Financial Aid

You (and at least one parent, if applicable) will need to create user ids and passwords for logging into the Federal Student Aid website, where the FAFSA is completed.

You will then be asked to enter information about yourself, dependency status (see below), identify other contributors (parents(s), if applicable) your college plans and income information.

If you are a dependent student, the FAFSA will request basic and contact information for your parent(s) who are identified as contributors, and they will need to provide their income and financial information.

You can find more information about completing the FAFSA on our process page or on the Federal Student aid website.

Please note: The FAFSA is based on tax information from two years prior (ex. The 2025-2026 FAFSA asks for tax and income information from 2023).

Students are considered to be independent under very specific circumstances, which are governed by federal law. If you can answer yes to any of the questions, at the link below you may qualify as an independent student, but may be asked for documentation of your status. Possible qualifications for independent status include, but are not limited to: married students, veterans, students with children of their own (if the student provides more than half of their support), students under legal guardianship (but not legal custody). Please be sure to read these questions carefully and review the link below if you believe you may qualify as an independent student.

If none of these criteria apply to you and you believe you may be considered an independent student or are unable to get parent information for the FAFSA under a set of unusual circumstances, please contact the Office of Financial Aid to discuss your circumstances and options you may have.

Once Christopher Newport has received your FAFSA, it will be reviewed for any additional information that may be required and for aid eligibility. You will receive emails from the Office of Financial Aid regarding your status. For incoming freshmen, those emails will be sent to the student’s email address entered on the FAFSA. For returning students, emails will be sent to your Christopher Newport email address.

Virginians who are nonimmigrants, undocumented, have Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) status or are otherwise ineligible to file the FAFSA and want to be considered for state financial aid. To complete a VASA Application and be considered for state and institutional financial aid, students must meet domicile or Tuition Equity Provision requirements.

Note: Students who are eligible to complete a FAFSA should complete that and not the VASA Application.

If you meet the criteria described above, follow the link below to review the State Council of Higher Education for Virginia’s (SCHEV) information on the application and access the application portal.

Once logged in, you will then be asked to enter information about yourself and your college plans, dependency status, and income information. If you are a dependent student, the FAFSA will also request information on your parent(s) and their income and financial information.

Please note: The VASA Application is based on tax/income information from two years prior (ex. The 2025-2026 VASA Application asks for tax and income information from 2023).

Once Christopher Newport has received your VASA Application, it will be reviewed for any additional information that may be required and for aid eligibility. You will receive emails from the Office of Financial Aid regarding your status. For incoming freshmen, those emails will be sent to the student’s email address entered on the VASA Application. For returning students, emails will be sent to your Christopher Newport email address.