The next section, will guide you step-by-step through the application questions. If you are using FAFSA on the Web, you will be asked to either key in your answers or use the drop down menus to select your answers as you progress through the Web site. If you are filing a paper FAFSA, tear out the four-page application and use the remaining instruction pages as a guide as you fill in the answers to each question.

If you are completing FAFSA on the Web, you will notice that some of the questions do not appear in the same numerical order as they do on the paper FAFSA. For ease of use, the Questions in this guide follow the same numerical order as they are presented on the paper FAFSA.

The FAFSA on the Web site contains the Pre-Application Worksheet. For ease of data entry into the FAFSA on the Web site, you can print a copy of this worksheet (rather than filling out a paper FAFSA) and answer the questions on the worksheet prior to submitting the data on FAFSA on the Web.

FAFSA on the Web filers may be able skip some questions based on their answers to earlier questions. You might qualify if, for example, you (and your parents, if you are a dependent student) don't have income over a certain amount and filed, or were eligible to file, an IRS form 1040A or 1040 EZ (that is, not required to file an IRS form 1040). You should go to www.fafsa.ed.gov to find out if you can skip certain questions. Note that even if you do qualify, some states and schools require this information anyway.