FAFSA Application Information
If you’re a college-bound senior, you and your parents will need to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)-the application for state, federal and college-based financial aid. It’s important to complete and submit the form before your college’s FAFSA priority date because financial aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. If you don’t know your college’s priority date, contact the school’s financial aid office.
Follow these steps to complete the FAFSA
Step 1: Request a PIN
Request a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for you and one for a parent at www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN is your signature for the electronic FAFSA and is used to track your financial aid application.
Step 2: Complete your taxes early
Even though you don’t have to submit your taxes early, you should complete them early because colleges prefer current tax information on the FAFSA.”
Step 3: Gather these student and parent items:
• Federal income tax forms and, if applicable, Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)
• W-2 forms
• Student’s driver’s license number
• Social Security numbers
• Birth dates
• Date parents were married, separated, divorced or widowed
• Current cash, savings and checking account balances
• Current investment values (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, etc.) excluding your home and retirement accounts
• Value of business (if more than 100 employees)
• Value of investment farm (Do not include the value of a family farm that you or your parents live on and operate)
• Child support (paid and/or received)
• Workers’ Compensation
• Other untaxed income such as housing/food/ living allowances for military and clergy
• Alien Registration Number for eligible non-citizens
Be prepared to answer the following FAFSA question:
Did you or anyone in your household receive any of the following federal benefits?
*Supplemental Security Income
*Food Stamps
*TANF- Free or Reduced Price Lunch* WIC
Step 4: Complete and file the FAFSA
Complete and file the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The colleges you list on the application will receive the results.
If you’re filing the FAFSA for the first time and need help completing the form, call the Education Quest location nearest you to set up an appointment. Call the Kearney office at 800-666-3721, Lincoln at 800-303-3745 or Omaha at 888-357-6300. All services are free.
Free online FAFSA tools (listed below) are also available at www.EducationQuest.org/fafsa.asp.
Free tools available to help you complete the FAFSA
Education Quest has online tools to help you complete the FAFSA. They are available in the “Completing the FAFSA” section at EducationQuest.org.
• “Guide to College Funding” video–explains the financial aid process and the FAFSA
• “FAFSA Made Easy” video–demonstrates, in a humorous way, that the FAFSA isn’t as difficult as it seems
• FAFSA Checklist–provides a list of items needed to complete the FAFSA
• FAFSA Tutorial–explains each FAFSA question
• Podcasts–explain the FAFSA-and how to prepare
Follow these steps to complete the FAFSA
Step 1: Request a PIN
Request a Personal Identification Number (PIN) for you and one for a parent at www.pin.ed.gov. The PIN is your signature for the electronic FAFSA and is used to track your financial aid application.
Step 2: Complete your taxes early
Even though you don’t have to submit your taxes early, you should complete them early because colleges prefer current tax information on the FAFSA.”
Step 3: Gather these student and parent items:
• Federal income tax forms and, if applicable, Schedule K-1 (Form 1065)
• W-2 forms
• Student’s driver’s license number
• Social Security numbers
• Birth dates
• Date parents were married, separated, divorced or widowed
• Current cash, savings and checking account balances
• Current investment values (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, CDs, etc.) excluding your home and retirement accounts
• Value of business (if more than 100 employees)
• Value of investment farm (Do not include the value of a family farm that you or your parents live on and operate)
• Child support (paid and/or received)
• Workers’ Compensation
• Other untaxed income such as housing/food/ living allowances for military and clergy
• Alien Registration Number for eligible non-citizens
Be prepared to answer the following FAFSA question:
Did you or anyone in your household receive any of the following federal benefits?
*Supplemental Security Income
*Food Stamps
*TANF- Free or Reduced Price Lunch* WIC
Step 4: Complete and file the FAFSA
Complete and file the FAFSA at www.fafsa.ed.gov. The colleges you list on the application will receive the results.
If you’re filing the FAFSA for the first time and need help completing the form, call the Education Quest location nearest you to set up an appointment. Call the Kearney office at 800-666-3721, Lincoln at 800-303-3745 or Omaha at 888-357-6300. All services are free.
Free online FAFSA tools (listed below) are also available at www.EducationQuest.org/fafsa.asp.
Free tools available to help you complete the FAFSA
Education Quest has online tools to help you complete the FAFSA. They are available in the “Completing the FAFSA” section at EducationQuest.org.
• “Guide to College Funding” video–explains the financial aid process and the FAFSA
• “FAFSA Made Easy” video–demonstrates, in a humorous way, that the FAFSA isn’t as difficult as it seems
• FAFSA Checklist–provides a list of items needed to complete the FAFSA
• FAFSA Tutorial–explains each FAFSA question
• Podcasts–explain the FAFSA-and how to prepare