Applying for Financial Aid

Filing the FAFSA for 2025-26

The 2025-26 FAFSA will be available for filing at studentaid.gov. Families will report actual tax information on the FAFSA by transferring income and tax figures from their 2023 federal tax return. Note that families will be prompted during the FAFSA process for consent and approval for the Department of Education to use their information and match with IRS data. Consent is required for federal need-based aid eligibility. 

Special Circumstances

We recognize that the FAFSA does not always provide a clear picture of your family’s financial situation. You may complete the CSB+SJU Special Circumstances Form to report family financial information that might impact your aid eligibility. Circumstances that may be considered include the following:

• Private Elementary/Secondary School Tuition
• Loss of Employment/Reduced Wages
• High Medical/Dental Expenses
• Marital Separation/Divorce
• One-Time Income
• Educational Loan Payments

Please note that initiating a special circumstance request may result in your FAFSA being selected for verification. Special circumstances forms will be reviewed within 10 working days of receipt. Forms submitted without appropriate accompanying documentation will not be reviewed until documentation is received.

Verification Information

The verification process aims to ensure the effectiveness of the federal student aid programs. A student whose FAFSA is selected for verification will be asked to document that the family reported certain income, tax, and family information correctly.

If a student’s FAFSA is selected for verification, the college(s) will request documentation that the student must submit to the school. The student is encouraged to provide all documentation promptly. It is unlikely that the school will process financial aid for the student until the required documentation is received.

If a student uses the IRS Data Retrieval Tool within the FAFSA, he or she will not have to verify that information. If the student does not use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool and is selected for verification, he or she will have to submit a copy of the appropriate year federal tax return or tax transcript.

Additional Information

• CSB+SJU Net Price Calculators
• Applying for Financial Aid
• Tuition and Costs
• Scholarships
• Apply for Admission to CSB+SJU
• Visit CSB+SJU