FREE APPLICATION FOR FEDERAL STUDENT AID (FAFSA)
If your son or daughter is planning on attending a 2 or 4-year college or university, you should complete a FAFSA form. To view the Berrien College Access Network (BCAN) FAFSA Tool Kit click here.
WHAT IS FAFSA?
It is the form that the federal government uses to determine your eligibility for federal aid, including grants, work-study, and loans.
HOW DOES FAFSA WORK?
Using the information you supply on the FAFSA, the federal processor determines your expected family contribution (EFC) —the amount of money your family can contribute to your college costs. Your prospective college then applies a simple equation to decide how much financial aid you will need. Filing online is recommended and strongly encouraged.
HOW DO I FILL IT OUT?
Visit www.studentaid.gov to complete the FAFSA. If you want a paper copy to use as a guide, use the pre-application worksheet. To have a completed FAFSA for your records, click “print” before you click “submit” at the end of your FAFSA. When you complete an electronic FAFSA, you will be required to provide both a student and a parent signature, which means you have to sign the form electronically. To sign the FAFSA electronically, both the parent and student are required to sign with an FSA ID number.
HOW DO I GET AN FSA ID Number?
Students and parents can obtain an FSA ID Number at www.pin.ed.gov and click on “apply for an FSA ID number.” You will need to submit your name, date of birth and social security number. Both the student and the parent each need an FSA ID Number.
The FSA ID Number is the code that the U.S. Department of Education uses to identify you online. An FSA ID number allows you to (1) electronically sign your FAFSA to speed up the process, (2) check the status of your electronic FAFSA, and (3) make corrections to your personal information online.
For questions about FAFSA on the web or about your FSA ID Number, call 1-800-4-FED-AID.
WHAT INFORMATION DO I NEED TO COMPLETE THE FAFSA?
- Your social security number
- Your driver’s license number, if applicable
- Your W-2 forms
- Your federal income tax returns from the prior year
- Your current bank statements and records of stocks, bonds, and other investments
- Your records of other untaxed income received, such as Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families (TANF), welfare or Veteran’s Benefits
- Your business or farm records, if applicable
- Your alien registration number, if you are not a U.S. Citizen
- If you are a dependent student, you will also need:
- Your parent(s) social security number(s)
- Your parent(s) income and financial records (as listed above)