A FAFSA or Free Application for Federal Student Aid, needs to be filled out before applying for government grants and most government loans (such as the Stafford or Perkins). Schools use student's FAFSA information to decide if they are eligible to receive federal aid.
A FAFSA can be found online or through your school's financial aid office. This article will explain the online application process only.
Filling out an electronic FAFSA is free, fast, and easy.
Before Completing a FAFSA:
The first thing that you will need to do before filling out a FAFSA is to obtain a PIN (Personal Identification Number.) You can get a PIN through the U.S. Department of Education at www.pin.ed.gov. Your parents will also need a PIN if you are a dependent.
Your PIN will be used to electronically sign your FAFSA, review and correct your electronic Student Aid Report (SAR), reapply for student aid each year, and see online information concerning any federal loans or grants you have received.
You'll need to have some documents on hand to refer to as you fill out your FAFSA. These documents are: your Social Security card (you won't need this if you have your SSN memorized), driver's license, previous years W-2 form and any other income records, last years Federal Income Tax Return, and your parents' Federal Income Tax return from last year. You will also need your untaxed income records (social security, temporary assistance to needy families, welfare, or veteran's benefits) from last year, current bank statements, and current business and investment information.
Completing A FAFSA:
As soon as you have received your PIN and the necessary documents, you can start filling out the application.
1. Go to FAFSA.ed.gov and click on �Filling Out a FAFSA�. Use you and your parent's PINs to sign before you start. If for some reason you did not obtain a PIN, you can print, sign, and send in a signature page.
2. Follow the instructions to fill out the application.
3. Review your answers carefully, you won't want to leave any mistakes.
4. As soon as you have finished the application, click "Submit my FAFSA Now."
This button brings you to a page with a confirmation number and an estimated loan or grant amount. Print this page and keep it somewhere safe.
Follow-Up:
After you have completed a FAFSA you'll receive a follow-up letter. If you gave them an email address, they'll send you an email within five days, if not, you'll receive a letter in the mail within 2 weeks. This email/letter will give provide you with a link to your online Student Aid Report (SAR). Check your SAR cautiously to make certain your answers are correct.
NOTE: Use of this article requires links to be intact.
To learn more about Federal Student Aid please visit our
Federal Student Loans page. Being a college student herself, Elise Fisher enjoys writing articles to help college students learn more
About-Student-Loans.com.
