For Parents: Completing the 2025-26 FAFSA Form

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the only way to ensure your student is able to access all available financial aid options. Many colleges and universities use FAFSA data to determine eligibility for their financial aid packages, and it is the only way to receive federal aid. 

How to Prepare to Complete the FAFSA 

The FAFSA 2025-26 is now open to everyone during the beta testing period. Before your family starts the FAFSA, you can prepare by gathering all the different information needed to complete it. The FAFSA can be overwhelming and breaking it down into parts can help alleviate some of that stress.  

  • Have your student create a StudentAid.gov account (if they don’t already have one)
  • Learn about the documents you may need to fill out the FAFSA form
  • Determine your student’s dependency status and whether you will be required as parents to contribute information on the FAFSA form
  • Dependent students can use the Who’s My FAFSA Parent? wizard to identify which parent(s) will be a required contributor on the form
  • Jot down Meredith’s school code: #002945. Your student will have to enter the code to ensure Meredith receives their financial information. 

Questions about financial aid? Connect with our Office of Financial Assistance at (919) 760-8565 or finaid@meredith.edu

To stay up to date on FAFSA, please visit studentaid.gov. We also encourage you to visit our FAFSA 2025-26 site, which has information in both English and Spanish.

Melyssa Allen

News Director
316 Johnson Hall
(919) 760-8087
Fax: (919) 760-8330

allenme@meredith.edu