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What is FAFSA?

FAFSA is an acronym for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Every student that attends a college or university in the United States should submit one of these applications as soon as possible after January 1 of each year. You can complete your application online and if you already attend college, you may only have to complete a renewal form.

What is the benefit of applying online?

The benefit of applying online is that you have less paperwork and all the tips for helping you to file the application online are built into the system.

Will I know what I need for my application?  

For completing the FAFSA online, you will find a list of documents that you need. It may be beneficial to you to download the forms first and fill them out manually before you fill out the online form. This gives you the advantage of double-checking everything before you submit it electronically. There is also a pre-application worksheet to help you with the process and the questions are in the same order as they are on the application.

What if I want to complete a renewal?  

If you want to file a renewal application, you must apply for a PIN. This lets you retrieve your personal information from previous applications in the various education systems of the US. Each college in the US also has a specific code and you can search through the database to find the code for the schools to which you have applied and enter it in the appropriate space on the application.

Is the FAFSA available in more than one language?

The FAFSA is available in both English and Spanish, so you can complete the application process in your primary language.

What happens once my application has been submitted?

Once the office receives your application, electronically or through the mail, it will send you a post card confirming that it has received your application. You can expect to receive information regarding how much money you qualify for in about 4 to 6 weeks.