Applying for Financial Aid
FAFSA
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The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in applying for not only federal aid, but also state and institutional financial aid.
You will complete the FAFSA if you are a U.S. Citizen or Eligible Non-Citizen.
FAFSA Year Academic Period Attending FAFSA Submission Dates Tax Year Requested on FAFSA 2026 - 2027
Fall 2026, Spring 2027, Summer 2027
September 24, 2025 – June 30, 2027
2024
2027 - 2028
Fall 2027, Spring 2028, Summer 2028
September 23, 2026 – June 30, 2028
2025
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1. An FSA ID created on studentaid.gov. Learn more about how to: Create an FSA ID or Retrieve an FSA ID.
2. Your Social Security Number (SSN).
3. Your financial information and that of any required FAFSA contributor, including tax form details and balances from savings and checking accounts.
4. Input the following college school codes on your FAFSA in order for the Alamo Colleges to receive your application.
College FAFSA School Codes San Antonio College
009163
St. Philip's College
003608
Palo Alto College
016615 Northwest Vista College
033723 Northeast Lakeview College
042636
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The Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) is an application for state financial aid that you may complete if you are a Texas resident who is not a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible non-citizen. You must demonstrate lawful presence in the U.S.
TASFA Year Academic Period Attending TASFA Submission Dates Tax Year Requested on FAFSA 2026 - 2027
Fall 2026 - Spring 2027
October 1, 2025 - May 2027
2024
2027 - 2028
Fall 2027 - Spring 2028
October 1, 2026 - May 2028
2025
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The following residency criteria must be met to qualify for TASFA:
1. Graduate from a public or private high school, or receive a high school equivalency, in Texas; and
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- Reside in Texas for at least three years (36 months) leading up to high school graduation or receiving a high school equivalency; and
- Reside in Texas for 12 consecutive months right before the semester the student enrolls in college; and
- Provide the institution with a notarized affidavit stating that the student will submit an application to become a U.S. permanent resident as soon as the student is eligible to do so; and
- 2. Demonstrate lawful presence in the United States
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Next Steps
In order to monitor your financial aid status at the Alamo Colleges after applying, you will need to log into your ACES student portal. ACES will help you check and obtain the following information related to financial aid:
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- Financial Aid Requirements
- Financial Aid Awards
- Terms and Conditions
- Messages from the Financial Aid Office
- Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) Status
If you are unfamiliar with navigating ACES to locate your financial aid information, please refer to our tutorial guides.
Your financial aid application will provide the Student Financial Aid Office with information that determines your financial aid eligibility and your total cost of attendance.
Student Aid Index (SAI)
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is a measure of a family’s ability to pay for college. The SAI calculated from the financial aid application will determine the amount and types of grants and scholarships you qualify for.
FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS)
Once a FAFSA has been submitted, a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) will be sent to the student informing them of their calculated SAI, whether they qualify for a Federal Pell Grant, or if any corrections to their FAFSA are needed. View your FSS.
Dependency Status
All applicants for financial aid are classified as either "dependents" or "independents" once dependency questions are answered within the financial aid application. To complete the application process, dependent students will be required to include their parent information, while independent students will include information on themselves (and a spouse if applicable).
Cost of Attendance (COA)
The Cost of Attendance (COA) is an estimate of costs that a student may owe during an academic year that includes the cost of tuition and fees, housing, food, books, supplies, transportation, and personal expenses. View Alamo College's Cost of Attendance.
Your dependency status will determine the Cost of Attendance that you are assigned for the year — creating the "budget" for which your financial aid awards cannot exceed.
- Your ACES student email is your ACES user name, followed by @student.alamo.edu.
- View your student email inbox by logging into ACES and clicking on the 'Alamo Colleges Email' link in the top left card.
- Your student email will be the official mode of communication between you and the Alamo Colleges District. It is important that you check your student email on a regular basis to avoid the possibility of missed deadlines, unsatisfied requirements, or other important updates.
Dynamic Forms is an electronic form platform that allows students and parents to fill out and sign Alamo's required financial aid documents online through their ACES student portal.
View your online Student Financial Aid form drafts, submissions, and history on the Dynamic Forms home page.
Although you may not be financially dependent on your parents or living in the same household, if you do not meet FAFSA's criteria to be considered independent you will be considered a dependent student.
Visit the Federal Student Aid official FAFSA Dependency page for more information.
Yes. Taking or completing dual credit courses while in high school does not change your classification on the FAFSA as a First Time in College student.