Purpose: These questions collect personal identification information (name, telephone number, address, Social Security Number, and so on). Also included is a question about citizenship status because you must be a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen to receive federal student aid.

1-3. Name. The Department matches each name and Social Security Number (SSN) with the Social Security Administration (SSA). Therefore, the name provided here should match the name on your Social Security card. If you use a name (such as a nickname) other than the name on your Social Security card, you will be asked to correct the inconsistency, and there might be a delay in the awarding of your aid.

4-7. Permanent mailing address. You must give a permanent home mailing address (not a school or office address).

An incarcerated student may use his or her school's administrative address. If such a student uses a school's administrative address, the school's financial aid administrator (FAA) must include a letter with the FAFSA indicating that the student is incarcerated and is therefore using the school's address.

Use the State Abbreviations list when entering your state.

State Abbreviations

The one exception to the SSN requirement is for students from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau. If you are from one of these areas and do not have an SSN, you should leave Question 8 blank. If you've completed a paper FAFSA, you will no longer need to mail it to a separate address. Mail it, instead, to the address on the FAFSA or the FAFSA envelope:

Federal Student Aid Programs
P.O. Box 7001
Mount Vernon, IL 62864-0071

11-12. Driver's license number and state. You must provide your driver's license number (if any). If you do not have a driver's license, leave Questions 11 and 12 blank.

13. Citizenship status. You can receive federal student financial aid only if you are a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen. If you have changed from a noncitizen to a citizen and have not informed the SSA, contact the SSA to update your status. Otherwise, the SSA may report that you are not a citizen, and you will have to provide citizenship documentation before receiving aid.

For financial aid purposes, an eligible noncitizen is one of the following:

• A U.S. permanent resident who has an Alien Registration Receipt Card (I-551 or I-151)
• A conditional permanent resident (I-551C)
• A noncitizen with a Departure record (I-94) from the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) showing any one of the following designations: "Refugee," "Asylum Granted," "Indefinite Parole," "Humanitarian Parole," or "Cuban-Haitian Entrant"

You are neither a citizen nor an eligible noncitizen, nor are you eligible for federal student aid, if you are in the U.S. on one of the following:

• An F-1, F-2, or M-1 student visa
• A J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor visa
• A B-1 or B-2 visitor visa
• A G series visa (pertaining to international organizations)
• An H series or L series visa (allowing temporary employment in the U.S.)
• A "Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence" (I-171 or I-464)
• An I-94 stamped "Temporary Protected Status"

However, you may be eligible for state or institutional aid and may therefore wish to complete the FAFSA to apply for that aid. If you are completing a paper FAFSA, fill in oval C. On FAFSA on the Web, indicate that you are not a citizen by using the drop down menu.

14. Alien Registration Number (A-Number). If you are an eligible noncitizen, enter your eight- or nine-digit A-Number. Leave the first space blank if you have an eight-digit A-Number.

If you answer "yes" to the question asking whether you are a U.S. citizen, do not provide an A-Number in this question. If an A-Number is present, the Department will check with the INS to confirm your status.

15. Marital status. Your marital status directly affects how your income and assets are treated in the EFC calculation. You must report your marital status as of the date the application is completed.

16. Date of marital status. You should enter the date you married, divorced, separated, or were widowed. If you never married, leave this question blank. If your current marital status is "divorced," enter the date you separated. If you were not separated, enter the date you became divorced.

FAFSA on the Web filers will find an unnumbered Question following Item 16, which asks "are you an 'early analysis' student." If you plan on attending a postsecondary school during the 2003-04 year, answer "no."