Financing Your Education

 

FAFSA

 
 
 
FAFSA (The Free Application for Federal Student Aid)

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a form that all students must use to apply for federal financial aid. This free application is produced, distributed, and processed by the U.S. Department of Education and is the only device used to determine a student's eligibility for federal funds.
Completing the Form

You can complete the form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Save Your Records Save all the records and material used in completing the application, since they may be needed later to prove the validity of your information. If you need help in completing the form, contact the financial aid administrator at the school you plan to attend.
Deadlines The FAFSA should not be signed, dated, or mailed earlier than January lst of the year for which you are seeking aid. Since it is much easier to complete the form with your tax information in hand, you might consider filing your taxes as early as possible.
Completing the FAFSA

When completing the FAFSA, you should have the following information:

  • Your (and your spouse's, if you're married) income tax return from the prior year
  • Your parents' tax return (if you're applying as a dependent student, or it's required by your school)
  • W-2 forms or other records of income earned in the past year
  • Records of other untaxed income received in the past year
  • Current bank statements
  • Records of stocks, bonds, and other real estate investments
  • Business and/or farm records (if you or your parents own a business or farm)
  • Your Social Security card and driver's license
  • Your alien registration card (if you are not a U.S. citizen/national)
Tip: Keep a copy of your completed FAFSA for your own records.
 
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