How to Add Schools to Your FAFSA Form

You add schools to FAFSA by entering their six-digit Federal School Code in the school selection section of your form

When you fill out your FAFSA form online at studentaid.gov, you will reach a section asking which schools should receive your financial aid information. You enter each school's Federal School Code — a six-digit number assigned by the U.S. Department of Education — and the form sends your FAFSA results directly to that school's financial aid office. You can add up to 10 schools on a single FAFSA form at no cost.

The schools you list do not see that you applied to other schools. Each school receives only your FAFSA data and your answers to their own additional questions, if they have any. Adding a school to FAFSA does not commit you to attending; it simply opens the door for that school to calculate your financial aid package.

Key Takeaways

You enter schools by their Federal School Code, a six-digit number you can find on the school's website, in the FAFSA school search tool, or by calling the financial aid office.
FAFSA allows you to add up to 10 schools at no cost, and you can change your school list after you submit your form.
Schools do not see which other schools you have listed, and adding a school to FAFSA does not obligate you to attend.
If you add a school after submitting your FAFSA, the form will send your information to that school within a few days.

Finding a school's Federal School Code

Every college, university, and career school that participates in federal student aid has a Federal School Code. The fastest way to find it is to use the FAFSA school search tool built into the form itself. When you reach the school selection section on studentaid.gov, you can type the school's name, city, or state, and the search will return matching schools with their codes displayed.

If the search tool does not return the school you are looking for, visit the school's financial aid website directly — most schools list their Federal School Code on the page where they explain how to complete FAFSA. You can also call the school's financial aid office and ask for the code; they can provide it in seconds. The National Center for Education Statistics also maintains a searchable database of school codes at nces.ed.gov, though the FAFSA search tool is usually faster.

Adding schools during the FAFSA form

When you are filling out your FAFSA form online, you will see a section labeled "Which schools should receive your information?" or similar wording. Click the button to add a school, then enter the Federal School Code in the search field. The form will display the school name and confirm you have selected the correct institution. Click to add it to your list.

Repeat this process for each school where you want your FAFSA information sent. You can add schools in any order. The form will show you how many schools you have selected and how many more you can add (up to 10 total). Once you have added all the schools you want, continue with the rest of the form and submit it when you are ready.

Changing your school list after you submit FAFSA

You can add or remove schools from your FAFSA even after you have submitted the form. Log back into your FAFSA account on studentaid.gov using your FSA ID (the username and password you created when you first started the form). Find the section where you listed schools and make your changes — add new schools, delete schools you no longer want to attend, or replace one school with another.

When you save your changes, FAFSA will send your information to any newly added schools within a few business days. Removing a school stops future updates from going to that school, but it does not erase the FAFSA data that school already received. If you remove a school and then add it back later, the school will receive your updated information.

What happens after you add a school

Once a school receives your FAFSA information, its financial aid office will use your data to calculate a financial aid package — the combination of grants, loans, and work-study that the school can offer you. The school will contact you with instructions on how to view your aid package, usually through an online portal or by mail. This typically happens within two to four weeks of your FAFSA being submitted, though timing varies by school.

Some schools ask additional questions beyond FAFSA before they can finalize your aid. These questions might appear in an online form, an email, or a letter. You will need to answer them to complete the financial aid process at that school. The school's financial aid office can tell you what extra information they need and by what date.

Removing schools from your FAFSA list

You can remove a school from your FAFSA at any time by logging back into studentaid.gov, finding that school in your list, and clicking the option to delete it. Removing a school does not affect your FAFSA form itself or your aid at other schools. It simply stops FAFSA from sending future updates to that school.

If you remove a school by mistake, you can add it back by entering its Federal School Code again. There is no penalty for adding and removing schools, and you can make these changes as many times as you need to.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add more than 10 schools to FAFSA?

No, FAFSA allows a maximum of 10 schools per form. If you want to send your information to more than 10 schools, you would need to remove one school and add another. Most students apply to fewer than 10 schools, so this limit rarely affects people.

Do the schools I list see each other's names?

No. Each school receives only your FAFSA data and your answers to their specific questions. Schools do not see which other schools you have listed or applied to. Your school list is private information between you and FAFSA.

What if I do not know the school's Federal School Code?

Use the FAFSA school search tool on studentaid.gov and type the school's name. If the school does not appear, call its financial aid office — they can provide the code immediately. If the school does not have a Federal School Code, it may not participate in federal student aid programs.

Can I add a school after I have already submitted FAFSA?

Yes. Log into your FAFSA account, go to the school section, and add the new school. FAFSA will send your information to that school within a few business days. You can add schools at any time during the aid year.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.