Skip to main content

FAFSA

The FAFSA is the application form used to apply for all student aid (both Federal and State) at Barstow Community College. 

Applying for Aid: Students must submit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year after October 1st to apply for aid for the following academic year. Applications are available online at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and should be completed using school code 001119. Students are encouraged to apply prior to March 2nd, the required filing date for the Cal Grant program. If a student’s information changes after the FAFSA has been submitted, the Financial Aid Office must be notified immediately. Once the FAFSA is received, students will be notified by email and all students must accept the Financial Aid Terms & Conditions online, as well as any other outstanding documents/requirements, before any aid may be awarded. 

The IRS Data Retrieval Tool allows students and parents to access the IRS tax return information needed to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), and transfer the data directly into their FAFSA from the IRS web site. 
If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, we highly recommend using the tool for several reasons: 

  1. It’s the easiest way to provide your tax data. 
  2. It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information. 
  3. You won’t need to provide a copy of your or your parents’ tax return transcripts to your college. 

Students or parents who are married and filed as married filing separately, are married and filed as head of household, filed an amended tax return, or filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return are not eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, and will need to enter their tax return information manually. 

Additionally, students or parents who filed their tax returns electronically within the last three weeks, or through the mail within the last eight weeks, might need to either enter their tax return information manually or return at a later date to transfer their tax return information into the FAFSA, as their tax return information might not be available for transfer from the IRS. 

If you are eligible to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool, then click Link To IRS to transfer your tax return information from the IRS Web site into your FAFSA. (Note: If you previously transferred your tax return information from the IRS, or you indicate that you filed your tax return electronically within the last three weeks or through the mail within the last eight weeks, then the Link To IRS button displays once you click the “View option to link to the IRS” hyperlink.)

If you are ineligible or otherwise choose not to use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to retrieve tax information, your college may require a copy of your IRS Tax Return Transcript (or your parents’ IRS Tax Return Transcript, if you are a dependent student). 

The FAFSA application must be renewed each year the student desires to be considered for financial aid.