FAQs: Applying For Aid
- I submitted my FAFSA under the wrong Social Security Number (SSN) or name. What should I do?
- I think I filed my FAFSA for the wrong year. What should I do?
- If I want to apply to more than one school, should I submit more than one FAFSA?
- If I want to apply to more than ten schools, what do I do?
- What can I do if my family and I have a financial situation (for example, high medical bills or recent unemployment) that the FAFSA doesn’t ask about?
- What do I do if my last name has changed since I received my PIN?
- What will my e-mail address be used for?
- Why does the FAFSA ask for last year’s tax information?
- Who figures out how much aid I will get?
- How will I receive my financial aid?
- Am I eligible for other education benefits?
- Where can I find more information?
I submitted my FAFSA under the wrong Social Security Number (SSN) or name. What should I do?
- If your SSN is incorrect, you must fill out a new FAFSA with your correct SSN.
- If your last name has changed, refer to the FAQ What do I do if my last name has changed since I received my PIN?
The application you already submitted cannot be deleted from our database. Tell your school’s financial aid office that the database may contain two applications under your name or SSN and let the school know which application is correct.
I think I filed my FAFSA for the wrong year. What should I do?
File a FAFSA for the correct year.
If I want to apply to more than one school, should I submit more
than one FAFSA?
No. You can list up to ten schools on your FAFSA.
If I want to apply to more than ten schools, what do I do?
You can only select up to ten schools at a time to receive your application information. Once you receive the processed Student Aid Report (SAR), you can:
- Select Add or Delete a School Code and add more schools by submitting a correction to your FAFSA information.
TIP: If you make further corrections after adding the new schools, the schools you removed from the original list will not receive these corrections.
You can also contact Customer Service for assistance.
What can I do if my family and I have a financial situation
(for example, high medical bills or recent unemployment) that the
FAFSA doesn’t ask about?
If you believe you have unusual circumstances,
contact the financial aid office at the school that you are attending
or will be attending.
What do I do if my last name has changed since I received my PIN?
- If your last name has changed since you received your PIN and the change has been processed by the Social Security Administration (SSA), you can apply for a new PIN using your new last name by selecting Apply For A PIN
- If you haven’t already filed your FAFSA, you can file a FAFSA using your new last name and a PIN will be issued to you in your new last name.
If you have not yet filed a FAFSA:
- Should I disable my old PIN? Yes. Select Disable My PIN to disable your old PIN.
- Can I request a new PIN? Yes. You should apply for a new PIN using your new last name. You can use your new PIN to sign your FAFSA when you file.
- Can I change my PIN mailing address? Yes. When you receive your new PIN, you can change your PIN e-mail or mailing address using the new PIN.
- Can I electronically sign my application? Yes.. Your new PIN can be used to sign your application electronically. You cannot sign your application using your old PIN.
- Is a paper signature page required when I file a FAFSA on the Web? No. As long as you electronically sign with your new PIN under your new last name.
If you have already filed a FAFSA with your old last name:
- Should I disable my old PIN? No. If you're changing your last name using Corrections on the Web, your old PIN is the only way you can access your application. You cannot use your new PIN until next year. Your old PIN remains active for Corrections on the Web.
- Can I request a new PIN? Yes. You can apply for a new PIN, but you cannot use the new PIN in the current year. The new PIN becomes active next year when you file a new FAFSA under your new name. You must continue to use your old PIN for the rest of this year.
- Can I change my PIN mailing address? Yes. You can change your PIN e-mail or mailing address using either last name at (www.pin.ed.gov). The e-mail or mailing address will be changed only for that last name.
- Can I electronically enter corrections? Yes. Use your old PIN to access and sign Corrections on the Web.
- Is a paper signature page required? No. You can access and sign Corrections on the Web with your old PIN.
What will my e-mail address be used for?
We will send you an e-mail once your application has been processed
to let you know that your Student Aid Report (SAR) is available for
you to view online. We might also send you an e-mail to tell you that
your application has been received, but signatures are missing.
Why does the application ask for last year's tax information?
We have found that verifiable income information from the prior year
is more useful for calculating the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)
than if we asked you to project income information for the current
year.
Who figures out how much aid I will get?
- Your school’s financial aid office will prepare a financial aid package for you to help meet your financial need. Financial need is the difference between your school’s cost of attendance and your Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- The amount of your financial aid also depends on whether you are a full-time or part-time student and whether you attend school for a full academic year or less.
TIP: If you believe that you have special circumstances that should be taken into account, such as unusual medical expenses or a large change in income, contact the financial aid administrator at the school you plan to attend.
How will I receive my financial aid?
Your federal student aid will be paid to you through your school.
- An award letter from your school will notify you of your aid package.
- Your aid will likely be distributed each semester, quarter, or other payment period.
- Your school will first use the aid to pay tuition, fees, and room and board, if necessary. Money left over for other expenses will be paid to you directly.
Am I eligible for other education benefits?
- There are two educational income tax credits that can reduce your
or your family’s federal taxes. They are based on your
school tuition and fee charges.
- The Hope tax credit can be claimed during the first two years of school, up to a maximum of $1,500 per year.
- The Lifetime Learning tax credit is available for any level of postsecondary study, up to a current maximum of $2,000 per year.
- For information about financial aid from other federal government agencies, visit www.students.gov.
- For information about scholarships, visit www. studentaid.ed.gov/funding, where you will find a free online scholarship search.
Where can I find more information?
The financial aid office at the school you plan to attend is the best
place to get information about federal, state, school and other
sources of student financial aid.
You can also check out these resources:
- www.studentaid.ed.gov
- www.students.gov
- Your high school counselor’s office
- Your local library
Information about other nonfederal assistance may be available from foundations, religious organizations, community organizations, and civic groups, as well as organizations related to your field of interest, such as the American Medical Association or American Bar Association. Check with your parents’ employers or unions to see if they award scholarships or have tuition payment plans.
Warning!
Be wary of organizations that charge a fee to submit your application, or to find you money for school. Some are legitimate and some are scams. Generally, any help that you pay for can be received free from your school or from Federal Student Aid.
