29. Degree or certificate. Indicate the one-digit code for your expected degree or certificate, using the "Degree/Certificate Code List" below. If your degree or certificate does not fit any of these categories, or if you are undecided, enter "9."

30. Grade level during 2003-04 school year. Choose from the following:

Grade level does not mean the number of years you have attended college, but grade level in regard to completing your degree/certificate. (For example, if you are enrolled less than full time, it will take longer for you to reach the same grade level than for a full-time student.)

31. High school diploma/GED. If you will receive your high school diploma or earn a General Education Development (GED) certificate or equivalent home school credential before you enroll in college, answer "Yes" to this question. Otherwise, answer "No."

32. 1st bachelor's degree. This question has a direct bearing on your eligibility for Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, which are restricted to students who have not yet received bachelor's degrees, with one exception. (The only exception is that certain students taking courses for teacher certification may receive a Pell Grant.) You must answer "Yes" to this question if you have (or will have by July 1, 2003) a degree from a college in the U.S., or an equivalent degree from a college in another country. If you incorrectly answer "Yes" to this question, you will be ineligible for a Federal Pell Grant unless a correction is made.

If you attend two different colleges during the same enrollment period, you must notify the financial aid administrators (FAAs) at both schools. You may not receive Federal Pell Grants at both schools.

33-34. Types of aid. These questions ask you to indicate what types of aid, in addition to grants, you are interested in receiving. Please note that although the FAFSA assumes you are interested in grant aid (aid you do not have to pay back), you are not required to accept any grants offered to you.

Federal, state, and institutional programs all may use the information from this question to determine what types of aid to award. If you are not sure, you should answer "Yes" to both of these questions; you will then be considered for all types of aid that are available. You can decline any aid that is later awarded. If only your parents wish to take out loans for your education, check "Yes" to "student loans."

35. Illegal drug offenses. Question 35 asks whether you have been convicted of possessing or selling illegal drugs. If you have been convicted, you are not necessarily ineligible for aid. If you complete a paper application and answer "Yes" to this question, you will receive a worksheet in the mail with your SAR. You can use this worksheet to determine whether the conviction affects the student's eligibility for federal student aid. If you file on the web and answer "Yes" to this question, you will be prompted to complete worksheet on the site so you can complete the entire process online.

If you have a conviction, you should still complete and submit the FAFSA because even if you are ineligible for federal student aid, you might still be eligible for state or institutional aid. Many states and schools use the data supplied by the FAFSA to determine students' eligibility for aid from those non-federal entities.

Do not leave Question 35 blank. You will not be able to receive aid until you have provided an answer to this question. For assistance in answering this question, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID.