Applying for Virginia State Financial Aid

Beginning with the 2022-2023 award year, students who complete two years of high school in Virginia, finish high school in Virginia (no earlier than 2008), file two years of state income tax forms, and do not have a F, J, M, or H3 visa, have access to state financial aid.

In order to apply for state financial aid, students unable to complete the federal FAFSA - including nonimmigrants, undocumented, Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status - must complete the Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) Application, which is the state’s alternative to the FAFSA. 

---

A student who:

1. Is ineligible to file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for various reasons including, but not limited to:
   1. Undocumented students or who have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status
   2. Students who have defaulted federal student loans or has repayments owed on federal grants
2. Attended high school for at least two years in the Commonwealth and either
   1. Graduated on or after July 1, 2008, from a public or private high school or program of home instruction in the Commonwealth or
   2. Passed on or after July 1, 2008, a high school equivalency examination approved by the Secretary of Education
3. Has submitted evidence that he or, in the case of a dependent student, at least one parent, guardian, or person standing in loco parentis has filed, unless exempted by state law, Virginia income tax returns for at least two years prior to the date of registration or enrollment
4. Registers as an entering student or is enrolled in a public institution of higher education in the Commonwealth

Students who meet these criteria shall be eligible for in-state tuition and state financial aid regardless of their citizenship or immigration status, except students with a current F-student, H3-trainee, J-exchange visitor or M-vocational visa. 

---

Q1: Do I need to file both the VASA Application and the FAFSA?
A1: If you are a United States citizen or an eligible noncitizen (see below), you should file a federal FAFSA to apply for federal and Virginia financial aid each academic year. If you complete both the federal FAFSA and the state application, the institutions will use the results from the federal FAFSA and disregard the state application.

Q2: When is the deadline to file a VASA Application?
A2: Each Virginia institution determines its own deadline for a student to submit an application for financial aid. Students should follow the same deadline that’s provided for filing the FAFSA.  A list of the deadlines can be found at: https://www.schev.edu/financialaiddeadlines

Q3.How do I create an account for the VASA Application?
A3:The VASA application is used to collect highly personal information needed to evaluate eligibility for need-based financial aid. This is your personal information, so it needs to be password protected so that only you, and your institution, have access.

• At the initial sign-in, you will be requested to sign up for an account by clicking on “Sign Up.”
• Make sure you and your parents have separate email accounts and then protect your password. You will need that password if you have to come back and finish an application later and for future years as a renewal application will be required each year.
• Once you have set up an account, you will be required to reenter the application through an email that the system will send to you. This is to verify your email address and should only take a few moments. Simply click on the web link in the email and you are in!
• After logging in the first time, you will be able to enter the application using only your email address and password.
• If you forget your password, let us know and we will send you information through the email address you provided when setting up the account.

Q4.What do I need in order to file the VASA Application?
A4:Gather the following information for yourself (and your parents or spouse, if applicable):

• Student and Parent/Spouse email address (must be different)
• Date of birth, phone number, address and other demographic information
• Tax return and other income information from two years prior (if applying for the 2022-23 award year, have information from the 2020 tax year)
• Bank statements, records of untaxed income, and/or records of investments

Q5. How is my VASA Application information used once I submit it?
A5: Once you have completed your application, your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be calculated and sent to the Virginia institution(s) you select. Your EFC is an important part of determining your eligibility for need-based financial aid as it assesses your family’s ability to pay as compared to other families based on information provided on the VASA application. This is not necessarily what the family is required to pay but it is a factor in determining financial need and need-based assistance. .

Q6. When will I know about financial aid awards?
A6: Virginia is decentralized, so most state and institutional awards will be determined and announced by the institution through its financial aid notification document. Historically, this document has been mailed or emailed to students but more institutions are now using student portals set up for each specific student. 

Q7.What if I need to correct information on my VASA Application?
A7:If information needs to be corrected, contact your institution’s financial aid office.  They can decide if a correction is necessary and, if so, make those updates on your behalf.

Q8. How do I answer the question about being convicted of a drug offense while receiving student financial aid?
A8: This question is on both the FAFSA and the VASA applications because conviction of a drug offence while receiving student financial aid would disqualify a student from receiving any further federal assistance. As of the 2021-22 award year, the federal government has eliminated this requirement and will remove the question from future FAFSA applications beginning in 2023-24. The Commonwealth of Virginia has never included this restriction and the question will also be removed from the VASA application in future years. Students should respond honestly but with confidence that the answer, whether “yes” or “no,” will not affect their eligibility for state aid. If the student has never received federal student aid, the answer would be “no,” regardless of whether there ever was a conviction of any kind.

Q9. Do I need to answer the question about meeting the Selective Service requirements?
A9: Yes. While the federal government has removed this requirement for eligibility for federal student aid, the Commonwealth of Virginia still requires that state aid recipients meet the federal Selective Service requirements. You can learn more about who is required to register at https://www.sss.gov/register/who-needs-to-register/

---

The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia (SCHEV) has oversight over state financial aid programs and administers the Virginia Alternative State Aid Application (VASA application), which may be used by any Virginia student who is otherwise ineligible to submit the federal FAFSA. The Council is committed to providing opportunities and support to ensure every Virginia student is able to pursue education beyond high school.

Regarding concerns that students, parents, and other partners may have about the confidentiality of information submitted on the VASA application, the purpose of the application is to provide necessary eligibility information to colleges and universities in Virginia that award state need-based financial assistance. SCHEV provides VASA application information with institutions selected by the student for the purpose of determining eligibility for state financial aid and complying with state financial aid policies. Campuses are prohibited by law from using the information for any other purposes or to share the data with other parties not involved in the award process.

SCHEV is committed to protecting the confidentiality of the information and privacy of students and families.