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   Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2007-08
Funding Education Beyond High School: The Guide to Federal Student Aid 2006-07
Federal Student Aid at a Glance Education after High School
Reducing the Cost of Education Am I Eligible
Types of Federal Student Aid Other Aid Sources
Be Careful Getting your PIN
Completing the FAFSA Student Aid Report(SAR)
Information for Borrower Loan Repayment
Postponing Loan Repayment Consolidating your Loans
Loan Discharge(Cancellation) State Higher Education Agencies
Important Terms Other Publications
 


Getting Your Pin
   

Start Here … How Do I Apply?

Apply for your PIN. Complete your FAFSA. Receive your SAR.

For all the acronyms, it’s a pretty straightforward process if you take the time to see it through. After all, millions of students just like you apply successfully each year. So, go ahead. Apply. The results may surprise and delight you. We’ve set everything up so you can apply and check the progress of your application online. (Although you can still do it the conventional way if you choose.) In the case of student loans, there are a few points we should make up front. One, interest rates are far lower than those for commercial loans because the federal government subsidizes them. Repayment terms are liberal and in most instances you don’t begin to repay until you leave school. And if you’re worried about your credit history disqualifying you … don’t … because the amount of your aid depends entirely on your financial need not your past history with creditors. So … you can go for it, or you can hang back. The how-to is right here, but you have to supply the drive.

DID YOU KNOW …
Applying for federal student aid grants, loans and work-study programs is FREE! Why pay a third party for help with the FAFSA? Help in completing the FAFSA is available from our office for free and there are no fees of any kind assessed by the government when you submit a FAFSA.


Getting Your PIN

What is a PIN and what is it used for?
Your Personal Identification Number (PIN) is an electronic access code number that serves as your personal identifier.

Your PIN allows you to:
DID YOU KNOW …
The Federal Student Aid PIN gives you access to personal information and therefore should be kept PRIVATE. You should not share your PIN with anyone, even if that person is helping you fill out the FAFSA. Counselors should not offer to hold onto students’ PINs. If you are concerned about forgetting your PIN you should go to www.pin.ed.gov and change your PIN to a number you will remember.


Should I get a PIN if I’m not applying online?
 We encourage you to apply online because that process is much faster and easier. The electronic application process has edits built into it that dramatically reduces the chance for errors. That saves you time and trouble. But, even if you don’t apply online, you can use a PIN later to:
  • Look up your processed FAFSA data online.
  • Make online corrections to your application information.
  • Complete your renewal FAFSA online.
 How and when should I get a PIN?
 Go to www.pin.ed.gov as soon as possible—don’t wait until you’re ready to apply for federal student aid. You should request your PIN before you complete your FAFSA on the Web application. If you’re a dependent student, your parents should request a PIN also, so you and your parent can electronically sign your FAFSA on the Web before it’s submitted. That way, you’ll get your results much faster.

When requesting a PIN, you must provide your name (as it appears on your Social Security card), your Social Security number, date of birth, mailing address, and e-mail address (if you have one). After this information has been verified with the Social Security Administration’s records, a PIN will be generated. If you provide an e-mail address, you’ll get an e-mail response that contains a link to your PIN in 1-3 days. We encourage you to add our e-mail address, FederalStudentAidPIN@cpsemail.ed.gov, to your e-mail address book to help prevent e-mail delivery problems. If you don’t provide an e-mail address, you’ll receive your PIN through regular mail in 7-10 days.

Is going to the Web site the only way I can get a PIN?
 No. When you submit your FAFSA, (either online or paper), if certain personal data such as your Social Security number and date of birth match Social Security Administration records, we’ll send you a PIN automatically. However, we encourage you to apply for a PIN early, you’ll speed up the application process by not having to wait to receive your PIN to electronically sign your application.

What if I have questions about the PIN?
 Go to www.pin.ed.gov

Go to www.FederalStudentAid.ed.gov or,

Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

Can I get a PIN from the Federal Student Aid Information Center?
No. You can only request a PIN online.

Safeguard Your PIN and Remember It!
www.pin.ed.gov
  • Your PIN is used to sign legally binding documents electronically. It has the same legal status as a written signature.
  • Don’t give your PIN to anyone—not even to someone helping you fill out the FAFSA.
  • Make sure no one can get access to your student aid records or “sign” a FAFSA application with your PIN.
  • Remember your PIN! You’ll use this same PIN for future online FAFSAs and the many different actions we listed above regarding your student aid records.


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U.S. Department of Education | Federal Student Aid