How to add schools to your FAFSA

You add schools to your FAFSA by entering their six-digit Federal School Code into the school search tool on the FAFSA form itself. You can add up to 10 schools during the initial submission, and add or remove schools later without resubmitting the entire form. The schools you list receive your information directly from the Department of Education, and each school uses it to calculate your financial aid package.

The process takes a few minutes per school. You do not need to contact the schools yourself — listing them on your FAFSA is how they learn you are interested and have submitted financial information for their review.

Key Takeaways

  • Find each school's Federal School Code by searching the FAFSA school lookup tool or visiting the school's financial aid website.
  • You can add up to 10 schools during your initial FAFSA submission and change your list at any time before the deadline.
  • Schools receive your FAFSA information automatically once you add them — you do not need to send anything separately.
  • Adding a school costs nothing and does not commit you to attending; it only allows the school to see your financial information and send you an aid package.
  • If you add a school after the initial submission, the change takes effect immediately and the school receives your data within a few days.

Finding your school's Federal School Code

Every college, university, and career school participating in federal student aid has a six-digit Federal School Code. You find it using the FAFSA school search tool, which appears directly on the FAFSA form when you reach the school entry section. Type the school name, city, or state into the search box, and the tool returns a list of matching schools with their codes displayed.

If the search tool does not return your school, check the school's financial aid office website — most schools list their Federal School Code prominently on the aid page, often labeled "FAFSA Code" or "School Code." You can also call the financial aid office and ask for the code directly. Do not guess or use a code you find elsewhere; an incorrect code means the school will not receive your information.

Adding schools during initial FAFSA submission

When you first fill out your FAFSA online, you will reach a section asking you to list schools. Enter each school's Federal School Code into the search field, select the correct school from the results, and it will be added to your list. You can add schools one at a time and see them appear on your form as you go.

You can add up to 10 schools during the initial submission. If you want to list more than 10, you will need to add the additional schools after you submit — the form allows you to make changes and add more schools later. There is no penalty for adding schools, and the order you list them does not matter.

Changing your school list after submission

After you submit your FAFSA, you can log back in using your FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID) and add, remove, or replace schools at any time. Go to the school section of your submitted form, add new schools using the same search tool, or delete schools by clicking the remove button next to each one. When you make changes, you do not need to resubmit the entire form — the changes save automatically.

Schools you add after the initial submission receive your information within a few days. There is no deadline for adding schools to an already-submitted FAFSA, though schools may have their own deadlines for considering your aid package. Check with each school about their priority deadline for FAFSA submission if you are adding them late in the year.

What happens after you add a school

Once you add a school and submit your FAFSA, the Department of Education sends your information to that school automatically. The school's financial aid office uses your FAFSA data — your family income, assets, household size, and other factors — to calculate how much federal aid you may receive and to build a financial aid package.

The school will contact you with an aid package, usually by email or through a student portal, within a few weeks to a few months depending on when you submitted and how busy the school is. Adding a school does not commit you to attending; it only gives the school permission to see your financial information and send you an aid offer. You can add 10 schools, receive aid packages from all of them, and then decide where to enroll.

Removing schools from your FAFSA

You can remove a school from your FAFSA at any time by logging in, finding the school in your list, and clicking the remove or delete button. Removing a school stops the Department of Education from sending your information to that school going forward. If you have already submitted and the school has already received your data, removing the school from your form does not erase the information the school already has — you would need to contact the school directly if you want them to disregard your application.

There is no penalty for removing schools, and you can add them back later if you change your mind. Some students remove schools after they have decided where to enroll, while others remove schools that have already sent aid packages they do not want to consider.

Common mistakes when adding schools

The most common error is entering the wrong Federal School Code, which means the school does not receive your information. Always verify the code by searching the FAFSA tool or checking the school's website before submitting. Another mistake is adding a school but forgetting to submit the FAFSA itself — adding schools on the form does not count until you officially submit. Check that you see a confirmation message after submission.

Some students also add schools they are not seriously considering, thinking it costs money or commits them to something. Adding a school is free and does not obligate you in any way. However, do not add schools just to see how much aid you might receive if you have no real interest — schools may contact you multiple times, and it wastes their time.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I add schools to my FAFSA after the deadline?

Yes. The FAFSA form itself does not have a hard deadline for adding schools — you can add them anytime. However, schools have their own priority deadlines for considering your aid package, usually in the spring. Adding schools after their deadline may mean you receive a smaller aid package or miss out on certain types of aid. Check each school's financial aid website for their specific deadline.

What if I cannot find my school's Federal School Code?

Call the school's financial aid office directly and ask for the code. If the school does not have a code, it may not participate in federal student aid programs, which means you cannot use FAFSA to apply for aid there. The financial aid office can tell you what forms or processes that school uses instead.

Do schools know if I added them to my FAFSA?

Yes. Once you submit your FAFSA with a school listed, the Department of Education sends your information to that school, and the school knows you have submitted. Schools can see when you submitted your FAFSA and use that information to prioritize processing. However, adding a school does not create any obligation on your part.

Can I change which schools receive my FAFSA information?

Yes, anytime. Log into your submitted FAFSA, remove schools you no longer want to attend, and add new ones. The changes take effect immediately for new schools you add. For schools you remove, they keep the information they already received, but will not receive any updates if you make changes to your FAFSA later.

How many schools should I add to my FAFSA?

There is no right number — it depends on your situation. Some students add three or four schools they are seriously considering. Others add more to compare aid packages. You can add up to 10 during submission and add more afterward if needed. Adding schools costs nothing, so the main reason to limit yourself is to avoid receiving too many aid packages to review.