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It's FAFSA Time in TN

2023-2024 FAFSA is Open

It's FAFSA Timein TN2023-2024 FAFSA is Open

There's Money for TN Students to Go to College

TN students have access to a wealth of financial aid resources and programs that are exclusive to the state of TN. Financial aid is money to help families pay for college. It may be in the form of grants, scholarships, loans, work-study programs or a combination.


To apply for federal and state aid, students must complete a FAFSA. The 2023-2024 FAFSA opened on October 1, 2022. Regardless of financial situations, there are state aid scholarship programs (such as TN Promise and HOPE Scholarship) that require the completion of FAFSA in order to receive them.

FSA IDs

We have been in the RCHS Senior English classrooms the past couple weeks helping seniors create their FSA ID. The FSA ID is a login and password created through studentaid.gov that is required for students to submit FAFSA. It will be used every year students attend college.


A parent also has to have an FSA ID. If students have an older sibling in college, or if a parent has been to college since 2015, a parent likely has an FSA ID. If not, a parent has to create one.


If a parent does not have a Social Security Number, they will not be able to create an FSA ID. Their student can still submit FAFSA. The parent will have to print the signature page and mail that to the address on the signature page.

Next Steps

Once the student and a parent have an FSA ID, they can complete the FAFSA. We have several options available for families to submit FAFSA.


  1. Parent can complete the "Step Four (Parent)" form that students were given (also posted on Class of 2023 Google Classroom) and bring it back on November 1st and 2nd when Darlene and I will be in the English classrooms to help students submit FAFSA.
  2. Parent can send a copy of their 2021 tax return with their student on November 1st and 2nd when Darlene and I will be in the classrooms to help students submit FAFSA.
  3. Parent and student can attend the FAFSA Frenzy event on November 1st anytime from 3pm to 6pm in the RCHS Library (see info below).
  4. Parent and student can contact Darlene White at 423-252-5070 or email her at jwhit195.utk.edu. Darlene provides FREE FAFSA assistance and is at the American Job Center in Dayton on Tuesdays to meet with students and parents. She can also answer questions by phone or email and can continue to help with FAFSA after students graduate from RCHS.
  5. Parent and student can complete the FAFSA on their own. There are many resources I have provided on the Class of 2023 Google Classroom, including "Who Is My Parent On the FAFSA?" and "Do I Have to Provide My Parents' Information on the FAFSA?" and the Financial Aid Section of the NEXT Guide.