Help is always available to you, and it’s free. In addition to talking with your high school
counselor or the financial aid office staff at the school you plan to attend, you can access our Web site or call our student aid information telephone number.

WHAT KIND OF HELP IS ON YOUR WEB SITE?
You can find the information you need by going to www.studentaid.ed.gov In addition to being able to apply for federal student aid online, you can get information that will help you through the stages of choosing a school, getting funding, and even planning a career. You can access student aid publications such as The Student Guide, get information about repaying loans, and access a database (NSLDS) that will give you information about the student aid you’ve been awarded. You can also access College Opportunities On-Line (COOL), where you can link to more than 9,000 colleges and universities and get information about their programs and costs and their participation in the Department’s student aid programs.

WHAT IF I HAVE QUESTIONS AND WANT TO SPEAK TO SOMEONE?
If you need answers right away to questions about federal student aid, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

WHAT KIND OF HELP CAN I GET BY CALLING THE INFORMATION CENTER?
When you call this toll-free number, the Federal Student Aid Information Center staff can:

• assist you in completing the FAFSA;
  
• explain federal student aid eligibility requirements;
  
• explain the process of determining financial need and awarding aid;
  
• provide you with federal school codes you might need when applying;
  
• tell you whether a school participates in the federal student aid programs;
  
• tell you a school’s student loan default rate;
  
• send you federal student aid publications;
  
• tell you whether your FAFSA has been processed; and
  
• help you get a copy of your Student Aid Report.