Step 1: File Your FAFSA

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is available beginning October 1 for the following academic year. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA application it will not be available until the end of December 2023. You will want to submit your FAFSA as early as possible because early applicants are given first consideration for some state and federal grants, as well as work-study.

Students may apply for financial aid throughout the academic year, but the following recommended dates and deadlines have been established to make sure your aid is on time. Documents submitted after the terms recommended deadline date will still be processed, but your financial aid will be late and you may have to pay late fees.

2024-2025 Recommended Dates and Deadlines:

Preparation is the key to filing the FAFSA! You will need to gather some information and set up a couple of passwords before you can file the FAFSA. First you will need to gather the following information and/or documents:

• Your Social Security Number and your contributors SSN if you are under 24.
• Your driver’s license or ID card, if you have one
• Your Alien Registration Number if you are not a US citizen
• Your W2’s for the requested tax year (it is always two years before the start of school)
• Your Federal Income Tax Return (1040) from two years ago
• If you are under the age of 24 you’ll need to gather your contributors 1040s as well
• You will also need Lane’s School Code: 003196

Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID

When applying for aid electronically, you (and your contributors if you are a dependent student) must have a FSA ID. The FSA ID serves as an electronic signature for students and their contributors. Since signatures are required on the FAFSA application, registering and using the FSA ID helps speed up the application process. The FSA ID also serves as an identifier to allow students access to personal information in US Department of Education systems. To access the Federal Student Aid ID site registration, please visit the Federal Student Aid website.

Lane Password

If you have been admitted and accepted to Lane as a credit student, you will need a Lane Password. An "L" number is assigned to you at the time of admissions and our web-based student information system, known as myLane, will prompt you to choose a permanent Password. Contact Enrollment Services for further information regarding a Lane Password.

Often, students who are under the age of 24 believe that they should be considered an independent student for the purposes of financial aid. According to the Department of Education, there are only a limited number of ways that a student can be declared an independent and all of them require additional documentation:

• Married before you filed the FAFSA
• You have your own children or another dependent that you provide more than 50% of their support
• At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent or ward of the court
• Under legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence
• An emancipated minor before the age of 18
• Military veteran or currently serving on active duty
• A homeless youth

Please contact the financial aid office for assistance if accessing your parents’ information is a direct and serious threat to your safety or if you have other extenuating circumstances and are unable to get your parents’ information.

If your parent(s) refuse to fill out the FAFSA form, explain that your ability to receive aid is being harmed by their refusal to fill out this form. Assure them that providing parental information does not make them responsible for any loans you may borrow. If your parent(s) still refuses to provide FAFSA information, you may be eligible to receive a Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loan if certain criteria are met. To be considered, your parent must complete the Refusal to Provide Information and Support form. Be aware that you will still be considered a dependent student and therefore, not eligible for grants, work-study and/or subsidized loans.

You may apply for federal and state financial aid by completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA is available beginning October 1 each year for the upcoming academic year. For the 2024-2025 FAFSA application it will not be available until the end of December 2023. Typically, two application years are available and being processed at any given time, so please use care in completing the FAFSA for the correct academic year. 

Apply online

You can apply online. FAFSA on the Web is the quickest and easiest way to apply for aid. It immediately identifies potential errors and prompts you to make corrections. Lane has many computers around campus that have internet access if you are interested in applying electronically.

Complete a Paper FAFSA

The FAFSA is available for you to print and fill out manually or is screen-fillable. It must be mailed for processing to the address printed on the FAFSA application. If you do not have internet access, you can obtain a paper FAFSA application or file your FAFSA over the phone by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 800-4-FED-AID (800-433-3243).

FAFSA video

If you need more information on how to apply for the FAFSA, NASFAA has created a How to Apply video that is available in English with subtitles available in Spanish and other languages. To access subtitles, click the CC button above the share button. This will turn on English language subtitles but you may click on the gear icon next to the CC button. Then click subtitles/CC and auto translate.  From there you may select the desired language subtitles.

ORSAA Oregon Student Aid Application

The Oregon Student Aid Application (ORSAA) is an alternative to the FAFSA for undocumented Oregon students, including students who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or Temporary Protected Status (TPS). By filing the ORSAA, eligible undocumented and DACA students in Oregon can get help paying for college through grants, scholarships, and tuition reduction. If you need more information on how to apply for the ORSAA, OSAC has created a 5 steps to complete the ORSAA video that is available in Spanish. 

Financial Aid determines your budget based on the information you provided on the FAFSA. Your financial aid budget is based on the cost of attendance at Lane and any associated living expenses like rent and food. After your tuition and fees are paid, you may have financial aid money left over. This money can be used to pay your bills and cover your living expenses.

Here is an example of a three term student budget for the 2024-2025 academic year.

If you meet the following criteria, you may be eligible:

• Be a recent Oregon high school graduate or GED recipient
• Have a 2.0 cumulative high school GPA or higher; or a GED score of 145 or higher
• Enroll at least half-time at an Oregon community college within 6 months of high school graduation or GED completion
• Be an Oregon resident for at least 12 months prior to enrolling in community college

You’ll need to apply, submit your high school transcripts or GED scores, and complete the FAFSA or the state approved alternative, ORSAA.

Learn more about Oregon Promise