Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2007-08

FAFSA

- New Applicants

- Dependency Status

- Renewal Applicants

Process for new Applicants
Apply between Jan. 1, 2007, and June 30, 2008. To determine your eligibility for federal student financial assistance, you need to complete the FAFSA. Although you might have to complete an additional application in order to be considered for financial aid from your state or the school you’re interested in attending, most states and schools use FAFSA information to award nonfederal student aid.

Can I apply online?
Yes. You can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Applying online is faster and easier than the paper FAFSA, although you may still complete and submit the FAFSA in paper form. A FAFSA on the Web Worksheet is available online for you to print and write down your information prior to completing the online submission of the FAFSA. You can also obtain printed copies of the worksheet by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or by contacting a financial aid office.

Applying Online

Go online to www.fafsa.ed.gov
As an alternative, go online to www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov
If you have created a “MyFSA” account at www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov, many sections of the FAFSA will automatically be completed for you, saving time and eliminating mistakes.

Why should I apply online?

FAFSA on the Web identifies potential errors right away and prompts you to make on-the-spot corrections.
You get online instructions for each question, and you can access live online help with a customer service representative for free if you have additional questions.
Once you submit your application, your information is immediately sent to the U.S. Department of Education. You’ll get a confirmation notice right away when you click on “Submit My FAFSA Now.”
Your application will be processed quickly, usually in three to five days, if you (and your parents, if applicable) provided electronic signatures using the PIN.

What if I decide I want a paper FAFSA application?
You can get a paper FAFSA—in English or Spanish—from:

Your local library,
High school,
College or career school you plan to attend, or
Our Federal Student Aid Information Center by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

Then what should I do?

Complete, sign and mail the FAFSA in the preaddressed envelope that’s in your FAFSA packet. Your FAFSA will be processed in two to three weeks. But, before mailing it, you should check to see if your school, or a school that you’re interested in, would submit your FAFSA for you electronically.

If you don’t hear anything within three weeks of the date you submitted your application, check your status through FAFSA on the Web (www.fafsa.ed.gov). You can also check your status by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

No paper or electronic FAFSA application will be accepted prior to Jan. 1, 2007. Any FAFSA application received before Jan. 1, 2007, will not be processed and will be rejected.

U.S. Department of Education | Federal Student Aid