You add schools to FAFSA by entering their six-digit Federal School Code on the form itself

When you fill out your FAFSA form online at studentaid.gov, you will see a section asking which schools should receive your 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 data directly to that school's financial aid office. You can add up to 10 schools on a single FAFSA form. Schools you list will see your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI), depending on which FAFSA year you are filing, and will use that number to calculate your financial aid package.

The schools you add do not have to be in any particular order, and you can change them at any time before you submit your FAFSA. After you submit, you can still add or remove schools through your FAFSA account — the form does not lock you out of edits. Each school you add will receive your FAFSA data within a few days of submission, though some schools may take longer to process it into their system.

Key Takeaways

  • You enter schools by their six-digit Federal School Code, which you can find on the school's financial aid website or through the FAFSA school search tool.
  • You can add up to 10 schools on one FAFSA form, and you can change which schools receive your information even after you submit.
  • Schools receive your FAFSA data within a few days and use it to calculate your financial aid package and send you an award letter.
  • If you add a school after submitting your FAFSA, it will receive your information, but you should contact the school's financial aid office to confirm they have it.

Finding a School's Federal School Code

Every school that participates in federal student aid has a six-digit Federal School Code. The fastest way to find it is to use the FAFSA school search tool built into the studentaid.gov website. When you are filling out your FAFSA, you will see a search box where you type the school name, city, or state. The tool will show you matching schools and their codes. If you search for "University of Michigan," for example, the tool will display the code and confirm whether the school is a four-year university, community college, or trade school.

If you cannot find the school through the FAFSA search, you can also look up the code on the school's financial aid website — most schools list it prominently in their financial aid section or in their FAFSA instructions. You can also call the school's financial aid office and ask for the code directly. Having the correct code matters because entering a wrong code means your FAFSA data will go to the wrong school, and you will have to correct it.

How to Enter Schools During FAFSA Completion

When you are filling out your FAFSA online, you will reach a section labeled "Schools to Receive Your Information" or similar wording depending on the year. You will see a search box. Type the school name or code into the box, and the system will show you matching results. Click on the correct school from the list. The school's name and code will then appear in your list of selected schools.

Repeat this process for each school you want to add, up to 10 total. You can add schools in any order — the order you list them does not affect your aid or how schools process your information. Before you submit your FAFSA, review the list to make sure all school names and codes are correct. If you see a school you do not want to include, click the remove or delete button next to it.

Adding or Removing Schools After You Submit

You do not have to decide on all your schools before submitting your FAFSA. After you submit, you can log back into your FAFSA account at any time and add new schools or remove ones you no longer want to attend. When you add a school after submission, your FAFSA data will be sent to that school within a few days, just as it would have been if you had listed it originally.

If you remove a school after submitting, that school will no longer receive updates to your FAFSA information. However, the school will still have the data you sent when you first submitted. If you change your mind and want to add the school back, you can do that too. There is no penalty for changing your school list, and you can make changes as many times as you need to.

What Happens After Schools Receive Your FAFSA Data

Once a school receives your FAFSA information, its financial aid office will use your data to calculate how much aid you may receive. This calculation is based on your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) or Student Aid Index (SAI), your enrollment status (full-time or part-time), and the school's cost of attendance. The school will then send you an award letter showing the types and amounts of aid you are offered — grants, loans, work-study, and scholarships.

The timeline for receiving an award letter varies by school. Some schools send award letters within two to three weeks of receiving your FAFSA data. Others may take six weeks or longer, especially if they are processing a high volume of applications. You can contact the school's financial aid office to ask when you should expect to hear from them. If you do not receive an award letter by the school's stated deadline, follow up with the financial aid office to confirm they received your FAFSA information.

Correcting a School Code or Removing a Wrong School

If you entered the wrong school code or added a school by mistake, you can fix it through your FAFSA account. Log in, find the school in your list, and either remove it or search for the correct school to replace it. If you have already submitted your FAFSA and sent data to the wrong school, contact that school's financial aid office and let them know the error. Most schools will remove your file from their system if you explain the mistake.

If you corrected the school list after submitting, the correct school will receive your data within a few days. The wrong school will not receive any updates to your FAFSA, but they will still have the original data you sent. You do not need to contact the wrong school a second time unless they reach out to you about your application.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add more than 10 schools to my FAFSA?

No, the FAFSA form allows you to list a maximum of 10 schools. If you want to send your information to more than 10 schools, you will need to remove some schools from your list and add others later. You can make these changes at any time through your FAFSA account.

Do I have to add all my schools before I submit my FAFSA?

No. You can submit your FAFSA with just one school listed, and then add more schools afterward. Your FAFSA data will be sent to any school you add, even after submission. This is useful if you are still deciding between schools or waiting to hear back from schools you have applied to.

What if I do not know the school code?

Use the FAFSA school search tool on studentaid.gov — type the school name and it will show you the code. If the school does not appear in the search, call the school's financial aid office and ask for the code. Make sure you have the correct school name and location, as some school names are similar.

Will schools see each other's names on my FAFSA?

No. Each school receives only your FAFSA data and your financial information. Schools do not see which other schools you have listed on your FAFSA. Your school list is private information visible only to you and the schools you have chosen.

Can I change my schools if I have already submitted my FAFSA?

Yes. Log into your FAFSA account, remove any schools you no longer want to attend, and add new ones. Your updated information will be sent to the new schools within a few days. There is no limit to how many times you can change your school list.