Does the FAFSA Have an Age Limit?

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Mark Kantrowitz

By Mark Kantrowitz

October 13, 2020

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) does not have an age limit. You can receive federal student aid even if you are in your 80s.

Applicants do need to be at least 13 years old to obtain an FSA ID or to submit the FAFSA online. But, children under age 13 can submit a paper version of the FAFSA instead. 

Some forms of federal student aid, such as the Federal Pell Grant, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG) and TEACH Grant, are limited to students who are pursuing their first Bachelor’s degree. This limitation does not apply to federal student loans or Federal Work-Study

There are also time limits on eligibility for federal student aid. Recipients must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward a degree or certificate. This means they must be passing enough classes to graduate within 150% of the normal time-frame. For example, a student enrolled in a 4-year Bachelor’s degree program must be on track to graduate within 6 years or they will lose eligibility for federal student aid.

The Coverdell education savings account has two age limits. Contributions end when the beneficiary reaches age 18 and the account must be distributed before the beneficiary reaches age 30 plus 30 days.




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