Why Fill Out a FAFSA?
To apply for federal student financial aid, and to apply for many state student aid programs, students must complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The information you provide on your FAFSA determines if you are eligible for financial aid. Click on the banners below to get started.

-First, you need to get a Pin Number, which is like your signature.
-Click on the link below to apply for a Pin Number.

-Next, fill out the FAFSA form online.
-To fill out the FAFSA click on the link above (have your taxes completed prior to filling out the fafsa).
-Finally, you will receive the results of your FAFSA in approximately 2 weeks via mail or email.

What are the benefits of using FAFSA on the Web?

The following are several good reasons why you should consider using FAFSA on the Web:
1. FAFSA on the Web is faster than applying using the paper FAFSA. 
2. FAFSA on the Web uses skip logic based on your information, so you will need to answer fewer questions than on the paper FAFSA. 
3. FAFSA on the Web checks your answers before you submit your application, so there is less chance your application will be rejected because of missing or conflicting information. 
4. You can save application information so that it can be completed and transmitted at a later time. 
5. FAFSA on the Web can be used on Windows or Macintosh computers, using the most popular Netscape and Microsoft browser versions. 
6. FAFSA on the Web doesn't require software to be installed, so it takes less time before you can actually use the application. 
7. You can access FAFSA on the Web from anywhere, including school or home, making it more convenient to complete the application. 
8. FAFSA on the Web can support an unlimited number of users, allowing thousands of students to apply at once. 

What Are Your FAFSA Results?
After processing your FAFSA, the Department of Education will send you a Student Aid Report (SAR), and will make an electronic copy of your results available to the schools you list on your FAFSA. 

Schools use your SAR's Expected Family Contribution (EFC) number to determine if you will receive federal financial aid.

If you qualify, the school prepares a financial aid package to help you meet your financial need. Financial need is the difference between your school's cost of attendance (including living expenses), as calculated by your school, and your EFC.

When Will You Get Your FAFSA Results?
Completing your FAFSA is the first step in the financial aid process. The amount of time it takes the U.S. Department of Education to process an application depends on whether the application is submitted by regular mail or through FAFSA on the Web and whether it is signed by paper or using a PIN as the electronic signature. Providing us with a current and valid e-mail address would also speed up the process in getting back a Student Aid Report (SAR), which includes the processed results. A combination of all these factors affects the time it takes to receive a SAR. The fastest way to receive results is to fill out a FAFSA on the Web application, provide a valid and current e-mail address, and sign the application electronically using a U.S. Department of Education PIN. 

You can check the status of your application electronically on the FAFSA on the Web site by selecting Check status of a submitted FAFSA in the FAFSA Follow-up section of the site. 


Your SAR will summarize the information you report on your FAFSA. Your SAR will contain comments that will alert you if further information is required to process your FAFSA. Please check this information carefully to make sure it is accurate. If all the information on your SAR is correct, you do not need to return it. 

Keep a copy of your SAR. If you received a SAR but need another copy, you can print a copy of your 2004-2005 SAR or your 2003-2004 SAR (Please note: you will need your PIN to access this request form.) 

If your FAFSA information is complete, you will find an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) printed in the upper right hand corner of your SAR. Your school will use the EFC to award your financial aid.

What is a SAR? EFC? DRN?
SAR: The Student Aid Report (SAR) summarizes the information you report on your FAFSA. The schools you list on your application can request electronic copies of your SAR and use the information to determine if you are eligible for federal financial aid. 

EFC: If your FAFSA information is complete, an Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will appear on the upper right hand corner of page one of your SAR (Student Aid Report) that you receive in the mail. The EFC will be based on the financial information you provide on the FAFSA, and your school will use it to award your financial aid. 

DRN: In the bottom left hand corner of your SAR, you'll find your four-digit Data Release Number (DRN). You can use it to:

Report a change of address on your SAR 
Request duplicate copies of your SAR be mailed to you 
Release copies of your SAR electronically to schools you didn't list on your FAFSA 

 
How Do You Receive Financial Aid?
The schools to which you are applying use your SAR (Student Aid Report) to prepare a financial aid package to help meet your financial need. Financial need is the difference between your school's cost of attendance (including living expenses), as calculated by your school, and your EFC (Expected Family Contribution). 

The amount of your financial aid award depends on whether:

You're a full-time or part-time student 
You attend school for a full academic year or less 
You believe you have special circumstances such as unusual medical or dental expenses 

Federal Student Aid will be paid to you through your school. The school will notify you by sending you an award letter.

Federal Student Aid Programs
Your financial aid package is likely to include funds from the federal student aid programs. These programs, described below, are administered by the U.S. Department of Education and provide over $33 billion a year to students attending post-secondary schools. Important Note: Not all schools participate in all federal student aid programs. Check with your high school guidance counselor or your school's financial aid office to make sure your school participates in the federal program(s) you are interested in.


Federal Pell Grants are available to undergraduate students only. Grants do not have to be repaid.

Federal Stafford Loans are student loans that must be repaid and are available to both undergraduate and graduate students. If your school participates in the Federal Direct Loan (Direct Loan) Program, the federal government provides the funds for your Stafford Loan. If your school participates in the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) Program, a private lender provides the funds for your Stafford Loan, although the federal government guarantees the loan funds. First-year undergraduates are eligible for loans up to $2,625. Amounts increase for subsequent years of study, with higher amounts for graduate students. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 8.25 percent. If you qualify (based on need) for a subsidized Stafford loan, the government will pay the interest on your loan while you are in school, during grace periods, and during any deferment periods. You are responsible for paying all of the interest that accrues on an unsubsidized Stafford Loan. 

Federal PLUS Loans are unsubsidized loans made to parents. If you are independent or your parents cannot get a PLUS loan, you are eligible to borrow additional Stafford Loan funds. The interest rate is variable, but never exceeds 9 percent.

Campus-Based Programs are administered by participating schools. There are three of these programs. 

Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants are grants available for undergraduates only; awards range from $100-$4,000. 

Federal Work Study provides jobs to undergraduate and graduate students, allowing them to earn money to pay education expenses. 

Perkins Loans are low-interest (5 percent) loans that must be repaid; the maximum annual loan amount is $4,000 for undergraduate students and $6,000 for graduate students.

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