create an FSA ID to complete their section of the FAFSA form online.

If you need assistance creating an FSA ID, please watch the below step-by-step tutorial or contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. Complete the FAFSA or MASFA

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To qualify for financial aid at Massasoit, you’ll need to meet the following federal and state requirements.

To receive federal student aid (via the FAFSA), you must:

• Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
• Submit all requested verification documents, if selected
• Have a high school diploma, GED, or a state-recognized home school equivalent
• Be enrolled or accepted into an eligible degree or certificate program with the intent to earn a degree or certificate
• Be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen (see federal noncitizen guidelines)
• Have a valid Social Security number
• Maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as defined in Massasoit’s SAP Policy
• Certify that you are not in default on a federal student loan and do not owe repayment on a federal grant
• Certify that you will use federal student aid only for educational expenses

To receive state financial aid (via the FAFSA or MASFA), you must:

• Be a permanent legal resident of Massachusetts or qualify as a high school completer under the Massachusetts Tuition Equity Law
• Be enrolled or accepted into an eligible degree or certificate program with the intent to earn a degree or certificate
• Meet individual program criteria for state aid programs, including MassReconnect, MassEducate, grants, and waivers

Even if you think you may not qualify for need-based aid, it’s still important to complete the FAFSA or MASFA if you’re eligible. These applications are required to be considered for state financial aid, including free community college programs such as MassReconnect and MassEducate, which are not based on financial need.

Students who submit all required documents by the May 1 priority deadline for the fall semester are typically notified of their financial aid eligibility during the summer. For spring semester applicants, the recommended priority deadline is November 15. Aid is reviewed and awarded on a rolling basis once all documentation has been received and processed.

After your financial aid has been awarded, you will receive an official award letter by mail at the home address on file with the college. Award information is also available through your MyMassasoit portal.

In most cases, no response is required to accept your financial aid. However, if you are offered a student loan and wish to borrow, you must complete Loan Acceptance Form and fulfill additional loan requirements.

At Massasoit, the financial aid year includes the Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. For details about summer financial aid, including MassReconnect and Pell Grant eligibility, please visit our Summer Financial Aid page.

Your 2025–2026 FAFSA applies to financial aid for Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026.

Enrollment status for financial aid purposes:

• Full-time: 12 or more credits
• Three-quarter time: 9–11 credits
• Half-time: 6–8 credits
• Less-than-half-time: 1–5 credits

Financial aid grade level:

• First-year: 0–29 completed credits
• Second-year: 30 or more completed credits

After your enrollment and course participation have been confirmed, financial aid is disbursed directly to your student account. Disbursements occur weekly throughout the semester.

You may receive multiple disbursements if:

• You are borrowing a student loan for a single semester (these must be disbursed in two installments)
• You have not yet completed loan requirements, such as entrance counseling or a Master Promissory Note
• State financial aid funds have not yet been awarded or received by the college at the time your federal aid is disbursed

Once disbursed, financial aid is applied first to institutional charges, including tuition, course fees, and book advance charges. Federal and state aid may also be applied to non-institutional charges such as mandatory health insurance and additional print access fees only if you have completed a Title IV authorization through the MyMassasoit portal.

In addition, up to $200 in prior-year institutional charges such as unpaid tuition or course fees may be covered without authorization. If any portion of that $200 is used to pay non-institutional charges from a prior year, a separate Authorization for Prior Year Charges is required.

If your total financial aid exceeds your charges, the remaining funds will be refunded within 14 days of the credit balance being created, either:

• By mail as a paper check
• By direct deposit if you have enrolled in this option through your MyMassasoit portal

If the credit balance is the result of a Federal Direct Parent PLUS Loan, the refund will be issued to the parent borrower unless the parent authorized the funds to be released to the student on the loan application.

If you receive a federal student loan, you have the right to cancel all or part of the loan within 14 days of disbursement by contacting the Financial Aid Office. You may also return loan funds directly to your loan servicer within 120 days of disbursement to avoid interest and fees.