All students must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and complete a Renewal FAFSA for subsequent years. You can obtain a copy from the school of your choice or download a copy at www.fafsa.ed.gov. Make sure the form is filled out completely and correctly or it might be returned to you causing a delay. You will need your tax records.

Submit the completed FAFSA directly to the processor designated on the form. It is best to submit the form as early as possible in order to met any deadlines. You may apply online at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Within four weeks of submitting the FAFSA, you will receive a Student Aid Report (SAR). The SAR will tell you your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) - an important figure that colleges use to determine your eligibility for financial aid. If you need to make corrections to the SAR, return Part 2 of the SAR to the processor's address noted on the report.

The Financial Aid office at the schools to which you have been accepted will receive your FAFSA directly from the processor. Upon the verification of the information provided on your FAFSA, the school will determine your aid eligibility, and then send you a financial aid award letter. The award letter will list the amount of aid (if any) for which you are eligible and the types of aid (grants, work-study, and loans) that make up your financial aid package.

In the event you have been accepted by more than one school, you should compare the aid packages and academic programs in order to select the one that will best suit your educational needs. Once you have made your decision, you will need to either accept or deny the aid packages offered.