Apply for Financial Aid

Let's Get Started!

We encourage students to apply by April 1. This gives students the best chance of receiving State Aid with limited funding, that is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Students must complete the FAFSA each year.
The FAFSA will require the student's household information. If the student is married, the spouse's information will also be required. Students under 24 are generally required to submit the parent's information.
The FAFSA is available October 1 for the upcoming academic year. The FAFSA will use income information from two years prior to the academic year.
Email is our official means of communication with students. Students are advised to check his/her campus email to avoid delays.

Prior Prior Year Information

The FAFSA is available October 1. The FAFSA will use income information from two years prior to the academic year.

If you plan to attend college from	You will submit this FAFSA	You can Submit FAFSA From	Using income and tax informaiton from
July 1, 2020 - June 30, 2021	2020-2021	October 1, 2019 - June 30, 2021	2018
July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2022	2021-2022	October 1, 2020 - June 30, 2022	2019

Application Steps

Step 1: Complete Lone Star College Admissions Application

Complete the online admissions application or meet with an advisor at a campus for assistance. Lone Star College will only process financial aid applications after a student has successfully completed our admissions application.

Step 2: Complete FAFSA

Submit a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) through the U.S. Department of Education. You will be required to set up a FSA ID in the FAFSA process.

Note: The following school code is required for the FAFSA and LSCS financial aid applications: 011145

Step 3: Submit Additional Information

You may be selected for a process called Verification

If selected, you will be notified of any requirements via your LSCS campus e-mail address. An e-mail account will be assigned to you after completing an admissions application. You can check your e-mail by logging into myLoneStar. Promptly submit the requested information to avoid delays.

View the Process for Financial Aid Verification

Step 4: Review your award

It takes approximately three weeks to process financial aid applications. Once you have been awarded, you can view your Financial Aid package in myLoneStar.

Step 5: Complete Direct Loan Process

If you are accepting a student loan, you must complete entrance counseling and Master Promissory Note (MPN) requirements before you can receive funds.

IRS Data Retrieval Tool

The IRS data retrieval tool allows financial aid applicants and their parents to directly transfer tax information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS)

Benefits of Using the Tool

It’s the easiest way to provide your tax return data.
It’s the best way of ensuring that your FAFSA has accurate tax information.
Applicants selected for verification can use the tool to update the ability to transfer their income information from the IRS to the FAFSA.

Tax Filers

Electronic tax filers

If you filed your taxes electronically the data will be available within 2 weeks of filing

Paper tax filers

If you filed your taxes using paper then your data will not be available for 6 to 8 weeks.

Ineligible to Use Data Retrieval

Eligibility

If you, the student, and/or parents answer yes to any of the following, you may not be able to use the Data Retrieval Tool.

Filed as Married Filing Separately if you are married.
Filed as Head of Household if you are married. Filed an amended tax return (1040X).
Filed a Puerto Rican or foreign tax return if you filed a tax return in Puerto Rico or a foreign country.
Recently filed taxes, if you filed taxes electronically within the last two weeks, or by mail within the last eight weeks. Recent filers may wait the 2 or 8 weeks and return to the FAFSA and use the tool if eligible.

Amended Tax Return

If you, the student, and/or parents, completed a 1040X, amended tax return, please submit the following:

For the 2019-2020 Academic Year (Fall 2019, Spring 2020, Summer 2020):
- 2017 signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X return
- Signed copy of 2017 IRS Return Transcript or Tax Return
For the 2020-2021 Academic Year (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021):
- 2018 signed copy of the IRS Form 1040X return
- Signed copy of 2018 IRS Return Transcript or Tax Return

Identity Theft

If you, the student and/or parents, has been determined by the IRS was a victim of identity theft.

For the 2020-2021 Academic Year (Fall 2020, Spring 2021, Summer 2021):
- Signed copy of the 208 tax return
- Signed copy of IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit
For the 2021-2022 Academic Year (Fall 2021, Spring 2022, Summer 2022):
- Signed copy of the 208 tax return
- Signed copy or IRS Form 14039, Identity Theft Affidavit