How to add schools to your FAFSA
You add schools to your FAFSA by logging into your account at studentaid.gov, going to the "Schools" section, and entering the school's Federal School Code. You can add up to 10 schools at once during the 2024-25 cycle. The form will not send to any school until you add it yourself — nothing happens automatically.
The schools you list receive your FAFSA information and use it to calculate how much federal aid you may receive. You do not have to commit to attending any of them by adding them. You can add schools at any point while your FAFSA is open, remove schools later, and change the order they appear in.
If you are filling out your FAFSA for the first time, you will create a login using your email address and a password. If you already have a Federal Student Aid account from a previous year, use that same login. Your FAFSA stays in your account and you can edit it as many times as you need before you submit it.
Key Takeaways
- You find each school's Federal School Code on the school's financial aid website or by searching the Federal School Code database at studentaid.gov.
- Schools do not receive your FAFSA information until you add them yourself — the form does not auto-populate or send to schools you are considering.
- You can add, remove, or reorder schools at any time while your FAFSA is open, and you can list up to 10 schools in the 2024-25 cycle.
- Adding a school to your FAFSA does not commit you to attending or borrowing from that school.
Finding your school's Federal School Code
Every school that participates in federal aid has a six-digit Federal School Code. You need this code to add the school to your FAFSA. The fastest way to find it is to go to the school's financial aid office website — most schools list their code prominently on the page where they explain FAFSA.
If the school's website does not show the code, you can search for it directly at studentaid.gov. Go to the "School Search" tool, type in the school name and state, and the code will appear in the results. If multiple campuses of the same university appear, make sure you select the right one — some universities have different codes for different locations.
Write down or copy the code before you log into your FAFSA. Having it ready will make the process faster and you will not have to switch between windows.
The step-by-step process for adding schools
Log into your FAFSA account at studentaid.gov using your email and password. Once you are logged in, look for the section labeled "Schools" or "School Information." Click on it.
You will see a field that says "Enter School Code" or "Add a School." Type in the six-digit Federal School Code and the system will pull up the school name to confirm you have the right one. Click "Add School" or the equivalent button. The school will now appear in your list.
Repeat this process for each school you want to add. You can add all 10 schools in one sitting or add them over time — your FAFSA will save your progress. Once you have added all the schools you want, you can reorder them by dragging them up or down the list, though the order does not affect how schools receive your information or how aid is calculated.
What happens after you add a school
After you add a school and submit your FAFSA, that school receives your information within a few days to a few weeks, depending on how busy the federal system is. The school's financial aid office will use your FAFSA data to send you a financial aid letter showing how much federal aid you may receive if you attend.
You will not hear from the school just because you added it to your FAFSA. Schools do not contact you automatically. You may receive mail or email from the school's admissions office if you have also submitted an application to them, but that is separate from your FAFSA.
If you decide you do not want to attend a school, you can remove it from your FAFSA at any time before you submit. After you submit, you can still remove schools, but it is usually easier to just leave them on the list — removing a school does not hurt your chances at other schools.
Changing or removing schools later
You can edit your school list as many times as you need while your FAFSA is open. To remove a school, log back into your account, go to the "Schools" section, find the school you want to remove, and click the delete or remove button next to it. The school will disappear from your list immediately.
If you want to add a school you removed earlier, you can add it again using the same process. There is no limit to how many times you can add or remove schools, and no record of removed schools stays on your FAFSA.
If you have already submitted your FAFSA and want to change your school list, you can still log back in and make changes. Your updated list will be sent to schools you added after the original submission. Schools you removed will no longer receive updates to your FAFSA, but they will keep the information they already received.
Common mistakes when adding schools
The most common mistake is typing the school code wrong or using a code from a different campus. If you add a school and the name that appears does not match exactly what you expected, delete it and search again. A one-digit error will send your FAFSA to the wrong school.
Another mistake is assuming the school received your FAFSA automatically. Schools only receive information about schools you have explicitly added. If you are considering a school but have not added it yet, that school will not see your FAFSA.
Some students also add schools they have no intention of attending, thinking it might help them get more aid offers to compare. Adding extra schools does not increase your aid — each school calculates aid based on your FAFSA information and their own policies. Add only schools you are genuinely considering.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I add more than 10 schools?
No. The 2024-25 FAFSA allows you to add up to 10 schools. If you need to add an 11th school, you will have to remove one of the first 10. You can always add a school later if you change your mind about which schools to attend.
Do schools know if I added them to my FAFSA?
Schools know you added them only after you submit your FAFSA and they receive your information. Adding a school to your FAFSA does not notify the school's admissions office. Schools will not contact you or know you are considering them unless you also submit a separate application to them.
What if I add a school by mistake?
Delete it immediately. Log into your FAFSA, go to the "Schools" section, find the school, and click remove. If you have already submitted your FAFSA, you can still log back in and remove the school — it will stop receiving updates to your information, though it will keep what it already received.
Do I have to add schools in a certain order?
No. The order you list schools on your FAFSA does not matter. Schools do not know where they rank on your list, and the order does not affect how much aid you receive. You can reorder them anytime, or leave them in whatever order you added them.
Can I add a school that is not in the United States?
Some international schools participate in the federal aid system and have Federal School Codes. Search for the school at studentaid.gov to see if it has a code. If it does not, you cannot add it to your FAFSA, though you may still be able to borrow federal loans and use them at that school through other programs.