The Free Application for Federal Student Aid—FAFSA for short—is a tool to connect students and parents of students pursuing higher education with scholarships, grants, loans, and even work-study programs. Any college-bound student should consider filling out this very important application, and today we offer you four reasons why.

It’s free to apply
As the name suggests, this application is absolutely free to fill out, and by filling it out you could be on your way to securing financial aid for your upcoming school year. And most students who apply end up receiving some form of financial aid, according the Federal Student Aid website.

It can connect you with free money for school
Filling out the FAFSA not only allows a student to qualify for federal student loans, it can also connect students with free options to pay for college. For example, a student who fills out the FAFSA may meet the requirements to receive a Federal Pell Grant, a form of aid that provides students with money for school, but unlike a loan, does not call for repayment. Another popular form of financial aid that you may qualify for is a work-study program, which are part-time jobs offered to eligible students, allowing them to earn a paycheck to pay for their education and expenses.

Your school may require it in order to attend
Any college or university that receives funds from the federal government will require a FAFSA submission from students in order to attend. The information you provide in this application will demonstrate your family’s ability to pay for college. Also known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), this is an indicator of you or your family’s financial strength based on your circumstances.

It can help when comparing colleges
Another benefit of filling out the FAFSA is that it may help you in determining which college or university to attend, if you have been accepted to multiple schools. Once the FAFSA is submitted and complete, your school’s financial aid office will draft an award letter for you based on the information provided by the government. Once you have received award letters from all your potential schools, you can compare them against each other and make decisions accordingly.

As you prepare yourself for the next step in your education journey, don’t forget to add ‘filling out the FAFSA’ to your list of considerations.  It’s free to apply, can connect you with free money, your institutions may require it anyway, and it could ultimately help you decide which college you want to attend. Visit the Federal Student Aid website and submit your FAFSA today.