https://fafsa.ed.gov
Get help paying for college
Submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
What is it?
What is it?
How does it work?
How do you complete it?
FAFSA stands for
“Free Application for Federal Student Aid.”
It’s the form that the federal government uses to
determine your eligibility for federal aid,
including grants, scholarships, work-study and
loans.
Tip 1
The FAFSA becomes available January 1 of
each year.
Download or complete the FAFSA on the Web
at www.fafsa.ed.gov, pick one up at local
college or library, or call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
Completing a FAFSA on the Web can speed up
the FAFSA process and cut down on postal
service delays.
Tip2
Submit the FAFSA whether or not you think
you qualify for aid. Sometimes being
rejected for federal aid is a prerequisite for
receiving private awards.
Tip 3
Review all of your data on the FAFSA every
year. Your eligibility can change from year to
year, depending on your family’s
circumstances.
Tip 4
The FAFSA becomes available January 1.
Complete your FAFSA as soon as possible.
Early submission maximizes chances of
receiving financial aid.
Tip 5
Contact your prospective college’s financial
aid office for additional information.
Your school may require forms besides the
FAFSA or may have an earlier submission
deadline.
Tip 6
Read your Student Aid Report (SAR)
carefully. The SAR is your official record that
the federal processor received your FAFSA.
If you find any errors on your SAR, you
should report them to your prospective
college’s financial aid administrator to ask
how you should make corrections. Unresolved
errors could affect your total aid award.
Tip 7
Call the federal processor at
1-800-4-FED-AID
if you do not receive your SAR in 4-6 weeks.
Be ready to provide your Social Security
Number and date of birth for verification.
Tip 8
Note your Data Release Number (DRN). It’s
the four-digit number located on the upper
right-hand corner of your SAR. You will
need your DRN to apply for financial aid at
additional colleges or universities.
Tip 9
Check to see if your SAR has been selected for
verification. Look under the date for the letters
“EFC” followed by a series of numbers. If there is
an asterisk (*) after your EFC, your SAR has
been selected. In the verification process, your
prospective college compares your SAR with
documents, including tax returns that verify your
financial status. About one-third of all SARs are
selected for verification.
Tip 10
If asked for SAR verification, submit the
information requested to your prospective
college’s financial aid office as soon as
possible.
Your aid may be delayed or decreased if the
materials are not provided promptly.
Helpful Web Resources
FAFSA:
www.fafsa.ed.gov
Federal Pin Number:
www.pin.ed.gov
Federal Student Aid on
the Web:
studentaid.ed.gov
U.S. Dept. of Education:
www.ed.gov
Remember,
financial aid
information is
always
available for
free!