Applying for Federal Student Aid

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the form used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities and career schools for the awarding of federal student aid and most state and college aid. A FAFSA may be submitted either on line at www.fafsa.ed.gov or by completing the paper form.

You can contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center with questions on either the paper or electronic FAFSA. Or, contact your school’s financial aid office. Remember, you can get the help you need for free from one of these sources; you don’t have to pay for assistance.

Note that if you (or your parents, if you’re a dependent student) are eligible for the Earned Income Credit, make sure you get it by filing a tax return. Also, you’ll have an accurate record of your earnings.

For most of the federal student aid programs, the FAFSA (or Renewal FAFSA) is the only form you need to file. To receive a PLUS Loan, your parents will have to complete different forms. Remember, applying for federal student aid is free.

To be considered for nonfederal aid such as institutional aid (aid from the school), you might have to fill out additional nonfederal forms. Check with your school. Be sure to ask about any deadlines.

Visit FAFSA on the Web to find the current deadline for applying.  The deadlines for your state or schools may be different from the federal deadlines and you may be required to complete additional forms.

If you use a paper FAFSA, send your completed application in the envelope provided. It’s already addressed, so your application will automatically reach the correct place.

NOTE:  You must reapply for federal student aid every year. Also, if you change schools, your aid doesn’t automatically go with you. Check with your new school to find out what steps you must take to continue receiving aid.

If it’s been more than four weeks since you submitted your application and you haven’t heard anything, you can check on your application through the FAFSA on the Web site, even if you didn’t apply using FAFSA on the Web. You can also check by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at the address or toll-free number.
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If you want confirmation that your paper application was received, send in the postcard that comes with the paper FAFSA. Just fill in the required information, attach a stamp, and mail it along with the FAFSA. When the FAFSA processor receives your application, the postcard will be stamped with the date it’s received and mailed back to you for your files. If you don’t hear anything within four weeks of the date stamped on the postcard, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center and refer to the date stamped on the postcard.

After the Department’s processing system receives your completed application, generally you’ll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR), if you applied using the paper FAFSA, or a SAR Information Acknowledgement if you applied electronically. If you provided your e-mail address on your paper or electronic FAFSA, however, you’ll instead get back an e-mail that contains a secure link so you can access your SAR data on the Web. You’ll get this e-mail in one to five days provided you (and your parents, if applicable) signed your application at the time you applied. If you don’t have or provide an e-mail address, you’ll get a SAR within four weeks or a SAR Information Acknowledgement within two weeks.

Your SAR or SAR Information Acknowledgement will list all the information you reported on your FAFSA. If there are no questions or requirements for additional information, your SAR will contain your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), the number used in determining your eligibility for federal student aid. Your EFC will appear in the upper right-hand portion of your SAR. Whether you apply electronically or with a paper form, the Department will send your data electronically to the schools you list on the FAFSA.

What do I do with my SAR?

You must review it carefully to make sure it’s correct and complete. If it is, and it contains your Expected Family Contribution (EFC), your school will use your SAR as the basis to pay you federal student aid funds.

If you need to make corrections, you can make them in a number of ways:

• You can make corrections online through the Department of Education’s FAFSA on the Web site, even if you didn’t apply using FAFSA on the Web.
• Your school might be able to submit the corrections electronically.
• You can make corrections on the paper SAR (if that’s what you received) and return it to the address provided.

If you don’t have a copy of your SAR, you can request one from the Federal Student Aid Information Center at the address or toll-free number. (If you send a written request for a duplicate SAR, make sure you include your full name, permanent address, Social Security Number, date of birth, the school year for which you’re applying for aid, and your signature.) Your duplicate SAR will be sent to the address you reported on your application. If your address has changed, include your old and new mailing addresses and ask for a change of address.

Note that you can’t use a SAR Information Acknowledgement to make corrections (just to check the information reported). You’ll make corrections using FAFSA on the Web.

If you want to have your application information sent to a school you didn’t list on your FAFSA, you can:

• contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center to have your information sent to the school,
• give the school permission to request your information, or
• correct your paper SAR to add the school or make the correction on the Web.

If you ask the Federal Student Aid Information Center to send your information or give permission to the school to request the information, you’ll need to provide your Data Release Number (DRN), located in the lower left hand corner of the first few pages of the SAR.

If your address changes after you receive your SAR, you should correct your address as soon as possible. You can do this online at the FAFSA on the Web site, by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at the address or toll-free number (you’ll need to provide your DRN), or by correcting the SAR and mailing it to the address listed on the SAR.