Financial Aid Starts with the FAFSA
Are you looking for financial aid? The first and most important step in your search is to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, more commonly known as the FAFSA. In doing so, you are applying for the major state and federal financial aid programs by supplying your information to the financial aid office.
How Do I File?
Using FAFSA on the Web is the easiest and fastest way to submit your information online in a secure environment. The FAFSA is available in both English and Spanish.
When Should I File?
A new FAFSA is available every January 1st and is used by your college to award funds for the next academic year starting in the fall. The earlier you file the FAFSA, the better your chances are to receive financial aid. Your college has a preferred FAFSA filing date that you should be aware of and make note to file before this date.
If you are considering multiple colleges, file the FAFSA using the earliest FAFSA deadline date among these colleges. You can list up to 10 colleges on the FAFSA to have your information sent. Using the earliest deadline date will ensure that you file on time with each college.
Document when you file! You should request or print your confirmation page to verify the time and date you filed the FAFSA, and keep it with your other financial aid documents.
What Will I Need to Complete the FAFSA?
A tool to help organize your information is the FAFSA on the Web Worksheet. This Worksheet includes detailed instructions and the majority of the questions to answer before filing the information online. Having this Worksheet as a reference makes completing the FAFSA a breeze and will likely reduce the potential for entry errors. The Worksheet is for your use only and is not to be submitted to the FAFSA processor.
Below is a list of information you will need to have on hand when filling out the FAFSA. Use information that is current on the day you are completing the FAFSA. However, tax information is used from the previous tax year. For example, if you are filing the FAFSA for assistance during 2010-2011, tax information is used from your 2009 tax form.
- Social security number*
- Driver's license number (if any)
- W-2 Forms and other records of money earned*
- Federal income tax return or information*
- Untaxed income records*
- Current balances of bank accounts, investments, etc.*
- Most recent business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records*
- Alien registration number or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)*
- Federal Student Aid PIN*
* If the student is dependent, this information is needed for both the student and parent(s). If the student is married, spousal information is also needed.
The student (and parent, if applicable) uses his/her individual PIN to electronically sign the FAFSA. If you need a PIN, apply at www.pin.ed.gov to receive your PIN in real time. Do you already have a PIN but forgot it? At www.pin.ed.gov you can also re-establish an inactive PIN or retrieve a duplicate copy of your PIN.
Pre-Filled FAFSA Information
Under certain circumstances, information on your FAFSA may be pre-filled. Look over the pre-filled information and make any corrections and updates as needed. This can occur if you completed the optional FAFSA4Caster (www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov) or filed a FAFSA the previous academic year.
- A FAFSA is required for each student applying for financial aid. Parents with more than one student in college can use their same information and PIN. However, the student and school information will be unique to each student.
- Depending on when you file, there may be multiple versions of the FAFSA available. Be sure to complete the FAFSA for the academic year you are requesting financial aid.
- Carefully check the social security number you enter. Errors can be corrected but it is time consuming.
- Write down the password you designate for the FAFSA. An incomplete FAFSA can be saved to the server up to 45 days. The password is used to retrieve the incomplete FAFSA and cues up the question where you left off. This password cannot be resent to you and is case-sensitive. If it is forgotten, you will have to start the FAFSA over from the beginning.
- As you fill in the FAFSA, save your data when prompted to do so and then continue filling in the data.
- Try to complete the FAFSA online during off-peak hours. If the server is slow, save the completed portion and return to it later. Remember, there are millions of families filing the FAFSA during the same time period so the server may respond slower during peak hours of the day.
- You can use estimated tax information to ensure that your FAFSA is filed on time. As soon as your taxes are filed, go to FAFSA on the Web to update the tax information you previously submitted. An updated record is sent to your college.
- Take extra time to review your data before submitting it. You can easily go back and make corrections.
- Complete the FAFSA in its entirety. You will know that it is complete when a confirmation page appears with a date and time stamp. Print this page and keep it with your financial aid documents.
- Watch for your copy of the Student Aid Report (SAR). It will arrive either by e-mail (if an e-mail address is provided) or by mail. Look over the SAR for any error messages and review the data that will be sent to your school(s). Follow the instructions provided to make any corrections.
- Check with the financial aid office to learn of any other financial aid forms that must be completed.
- Your data will be sent to the college(s) you designate on the FAFSA. Watch for information coming from the financial aid office as they determine your financial aid package.
- Verification: You may be asked by the college for documentation to support the information provided on the FAFSA. If so requested, read the instructions carefully and send the information immediately. Don’t forget to sign any forms or copies of documents as required.
- After you are admitted to the college and all of the financial aid information is completed and submitted, the college will send an award letter to you. This letter details the cost to attend the college and the types and amounts of financial aid you are being offered. The college may send the award letter by mail or electronically. Follow the instructions on how to accept or decline your financial aid and respond by the deadline provided. A deadline missed likely means your financial aid will be awarded to another student.
- If you are comparing financial aid awarded by several colleges, look at what your out-of-pockets costs are and assess the opportunity to receive the award in subsequent years.
- Advise the financial aid office if you are not attending their college.
- Advise the financial aid office if you receive a scholarship or award from a private sponsor.
- Looking for assistance to attend summer school? Check with the financial aid office about which programs are available, how to apply and the deadline to request aid for summer school. The filing for summer aid is often a separate process and usually runs concurrent with the filing of financial aid for the next academic year.
The FAFSA is required to be completed each academic year. File on time and keep good records.
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