Applying for Federal Financial Aid

Thousands of students go off to college unaware that there is federal assistance available to help with the high costs of attending.

Step 1

The first step in applying for Federal financial aid is to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid - FAFSA. The paper application is available at most high schools and college financial aid offices.  The FAFSA determines your eligibility for a variety of federal programs:

• Grants
• Scholarships
• Work Study
• Loans

For your convenience, an electronic version of the FAFSA application is now available on the Web through the U.S. Department of Education. The electronic version will be processed much quicker than the paper application.

Items you will need to complete the FAFSA include:

• Federal income tax returns and W-2's 
• Sources and amounts of untaxed income 
• Asset and investment information (current bank statements, stocks, bonds, real estate, investment statements, etc.)

Be sure to keep a copy of the completed application for your records.

Step 2

An award letter will be mailed to you by the financial aid office listing the types of aid for which you qualify. Review the award letter and be sure you understand the terms and conditions that accompany each type of award. Be sure you understand which school costs will be covered by the aid and when it will be credited to your account or disbursed to you. Sign the award letter, if required, and return it to the school within the deadline.

Renew Your Financial Aid Application Every Year

Remember that the financial aid process begins again in January for the next year of study; everyone reapplies annually. If you apply for financial aid for the current school year then you should receive a Financial Aid Renewal Application to complete and mail in for the next school year. If you do not receive the Renewal Application by the end of January, complete a new FAFSA form on-line.