FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

What records do I need to complete my FAFSA?
In order to successfully complete a FAFSA, you will need information from one or more of the documents listed on the Documents Needed page.

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What do I need to keep in mind when filling out the FAFSA?

The words "you" and "your" always mean the student.
The word "school" means a college, university, graduate or professional school, community college, vocational or technical school, or any other school beyond high school.
Round to the nearest dollar and do not use commas or decimal points.
For dates, enter numbers that correspond to the month, day, and year. For example, for November 7, 1981, enter 11071981.
2008-2009 FAFSA questions that refer to the "school year" mean the school year from July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009.
Do not mail tax forms or Worksheets to Federal Student Aid.
Check with your financial aid administrator if you have unusual circumstances.

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Why is it important to submit accurate information?
WARNING: You must fill out this form accurately. The information that you supply can be verified by your school, your state, or by Federal Student Aid.

You may be asked to provide U.S. income tax returns and other information. If you cannot or do not provide these records to your school when asked, you may not get federal student aid.

If you get federal student aid based on incorrect information, you will have to pay it back. You may also have to pay fines and fees. If you purposely give false or misleading information on your application, you may be fined $20,000, sent to prison, or both.

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Can I apply for aid using Corrections on the Web?
No. You cannot use Corrections on the Web to apply for financial aid. You must use FAFSA on the Web to apply for financial aid.

You can, however, use Corrections on the Web to make corrections and updates to information you submitted on your FAFSA.

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What is a PIN for?
See the PIN FAQs for more information about what the PIN can be used for.

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How do I save an incomplete FAFSA?
You can save your information at any point in the application. To save your application, click the SAVE button at the bottom of any FAFSA page. Do not use the Save commands that are built into the browser.

Your saved application will be automatically deleted after 45 days or after the federal application/correction deadline date has passed. Select Application Deadlines on the home page for more information

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How do I open a saved FAFSA?
To open your saved FAFSA application:

Select Open Your Saved FAFSA or Correction Application under the Filling Out a FAFSA section of the home page.
Select the school year and type of application, then Next.
Enter your:
- Social Security Number,
- Last name,
- First name,
- Date of birth,
- The password you entered when you created the initial FAFSA

An "Application Not Found" page will display if we can´t find your application in our database. If you think you´ve entered incorrect information, select "Try Again" to re-enter it.

TIP: If you forget your password, contact Customer Service and they will be able to reset it for you.

If the information you've entered is correct but we do not have a FAFSA, you must start a new one.

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How do I electronically sign my FAFSA?
You can sign your FAFSA electronically with a PIN. A PIN is a 4-digit number that is used in combination with your Social Security Number, name, and date of birth to identify you as someone who has the right to access your own personal information on Federal Student Aid Web sites, such as FAFSA on the Web.

If you or your parents do not already have a PIN, we encourage you to apply for one. You can apply for a PIN while completing a FAFSA on the Web application, or you can go to the Federal Student Aid PIN Web site at www.pin.ed.gov to apply.

Important Note A PIN that is selected or viewed instantly online or is sent to you in an e-mail is considered to be conditional until your information is verified with the Social Security Administration (1-3 days from the date you first apply). You may sign your 2008-2009 FAFSA with it, but nothing else. Once we complete this verification, you will be able to use your PIN for other purposes (such as signing a 2007-2008 FAFSA or correcting your SAR).

When you have your PIN, follow these steps to sign your FAFSA:

Select Sign Electronically With Your PIN under the "Filling Out a FAFSA" section of the home page.
Select the school year of the application you want to sign.
Indicate whether you are signing as a parent or as a student.
Confirm your identity by providing your Social Security Number, first two letters of your last name, your date of birth and your PIN number.
Enter the necessary information about the student if you are signing as a parent.
If you do not receive a confirmation page and number at the end of the process, then we have NOT received your electronic signature.

You can check the status of your FAFSA after you submit it by selecting Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page.

Additional Notes on Signing Electronically
If you are a dependent student, you and a parent must both sign your application. You and your parent can sign your FAFSA electronically with a PIN, print and sign a paper signature page, or use a combination of both.

If you are an independent student, only your signature will be collected.

If you are a graduate health profession student, you may be required to provide information about your parents, even if you are independent. However, a parent's signature is not required. If you are unsure whether your course of study is considered a graduate health profession program, contact your financial aid administrator.

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Site Last Updated: Sunday, November 2, 2008