Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2008-09

FAFSA

- New Applicants

- Dependency Status

Completing the FAFSA (Continued)

Process for new Applicants
Apply between Jan. 1, 2008, and June 30, 2009. To determine your eligibility for federal student financial assistance, you need to complete the FAFSA. Although you might have to complete an additional application in order to be considered for financial aid from your state or the school you’re interested in attending, most states and schools use FAFSA information to award nonfederal student aid.

Can I apply online?
Yes. You can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applying online is faster and easier than the paper FAFSA, although you may still complete and submit the FAFSA in paper form. A FAFSA on the Web Worksheet is available online at www.fafsa.ed.gov or www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov/pubs for you to print and write down your information prior to completing the online submission of the FAFSA. You can also obtain printed copies of the worksheet by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or through your financial aid office.

Applying Online

Go online to www.fafsa.ed.gov.

As an alternative, go online to www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov and click on the FAFSA logo in the left column.

If you have created a “MyFSA” account at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov, many sections of the FAFSA will automatically be completed for you, saving time and eliminating mistakes.

If you previously completed FAFSA4caster, you may choose to have your FAFSA populated with the information you already provided. If you complete FAFSA4caster and need to apply for aid right away, just follow the instructions in FAFSA4caster and finish the process of applying for aid.

Why should I apply online?

As you go through the online application process, FAFSA on the Web uses skip-logic so only questions that apply to your situation appear on your screen. This makes the application process shorter.
FAFSA on the Web identifies potential errors right away and prompts you to make on-the-spot corrections.
You get online instructions for each question, and you can access live online help with a customer service representative for free if you have additional questions.
If you are a U.S. citizen, eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, and within the age range to have graduated from high school after Jan. 1, 2005, additional screens will appear to help determine your eligibility for the ACG.
By applying online, you can send your application information to up to ten schools (the paper form is limited to four schools).
Once you submit your application, your information is immediately sent to the U.S. Department of Education. You’ll get a confirmation notice right away when you click on “Submit My FAFSA Now.”
Your online application will be processed quickly, if you (and your parents, if applicable) provided electronic signatures using the PIN.

What if I decide I want a paper FAFSA?
You can get a paper FAFSA—in English or Spanish—from our Federal Student Aid Information Center by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). A PDF of the application is also available at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Then what should I do?

Complete, sign and mail the FAFSA in the pre-addressed envelope or send it to the address indicated in the PDF, if you printed one. Your FAFSA will be processed in two to three weeks. But, before mailing it, you should check to see if your school, or a school that you’re interested in, would submit your FAFSA for you electronically.

If you don’t hear anything within three weeks of the date you submitted your application, check your status through FAFSA on the Web (www.fafsa.ed.gov). You can also check your status by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

No paper or electronic FAFSA will be accepted prior to Jan. 1, 2008. Any FAFSA received before Jan. 1, 2008, will not be processed.

U.S. Department of Education | Federal Student Aid