You add colleges to your FAFSA through the schools section of your form, and you can change your list at any time before you submit

The FAFSA form lets you list up to 10 schools that will receive your financial aid information. You add them by searching for each school's Federal School Code (a six-digit number assigned to every college, university, and career program in the country) and entering it into the schools section of your form. You do not need to add all 10 schools at once — you can add them as you decide where to send your information, and you can remove schools or swap them out before you hit submit.

The schools you list will see your FAFSA data and use it to calculate your financial aid package. Adding a school does not commit you to attending; it simply means that school will have the information it needs to make you an aid offer. You can add schools, remove them, or change the order at any point while your FAFSA is still open for edits.

Key Takeaways

  • Every school has a Federal School Code (six digits) that you enter into the schools section of your FAFSA form.
  • You can add up to 10 schools total, and you can change your list at any time before you submit your form.
  • The Federal Student Aid website has a school code search tool where you can find the code for any college or program you are considering.
  • Schools see your FAFSA information only after you submit your form, so you can edit your school list without notifying anyone.
  • If you add a school after you submit, you will need to make a correction to your submitted FAFSA, which takes a few extra steps.

Finding your school's Federal School Code

Every college, university, and career program has a unique six-digit Federal School Code. You need this code to add the school to your FAFSA. The fastest way to find it is through the Federal Student Aid website's school code search tool at studentaid.gov/school-search-results.

Type the school's name into the search box. If the school has multiple campuses, each one may have its own code — for example, the University of California system has separate codes for Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Diego, and each other campus. Make sure you select the exact location where you plan to attend. Once you find the school, the six-digit code will appear on the screen. Write it down or keep the page open so you can enter it into your FAFSA.

If you cannot find the school through the search tool, contact the school's financial aid office directly and ask for its Federal School Code. They will give it to you immediately.

Adding schools during FAFSA completion

Once you have your school codes, log into your FAFSA form at fafsa.gov. Navigate to the schools section — this is usually near the middle or end of the form, depending on which version you are filling out. You will see a field that says "School Code" or "Add a School."

Enter the six-digit code for your first school and press Enter or click the search button. The school's name and location will appear. Click to confirm that this is the correct school. The school will now appear in your list. Repeat this process for each school you want to add, up to 10 total.

You can add schools in any order — you do not need to rank them or list them by preference. The order you enter them in does not affect your financial aid or how schools view your application. You can rearrange them later if you want to, though the order has no practical impact.

Removing or changing schools before you submit

Before you submit your FAFSA, you can remove any school from your list by clicking the delete or remove button next to that school's name. You can also replace a school by deleting it and adding a different one in its place. These changes take effect immediately and do not require you to notify anyone.

If you realize you want to add a school but have already listed 10, you must remove one school first. Delete the school you are least interested in, then add the new school using its Federal School Code.

Take your time with this step. Many students add schools they are not seriously considering and then regret it later, because those schools will send mail, email, and financial aid packages. Only add schools you actually want to hear from.

Adding schools after you submit your FAFSA

If you submit your FAFSA and then decide you want to add another school, you will need to make a correction. Log back into your FAFSA account at fafsa.gov, find the submitted form, and click "Make Corrections." This reopens your form for editing.

Navigate to the schools section and add the new school using its Federal School Code, just as you would have before submission. Once you have made the change, you must resubmit the form. The correction will be processed, and the new school will receive your updated FAFSA information within a few days.

There is no penalty for adding schools after submission, but it does mean that school will receive your information a few days later than schools you listed originally. If you are close to a school's financial aid deadline, contact that school's financial aid office to let them know you have submitted your FAFSA and ask whether they need anything else from you.

What happens after you add a school

Once your FAFSA is submitted, each school on your list will receive your financial aid information within one to three business days. The school's financial aid office will use this information to calculate how much aid you may receive and will send you a financial aid package, usually by email or through an online portal.

Adding a school to your FAFSA does not mean you have applied to that school for admission. Your FAFSA goes to the financial aid office, not the admissions office. If you want to attend a school, you still need to submit a separate application for admission through that school's admissions portal or the Common Application.

Schools will begin contacting you once they have your FAFSA information. You will receive emails, letters, and sometimes phone calls about financial aid packages and next steps. You can ignore schools you are no longer interested in, or you can contact their financial aid office to ask them to remove you from their mailing list.

Changing your school list later in the year

You can edit your school list at any time while your FAFSA remains open for corrections. If you decide in March that you want to remove a school you added in January, log back in, make the correction, and resubmit. The change takes effect within a few days.

If you have already committed to a school and enrolled, you do not need to do anything with your FAFSA. Schools you did not choose will simply stop contacting you. Your FAFSA will close after you enroll, and you will not be able to make further corrections unless you contact the Federal Student Aid office.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add more than 10 schools to my FAFSA?

No, the FAFSA form allows a maximum of 10 schools. If you want to add a school after you have already listed 10, you must remove one first. You can remove and re-add schools as many times as you want before you submit.

Do schools know what other schools I added to my FAFSA?

No. Each school sees only your FAFSA information — they do not see the list of other schools you sent it to. Your school list is private and visible only to you.

What if I add a school by mistake?

If you have not submitted your FAFSA yet, simply click the delete button next to that school's name and it will be removed immediately. If you have already submitted, log back in, make a correction to remove the school, and resubmit your form.

Do I need to add schools in a specific order?

No. The order you list schools in does not matter and does not affect your financial aid or how schools view you. You can list them in any order you prefer, or rearrange them at any time.

When should I add schools to my FAFSA?

You can add schools as soon as you know which ones you are considering. Many students add schools gradually as they narrow down their choices. There is no advantage to adding all schools at once, and you can change your list at any point before you submit.