How to Fill Out Financial Aid

How to fill out financial aid

.Difficulty: EasyInstructions.

Step 1
A recent study revealed that hundreds of thousands of college students who may have been eligible for financial aid didn't get one red cent because they didn't apply. Don't assume you're not eligible for financial aid. Complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms, regardless of your family's financial
situation or whether you're attending a four-year college or a community college.

Step 2
Notice the word "free" in the name of the application used by all U.S. students seeking financial aid: Free Application for Federal Student Aid. If you visit a website that asks for payment to submit the FAFSA, you're not at the official U.S. Department of Education website (www.fafsa.ed.gov). Don't pay for something you can get free.

Step 3
The FAFSA deadline is tricky. The earliest you can file is January 1, because the information is based on the prior calendar year, but you won't have your income tax return completed by then. Submit the FAFSA as soon as possible after the deadline, even if it means you have to estimate your income and expenses; you can always correct them later if necessary. It can take up to six weeks for the form to be processed, and you want to be sure it arrives at the schools you've applied to
before they begin awarding financial aid, or you may lose out.