Apply for FAFSA although indicated no aid on Common App?

Can one still add a college to their FAFSA application after getting accepted to it despite indicating that they will not be applying for financial aid in their Common App? For context, the individual is a US citizen and the school is need-blind.

If you are now applying for college financial aid, I would let the school know and fill out the FAFSA. Since the school is need-blind, saying you did not need aid did not affect admission. Have your circumstances changed? It is a bit late to make this change but you have until June 30. Talk to the financial aid office.

Thank you! And does it make a difference if one is applying just for FAFSA or FAFSA and CSS? Would it be easier to just apply for federal aid and not from the school?

Are you just finding out now that the school is unaffordable? I would contact the financial aid office and talk to them about your situation. Many schools will have already exhausted their grant budgets but there may still be work study or loans.

Yes, this is more for the chance of work study.

Fill out FAFDA and CSS Profile asap and let the school know that you indicated no financial aid on the Common App and now want to apply for aid/work study. Alternatively, you can apply for jobs that aren’t work study. I don’t think you have the option to do only FAFSA at schools that use the CSS Profile.

You can complete the FAFSA for the upcoming school year until June 2022 as long as you get the whole process done before your school deadline to do so (which is usually well before the academic year ends).

However, the FAFSA really is used to determine the awarding of federally funded need based aid. If you are eligible for a portion of the Pell Grant, you will get it. You will also be able to take out the federally funded direct loan.

WRT institutional need based aid…the deadlines for applying for that have passed for most schools. But contact your college to inquire about this.

Also, does your college require the CSS Profile or its own form? Make sure you complete everything.

Federal Work Study funds are limited for each college. It’s very likely that those have all been awarded for the upcoming school year. In addition, work study funds are awarded to students who have financial need. Since you are full pay at this school (didn’t apply for aid) that implies you don’t have financial need. Is that the case!

Sorry wrong year. Read this:
When Is the 2021-22 FAFSA Deadline? - NerdWallet

If the school requires the CSS Profile for consideration of need based aid, your application will be considered incomplete without it.

If you only complete the FAFSA, you will only be eligible for federally funded aid…and all that is guaranteed is the Pell Grant (sounds like your income is too high for that since you are full pay), and the direct loan.

Work Study is typically awarded to lower income students…and since it is limited per campus, these funds are likely gone.

You can get an off campus job, or maybe even an on campus job that is not funded with work study funds.

Adding…the college is need blind which means your financial need was not considered when your application for admission was reviewed. Need blind has nothing to do with financial aid.

Does this college meet full need for all…and do you have any financial need? If you indicated you weren’t applying for aid…that would mean you are full pay…and that implies you don’t have financial need.

Please clarify.

I have to agree work-study is really limited to very low income students since on campus jobs are limited at some schools.

The federal Work-study funds are not a large amount and are distributed by the financial aid office. You work at a campus job and you get paid as you work. It’s not meant to be a large amount of money; you work may be 5, 10 or 15 hours per week. Just part-time limited work.

A lot of the work-study jobs are related to food. You may be working in one of the campus food eateries, busing tables and moving food trays. The hours may not be at great times either; they tell you when they have slots.

Funds are meant to cover your small incidentals like shampoo, paper supplies, etc.

Since you said that you would be full pay, why would you need a work study job? it’s going to give you maybe $2 to $3000 per year, overall? That’s not a whole lot of money.