Tell your friends! The official Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA^SM) form is at www.FAFSA.gov – not at a ".com site," website. If you go to a ".com site," you will probably be asked to pay to submit the FAFSA. Remember, the first F in "FAFSA" stands for "free" – so use the official government site to submit your application. Also remember, if you want to apply for federal student aid (the programs that we will discuss here), you must complete a FAFSA. It’s easy and there is plenty of help along the way, if you have questions.

This website explains how to complete the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). It explains the purpose of the FAFSA questions. This site also contains a section that provides answers to a number of frequently asked questions (FAQs). If you have additional questions about federal student aid or how to complete an electronic or paper application after you review this site, you can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243) or contact your financial aid administrator (FAA). You can also go to the U.S. Federal Student Aid’s Student Aid on the Web site at www.studentaid.ed.gov. Student Aid on the Web is your source for free, in-depth information on preparing for and funding education beyond high school.

You also may want to check out FAFSA4caster^SM. This product is an online tool designed to help provide awareness of federal student aid eligibility before officially applying for federal student aid. It helps them estimate the cost of an education after high school. FAFSA4caster will serve to estimate the user’s eligibility for federal aid and allows users to factor in other aid sources. For more information, go to www.fafsa4caster.ed.gov link.

How to complete the application

There are three ways to complete a FAFSA:

• Online (FAFSA on the Web) at www.fafsa.gov (recommended)



• PDF FAFSA (download file) at www.studentaid.ed.gov/PDFfafsa



• Paper FAFSA (request a copy by calling 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)

In some cases, you might be able to apply directly through your school. You should check with the financial aid administrator at the school you are interested in attending to see if the school can assist you with your application. If you are using FAFSA on the Web, the PDF or the paper FAFSA (sometimes referred to as the paper form), you can use the instructions on this website as a guide to help you complete the application process. If you are online and need additional assistance with a particular question, you can use the online help found in the “Help and Hints” box on the right-hand side of the screen for each question you answer. You may also find help under “The Application Questions” section of this document.

Applying online is generally faster and easier for three reasons:

• FAFSA on the Web has built-in help to guide you through the application process.



• Skip logic in FAFSA on the Web guides you to answer key questions and may allow you to skip other questions and complete the application faster.



• The schools you list on your application will receive your processed information faster.

If you do not have a computer with Internet access at home, you can usually find Internet access at your local library, high school, or a financial aid office at a nearby campus. Over 98 percent of applications are submitted electronically.

Using a Federal Student Aid PIN to sign your application

You and your parents are encouraged to apply for a Federal Student Aid PIN to sign your online application. For a student who provides parental information on the FAFSA, at least one parent whose information is provided on the application must sign. Later, in the Dependency Questions section (Questions 45-57), we will cover how you can determine if your parents will need to provide information on the FAFSA.

Your PIN will serve as an identifier and as your electronic signature. It works much like the personal identification number you get from your bank. You can apply for a PIN from within FAFSA on the Web or at the Federal Student Aid PIN website at www.pin.ed.gov. After completing the PIN application, you must choose how you want your PIN delivered to you. The choices are to

• Create your own PIN.



• Have a system-generated PIN instantly displayed online.



• Have a system-generated PIN instantly sent in a secure link to your permanent e-mail address.



• Have a system-generated PIN mailed to your permanent postal mailing address.

You or your parent (if you are a dependent student) may use the new PIN immediately to sign your FAFSA. Then within one to three days of the PIN being issued, your name, date of birth, and Social Security Number (SSN) are verified with the Social Security Administration (SSA). If the SSA confirms your information, your PIN is then valid for all its uses, which include:

• access to your Student Aid Report online;



• access to your data to make corrections;



• The option to complete a FAFSA Renewal with most of your information retained from the previous year



• access to your information on other Federal Student Aid websites, such as the National Student Loan Data System.^SM

If there is a problem with the SSA match, your PIN will be deactivated and you will be notified.

You are not required to have a PIN to complete and submit an original application; however, using a PIN is the fastest way to sign your application.

Both Web and paper FAFSA filers may provide their e-mail addresses by completing Question 13. If you provide your e-mail address you will receive your student financial aid correspondence by e-mail. Otherwise, leave Question 13 blank and you will receive all of your correspondence by postal mail.

As previously stated, FAFSA on the Web applicants are not required to have a PIN to apply. If you do not have a PIN to electronically sign your application, you can print, sign, and mail in a signature page. If you choose to submit your application and mail in a signature page, a PIN will automatically be sent to you, by e-mail or by postal mail, if we determine that you do not already have a PIN assigned to you. If you already have a PIN and need a copy of it sent to you, you can go to www.pin.ed.gov to request a duplicate copy.

If you have any questions about the PIN process, you should either visit the PIN website at www.pin.ed.gov or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).

If you filed a FAFSA^SM previously

If you have a previous application on file, when you start to complete your 2012-13 application you will be asked if you want the information from that application to pre-fill the new application. You will be given this option if you filed a 2011-12 FAFSA. This process will allow you to complete the 2012-13 FAFSA in less time.