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Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Managing Agency U.S. Department of Education http://www.ed.gov

Program Description

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an application used by virtually all two and four-year colleges, universities, and career schools for awarding Federal, state, and college-funded student aid.

General Program Requirements

To be eligible for this benefit, you must meet all of the following requirements:
  • Be a U.S. citizen or eligible non-citizen
  • Have a valid Social Security Number (unless you are from the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, or the Republic of Palau)
  • Register with Selective Service if you are a male and 18 to 25 years of age. Go to http://www.sss.gov/ for more information
  • Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) Certificate or pass an exam approved by the U.S. Department of Education
  • Be enrolled or accepted for enrollment as a regular student working toward a degree or certificate in an eligible program at a school that participates in the federal student aid programs
  • Not have a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving Federal student aid (such as grants, loans, or work-study)
  • Other requirements may apply. Contact your school's financial aid office for more information

Loan Terms

Not applicable

Your Next Steps

The following information will lead you to the next steps to apply for this benefit.

Application Process

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in the financial aid process. You use it to apply for Federal student financial aid, such as grants, loans, and work-study. In addition, most states and schools use information from the FAFSA to award non-federal aid. Complete the form online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/.

Program Contact Information

For general information about the Federal student aid programs, assistance in completing the FAFSA, and information about FAFSA on the Web, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at the following toll-free number:
1-800-433-3243

People who are hearing impaired may call this toll-free number:
1-800-325-0778

TTY users for the hearing impaired can call:
1-800-730-8913

Callers in locations without access to 800 numbers may call this non toll-free number:
319-337-5665