FAFSA: Free Application for Federal Student Aid

FAQs: FAFSA on the Web

FAQs: Applying For Aid

Do you have a question about applying for aid? Select any of the following for answers to the most frequently asked questions:

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How do I apply for aid?

  • Complete the FAFSA and provide the required signatures.
  • Wait 3-5 days while we process your FAFSA and send you a Student Aid Report (SAR).
  • Check the SAR carefully. Your SAR will summarize the data you report on your FAFSA.
  • Keep a copy of your SAR.
  • View your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). If your FAFSA information is complete, an EFC will appear in the upper right corner of your SAR. Your EFC is based on the financial information you provide on the FAFSA.
  • Check with your school. Your school will use your EFC to award your financial aid.
  • For additional help filling out the FAFSA, select Completing the FAFSA.

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How do I answer the tax questions if I (or my parents) don't file a tax return?

  • If you will not file a tax return:Answer “Will Not File” to question 32 (Have you completed a tax return?).
  • You will then be taken to question 38 (Income earned from work).
  • Enter any income that you earned from a job that is listed as taxed on a W2 form.
  • Answer only those income questions that apply to you from that point on.

If your parents will not file a tax return:

  • Answer “Will Not File” to question 76 (Have your parents filed a tax return?) .
  • You will then be taken to question 82 (income earned from work).
  • Enter any income that your parents earned from a job that is listed as taxed on a W2 form.
  • Answer only those income questions that apply to your parents from that point on.

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I (or my parents) filed a joint tax return in 2007, but now I am (or my parents are) separated, divorced, or widowed. How do I answer the tax questions?

  • You: Separate your tax information from your spouse’s as if you filed a single return.
  • Your parent: Separate your parent’s information from his/her spouse’s as if he/she filed a single return. Not sure which parent’s information to report? Click here.

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How do I get a Federal School Code for a foreign school?

Click here to access the Federal School Code search tool.

Can’t find the code? Many foreign schools do not have Federal School Codes. If the foreign school of your choice does not have a code, here’s what you should do:

  • Enter a domestic school into the application, even if you are not planning to attend that school. This will allow you to complete and submit your FAFSA.
  • Notify the foreign school once your FAFSA is processed so the school can retrieve and review your application.

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How do I report the financial aid I received last year as part of my income?

Money you or your parents received from student loans, grants, and scholarships should not be listed on your FAFSA, unless you were taxed on them by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). If you or your parents reported financial aid money to the IRS, then you must include that total amount as part of your Adjusted Gross Income and in the appropriate location on Worksheet C in questions 3 and 4.

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I have already submitted a FAFSA for this school year. Can I submit another FAFSA using FAFSA on the Web?

No. If you have already submitted a FAFSA (for instance, your school already submitted an electronic application for you, you submitted a paper FAFSA, or you filed for aid using FAFSA on the Web), do not submit another application.

  • If you need to make corrections to the FAFSA you filed, click here.
  • If you have further questions, refer to the Customer Service page or select Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page.

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I submitted two applications for the same year. What will happen?

We use only the first application we receive. All other applications are deleted from our system.

To make corrections to your application, view your Student Aid Report (SAR). You will receive it either by e-mail or by mail. The SAR includes instructions for making corrections.

You can use Corrections on the Web to make your changes, or you can make the corrections to your paper SAR and mail it in.

You may also check with the financial aid office at your school to determine if they can make electronic corrections for you.

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Can I have someone else fill out my FAFSA for me?

Yes. If you have someone else fill out your FAFSA for you (not including one of your parents or your spouse), you should make sure they list themselves as a “preparer” at the end of your FAFSA.

Remember, the FAFSA is a completely FREE application. If you need help filling it out, there are many free tools available to help you. You don’t need to pay anyone to help you fill out your FAFSA.

The best place to look for help filling out your FAFSA is at your school’s financial aid office. If you need help with a specific question, click on “NEED HELP?” located at the bottom of every FAFSA page.

TIP: You can also get one-on-one help from a customer service representative by clicking on “Live Help” at the top of the FAFSA page.

If you have further questions, refer to the Customer Service page.

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Which states allow students who qualify for an Automatic Zero EFC (Expected Family Contribution) to skip certain income questions?

If you qualify for an Automatic Zero EFC and reside in one of the following states, you may be allowed to skip:

  • Income taxes and exemptions (questions 36-37 for the student and questions 80-81 for parents).
  • Worksheets A, B, and C.
  • Assets (questions 43-45 for the student and questions 87-89 for parents).
State
 Alabama
 Alaska
 Alberta
 American Samoa
 Arizona
 Arkansas
 British Columbia
 California
 Canada
 Connecticut
 Delaware
 Federated States of Micronesia
 Florida
 Foreign Country
 Guam
 Idaho
 Indiana
 Iowa
 Kansas
 Kentucky
 Louisiana
 Maine
 Manitoba
 Marshall Islands
 Maryland
 Massachusetts
 Mexico
 Michigan
 Mississippi
 Missouri
 Montana
 Nebraska
 Nevada
 New Brunswick
 New Hampshire
 New York
 Newfoundland
 Newfoundland/Labrador
 North Carolina
 North Dakota
 Northern Mariana Islands
 Northwest Territories
 Nova Scotia
 Nunavut
 Ontario
 Oregon
 Palau
 Pennsylvania
 Prince Edward Island
 Puerto Rico
 Quebec (PQ)
 Quebec (QC)
 Rhode Island
 Saskatchewan
 South Dakota
 Tennessee
 Texas
 Utah
 Virgin Islands
 Virginia
 West Virginia
 Yukon

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Site Last Updated: Sunday, November 2, 2008

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