STATE AID DEADLINES 

# For priority consideration, submit application by date specified. 

+ Applicants encouraged to obtain proof of mailing.

* Additional form may be required.

AK Alaska Performance Scholarship - June 30, 2015

Alaska Education Grant - As soon as possible after 

January 1, 2015. Awards made until funds are depleted.

AR Academic Challenge - June 1, 2015 (date received)

Workforce Grant - Contact the financial aid office. Higher Education Opportunity Grant - June 1, 2015 (date 

received)

CA For many state financial aid programs - March 2, 2015 (date 

postmarked) + *

For additional community college Cal Grants - 

September 2, 2015 (date postmarked) + *

Contact the California Student Aid Commission or your 

financial aid administrator for more information.

CT February 15, 2015 (date received) # *

DC FAFSA completed by April 1, 2015 

For DCTAG, complete the DC OneApp and submit supporting 

documents by April 30, 2015.

DE April 15, 2015 (date received)

FL May 15, 2015 (date processed)

IA July 1, 2015 (date received) Earlier priority deadlines may 

exist for certain programs. *

ID Opportunity Grant - March 1, 2015 (date received) # *

IL As soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made until

funds are depleted.

IN March 10, 2015 (date received)

KS April 1, 2015 (date received) # *

KY As soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made until 

funds are depleted.

LA June 30, 2016 (July 1, 2015 recommended) 

MA May 1, 2015 (date received) #

MD March 1, 2015 (date received)

ME May 1, 2015 (date received)

MI March 1, 2015 (date received)

MN 30 days after term starts (date received)

MO April 1, 2015 (date received)

MS MTAG and MESG Grants - September 15, 2015 (date received)

HELP Scholarship - March 31, 2015 (date received)

MT March 1, 2015 (date received) #

NC As soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made until

funds are depleted.

ND April 15, 2015 (date received) # Earlier priority deadlines may

exist for institutional programs.

NJ 2014-2015 Tuition Aid Grant recipients - June 1, 2015 (date 

received)

All other applicants

- October 1, 2015, fall & spring terms (date received)

- March 1, 2016, spring term only (date received)

NY June 30, 2016 (date received) *

OK March 1, 2015 (date received) # 

OR OSAC Private Scholarships - March 1, 2015

Oregon Opportunity Grant - As soon as possible after 

January 1, 2015. Awards made until funds are depleted.

PA All first-time applicants enrolled in a: community college; 

business/trade/technical school; hospital school of nursing; 

designated Pennsylvania Open-Admission institution; or nontransferable two-year program - August 1, 2015 (date received)

All other applicants - May 1, 2015 (date received) 

RI March 1, 2015 (date received) # 

SC Tuition Grants - June 30, 2015 (date received)

SC Commission on Higher Education Need-based Grants - As 

soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made until 

funds are depleted.

TN State Grant - Prior-year recipients receive award if eligible and 

apply by March 1, 2015. All other awards made to neediest 

applicants until funds are depleted.

State Lottery - fall term, September 1, 2015 (date received); 

spring & summer terms, February 1, 2016 (date received)

VT As soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made

until funds are depleted. *

WA As soon as possible after January 1, 2015. Awards made until 

funds are depleted. 

WV PROMISE Scholarship - March 1, 2015. New applicants must 

submit additional application. Contact your financial aid 

administrator or your state agency.

WV Higher Education Grant Program - April 15, 2015

Pay attention to the symbols that may be listed after 

your state deadline.

APPLICATION DEADLINES

Federal Aid Deadline - June 30, 2016 

State Aid Deadlines - See below.

Check with your financial aid administrator for these states 

and territories:

AL, AS *, AZ, CO, FM *, GA, GU *, HI *, MH *, MP *, NE, NH*, NM, 

NV *, OH*, PR, PW *, SD *, TX, UT, VA *, VI *, WI and WY *.

The Federal Student Aid logo and FAFSA are registered trademarks of Federal Student Aid, U.S. Department of Education.

For federal aid, submit your application as early as possible, but no earlier than 

January 1, 2015. We must receive your application no later than June 30, 2016. Your 

college must have your correct, complete information by your last day of enrollment in 

the 2015-2016 school year. 

For state or college aid, the deadline may be as early as January 2015. See the table to 

the right for state deadlines. You may also need to complete additional forms. 

Check with your high school guidance counselor or a financial aid administrator at your 

college about state and college sources of student aid and deadlines. 

If you are filing close to one of these deadlines, we recommend you file online at 

www.fafsa.gov. This is the fastest and easiest way to apply for aid.

Applying by the Deadlines

We recommend that you complete and submit your FAFSA as soon as possible on or 

after January 1, 2015. If you (or your parents) need to file a 2014 income tax return with 

the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), and have not done so yet, you can submit your FAFSA 

now using estimated tax information, and then you must correct that information after 

you file your return.

The easiest way to complete or correct your FAFSA with accurate tax information is by 

using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool through www.fafsa.gov. In a few simple steps, most 

students and parents who filed a 2014 tax return can view and transfer their tax return 

information directly into their FAFSA.

Note: Both parents or both the student and spouse may need to report income 

information on the FAFSA if they did not file a joint tax return for 2014. For assistance 

with answering the income information questions in this situation, call 1-800-4-FED-AID 

(1-800-433-3243).

Using Your Tax Return 

Now go to page 3 of the application form and begin filling it out. Refer to the 

notes as instructed.

Let’s Get Started!

Use this form to apply free for federal and state student 

grants, work-study, and loans. 

Or apply free online at www.fafsa.gov.

FAFSA

FREE APPLICATION for FEDERAL STUDENT AID

July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016

After you complete this application, make a copy of pages 3 through 8 for your records. 

Then mail the original of pages 3 through 8 in the attached envelope or send it to:

Federal Student Aid Programs, P.O. Box 7001, Mt. Vernon, IL 62864-0071.

After your application is processed, you will receive a summary of your information 

in your Student Aid Report (SAR). If you provide an e-mail address, your SAR will be 

sent by e-mail within three to five days. If you do not provide an e-mail address, 

your SAR will be mailed to you within three weeks. If you would like to check the 

status of your FAFSA, go to www.fafsa.gov or call 1-800-433-3243.

Mailing Your FAFSA® 

If you or your family experienced significant changes to your financial situation (such as 

loss of employment), complete this form to the extent you can and submit it as instructed. 

Consult with the financial aid office at the college(s) you applied to or plan to attend.

For help in filling out the FAFSA, go to www.studentaid.gov/completefafsa or 

1-800-433-3243. TTY users (for the hearing impaired) may call 1-800-730-8913. 

Your answers on this form will be read electronically. Therefore:

Filling Out the FAFSA®

Yellow is for student information and purple is for parent information.

,

Correct Incorrect x √

 1 5 E L M S T

 $ 1 2 3 5 6 no cents

•

• use black ink and fill in circles completely:

• print clearly in CAPITAL letters and skip a 

box between words: 

• report dollar amounts (such as $12,356.41) 

like this:

Draft 2014-11-12 

Do Not Submit!
Page 2 Notes continued on page 9.

Notes for question 8 (page 3)

Enter your Social Security Number (SSN) as it appears on your Social 

Security card. If you are a resident of the Freely Associated States (i.e., the 

Republic of Palau, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Federated 

States of Micronesia) and were issued an identification number beginning 

with “666” when submitting a FAFSA previously, enter that number here. 

If you are a first-time applicant from the Freely Associated States, enter 

“666” in the first three boxes of the SSN field and leave the remaining six 

positions blank and we will create an identification number to be used 

for federal student aid purposes. 

Notes for questions 14 and 15 (page 3)

If you are an eligible noncitizen, write in your eight- or nine-digit Alien 

Registration Number. Generally, you are an eligible noncitizen if you are 

(1) a permanent U.S. resident with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551); (2) 

a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C); 

(3) the holder of an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department 

of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: 

“Refugee,” “Asylum Granted,” “Parolee” (I-94 confirms that you were 

paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa 

holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.) or “Cuban-Haitian Entrant;” or (4) the holder of 

a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and 

Human Services showing a designation of “Victim of human trafficking.”

If you are in the U.S. and have been granted Deferred Action for Childhood 

Arrivals (DACA), an F1 or F2 student visa, a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa, 

or a G series visa (pertaining to international organizations), select “No, I 

am not a citizen or eligible noncitizen.” You will not be eligible for federal 

student aid. If you have a Social Security Number but are not a citizen or an 

eligible noncitizen, including if you have been granted DACA, you should 

still complete the FAFSA because you may be eligible for state or college 

aid.

Notes for questions 16 and 17 (page 3)

Report your marital status as of the date you sign your FAFSA. If your 

marital status changes after you sign your FAFSA, check with the 

financial aid office at the college. Consistent with the Supreme Court 

decision holding Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) 

unconstitutional, same-sex couples must report their marital status 

as married if they were legally married in a state or other jurisdiction 

(foreign country) that permits same-sex marriage, without regard to 

where the couple resides. 

Notes for questions 21 and 22 (page 3)

To be eligible for federal student aid, male citizens and male immigrants 

residing in the U.S. aged 18 through 25 are required to register with the 

Selective Service System, with limited exceptions. This requirement 

applies to any person assigned the sex of male at birth. The Selective 

Service System and the registration requirement for males preserve 

America’s ability to provide resources in an emergency to the U.S. 

Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard). For more 

information about the Selective Service System, visit www.sss.gov. 

Forms are available at your local U.S. Post Office.

Notes for questions 33 (page 4)

and 81 (page 6)

If you filed or will file a foreign tax return, a tax return with Puerto Rico, 

another U.S. territory (e.g., Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin 

Islands, Swain’s Island or the Northern Marianas Islands) or one of the 

Freely Associated States, use the information from that return to fill out 

this form. If you filed a foreign return, convert all monetary units to U.S. 

dollars, using the exchange rate that is in effect today. To view the daily 

exchange rate, go to www.federalreserve.gov/releases/h10/current.

Notes for questions 35 (page 4) 

and 83 (page 6)

In general, a person is eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ if he or she 

makes less than $100,000, does not itemize deductions, does not receive 

income from his or her own business or farm and does not receive 

alimony. A person is not eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ if he or she 

makes $100,000 or more, itemizes deductions, receives income from 

his or her own business or farm, is self-employed, receives alimony or 

is required to file Schedule D for capital gains. If you filed a 1040 only 

to claim the American Opportunity Tax Credit or Lifetime Learning Tax 

Credit, and you would have otherwise been eligible to file a 1040A or 

1040EZ, answer “Yes” to this question. If you filed a 1040 and were not 

required to file a tax return, answer “Yes” to this question.

Notes for questions 38 (page 4)

and 87 (page 7) — Notes for those who filed a 1040EZ 

On the 1040EZ, if a person didn’t check either box on line 5, enter 01 if he 

or she is single or has never been married, or 02 if he or she is married. If 

a person checked either the “you” or “spouse” box on line 5, use 1040EZ 

worksheet line F to determine the number of exemptions ($3,950 equals 

one exemption).

Notes for questions 42 and 43 (page 4), 45j (page 5), 

and 91 and 92 (page 7)

Net worth means current value minus debt. If net worth is negative, enter 0.

Investments include real estate (do not include the home in which you 

live), rental property (includes a unit within a family home that has its 

own entrance, kitchen, and bath rented to someone other than a family 

member), trust funds, UGMA and UTMA accounts, money market funds, 

mutual funds, certificates of deposit, stocks, stock options, bonds, other 

securities, installment and land sale contracts (including mortgages 

held), commodities, etc.

Investments also include qualified educational benefits or education 

savings accounts (e.g., Coverdell savings accounts, 529 college savings 

plans and the refund value of 529 prepaid tuition plans). For a student 

who does not report parental information, the accounts owned by the 

student (and/or the student’s spouse) are reported as student investments 

in question 42. For a student who must report parental information, the 

accounts are reported as parental investments in question 91, including 

all accounts owned by the student and all accounts owned by the parents 

for any member of the household. 

Money received, or paid on your behalf, also includes distributions to 

you (the student beneficiary) from a 529 plan that is owned by someone 

other than you or your parents (such as your grandparents, aunts, uncles, 

and non-custodial parents). You must include these distribution amounts 

in question 45j. 

Investments do not include the home you live in, the value of life 

insurance, retirement plans (401[k] plans, pension funds, annuities, noneducation IRAs, Keogh plans, etc.) or cash, savings and checking accounts 

already reported in questions 41 and 90.

Investments also do not include UGMA and UTMA accounts for which 

you are the custodian, but not the owner.

Investment value means the current balance or market value of these 

investments as of today. Investment debt means only those debts that 

are related to the investments.

Business and/or investment farm value includes the market value of 

land, buildings, machinery, equipment, inventory, etc. Business and/or 

investment farm debt means only those debts for which the business or 

investment farm was used as collateral. 

Business value does not include the value of a small business if your 

family owns and controls more than 50 percent of the business and the 

business has 100 or fewer full-time or full-time equivalent employees. 

For small business value, your family includes (1) persons directly related 

to you, such as a parent, sister or cousin, or (2) persons who are or were 

related to you by marriage, such as a spouse, stepparent or sister-in-law. 

Investment farm value does not include the value of a family farm that 

you (your spouse and/or your parents) live on and operate.

Notes for question 49 (page 5) 

Answer “Yes” if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or are 

a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on active duty for other than 

state or training purposes.

Answer “No” if you are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on 

active duty for state or training purposes.

Notes for question 50 (page 5)

Answer “Yes” (you are a veteran) if you (1) have engaged in active duty 

(including basic training) in the U.S. Armed Forces, or are a National 

Guard or Reserves enlistee who was called to active duty for other than 

state or training purposes, or were a cadet or midshipman at one of the 

service academies, and (2) were released under a condition other than 

dishonorable. Also answer “Yes” if you are not a veteran now but will be 

one by June 30, 2016.

Answer “No” (you are not a veteran) if you (1) have never engaged in 

active duty (including basic training) in the U.S. Armed Forces, (2) 

are currently an ROTC student or a cadet or midshipman at a service 

academy, (3) are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for 

state or training purposes, or (4) were engaged in active duty in the U.S. 

Armed Forces but released under dishonorable conditions.

Also answer “No” if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces 

and will continue to serve through June 30, 2016.

Draft 2014-11-12 

Do Not Submit!
A

– – ( ) – 

For Help — www.studentaid.gov/completefafsa Page 3

Step One (Student): For questions 1-31, leave any questions that do not apply to you (the student) blank. OMB # 1845-0001

Male

Register me

Female

1

2

1

Yes 

No 1

3

Middle school/Jr. high High school 

Middle school/Jr. high Other/unknown 

College or beyond Other/unknown 

1 High school 2 College or beyond 3 4

1 2 3 4

STATE

No

Yes 1

2

MONTH YEAR

3

4

1

2

High school diploma. Answer question 27.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

General Educational Development (GED) certificate or state equivalent test. Skip to question 28. None of the above. Skip to question 28.. . . . . . . .

Homeschooled. Skip to question 28.. . . . . . . . . . 

No, but I am an eligible noncitizen. Fill in question 15.. . . . . . . . . . 2

No, I am not a citizen or eligible noncitizen. Skip to question 16. 3

Yes, I am a U.S. citizen (U.S. national). Skip to question 16.. . . . . . 1

MONTH YEAR I am separated . . . . . . . . . . . 

I am married/remarried

I am single . . . . . . . . . . . . .

I am divorced or widowed

3

4

1

2

Step One CONTINUED on page 4

16. What is your 

marital status as 

of today?

See Notes page 2.

3. Middle 

initial

6. State 7. ZIP code

8. Your Social Security Number See Notes page 2. 10. Your telephone number

4. Number and street 

(include apt. number)

5. City (and country if 

not U.S.)

Your driver’s license number and driver’s license state (if you have one)

12. Driver’s license 

state

11. Driver’s license 

number

13. Your e-mail address. If you provide your e-mail address, we will communicate with you electronically. For example, when your FAFSA has been processed, you will be 

notified by e-mail. Your e-mail address will also be shared with your state and the colleges listed on your FAFSA to allow them to communicate with you. If you do not 

have an e-mail address, leave this field blank.

22. If female, skip to question 23. Most male students must register with the 

Selective Service System to receive federal aid. If you are male, age 18-25 and 

not registered, fill in the circle and we will register you. See Notes page 2.

21. Are you male or 

female?

See Notes page 2.

23. Have you been convicted for the possession or sale of illegal drugs for an offense that occurred while you were receiving 

federal student aid (such as grants, loans or work-study)?

Answer “No” if you have never received federal student aid or if you have never had a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while 

receiving federal student aid. If you have a drug conviction for an offense that occurred while you were receiving federal student aid, answer 

“Yes,” but complete and submit this application, and we will mail you a worksheet to help you determine if your conviction affects your 

eligibility for aid. If you are unsure how to answer this question, call 1-800-433-3243 for help.

19. Did you become a legal 

resident of this state 

before January 1, 2010?

20. If the answer to question 19 is “No,” 

give month and year you became a 

legal resident of that state.

18. What is your 

state of legal 

residence?

14. Are you a U.S. 

 citizen?

Mark only one. 

See Notes page 2.

15. Alien Registration Number

17. Month and year you were married, 

remarried, separated, divorced or 

widowed.

See Notes page 2.

24. Highest school completed by Parent 1

25. Highest school completed by Parent 2

26. When you begin college in the 2015-2016 school year, what will be your high school completion status?

1. Last 

name

2. First 

name

Your full name (exactly as it appears on your Social Security card) If your name has a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between your last name and suffix.

Some states and colleges offer aid based on the level of schooling your parents completed. 

Your permanent mailing address

July 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016 FAFSA

FREE APPLICATION for FEDERAL STUDENT AID

9. Your date 

of birth 

MONTH DAY YEAR

M M D D Y Y Y Y

M M Y Y Y Y

M M Y Y Y Y

Draft 2014-11-12 

Do Not Submit!
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For Help — 1-800-433-3243 Page 4 

Answer questions 32–58 about yourself (the student). If you were never married or are separated, divorced 

or widowed, answer only about yourself. If you are married or remarried as of today, include information 

about your spouse. Step Two (Student):

For questions 36–45, if the answer is zero or the question does not apply to you, enter 0. Report whole dollar amounts with no cents.

Step Two CONTINUED on page 5

Yes No Don’t know

Yes 1 No 2

1 2 3

1

2

3

1

2

3

4

Other/undecided. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

Graduate or professional degree 8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Teaching credential (nondegree program) 7 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Associate degree (occupational or technical program) 3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2nd bachelor’s degree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2

1st bachelor’s degree 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

1st year graduate/professional 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5 5th year/other undergraduate. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

4 4th year undergraduate/senior . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

3 3rd year undergraduate/junior. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2nd year undergraduate/sophomore 2 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Attended college before and 1st year undergraduate 1. . . . . . . . . . . . .

Never attended college and 1st year undergraduate 0. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6

Certificate or diploma (occupational, technical or education program 

of two or more years). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

7 Continuing graduate/professional or beyond. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IRS 1040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

IRS 1040A or 1040EZ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

A foreign tax return. See Notes page 2. . . . . . . . . . . . .

A tax return with Puerto Rico, another U.S. territory, 

or Freely Associated State. See Notes page 2. . . . . . 

I have already completed my return. . . . . . . . 

I’m not going to file. Skip to question 39. 

I will file but have not yet completed my 

return. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

5

Certificate or diploma (occupational, technical or education program 

of less than two years). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Associate degree (general education or transfer program). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

Yes 1 No 2 Don’t know 3

Step One CONTINUED from page 3

32. For 2014, have you (the student) completed 

your IRS income tax return or another tax 

return listed in question 33?

28. Will you have your first bachelor’s degree 

before July 1, 2015?

29. When you begin the 2015-2016 school year, what will be your grade 

level?

33. What income tax return did you file or will you file 

 for 2014?

30. When you begin the 2015-2016 school year, what degree or certificate will 

you be working on?

27. What is the name of the high school where you received or will receive your high school diploma? 

Enter the complete high school name, and the city and state where the high school is located.

41. As of today, what is your (and spouse’s) total current balance of cash, savings and checking accounts? Don’t include 

student financial aid.

42. As of today, what is the net worth of your (and spouse’s) investments, including real estate? Don’t include the home you 

live in. Net worth means current value minus debt. See Notes page 2.

43. As of today, what is the net worth of your (and spouse’s) current businesses and/or investment farms? Don’t include a 

family farm or family business with 100 or fewer full-time or full-time equivalent employees. See Notes page 2.

39. How much did you earn from working in 2014?

40. How much did your spouse earn from working in 2014?

36. What was your (and spouse’s) adjusted gross income for 2014? Adjusted gross income is on IRS Form 1040—line 37; 

1040A—line 21; or 1040EZ—line 4.

37. Enter your (and spouse’s) income tax for 2014. Income tax amount is on IRS Form 1040—line 56; 1040A—line 39; or 

1040EZ—line 10.

38. Enter your (and spouse’s) exemptions for 2014. Exemptions are on IRS Form 1040—line 6d or Form 1040A—line 6d. 

For Form 1040EZ, see Notes page 2.

35. If you have filed or will file a 1040, were you eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ?

See Notes page 2.

Questions 39 and 40 ask about earnings (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2014. Answer the questions whether or not a tax return was filed. This 

information may be on the W-2 forms, or on IRS Form 1040—lines 7 + 12 + 18 + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); on 1040A—line 7; or 

on 1040EZ—line 1. If any individual earning item is negative, do not include that item in your calculation.

31. Are you interested in being considered for work-study?

STATE High School Name

High School City

Single 1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Married—filed separate return 3. . . . . . . 

Married—filed joint return 2. . . . . . . . . . . 

34. For 2014, what is or will be your tax filing 

status according to your tax return?

Don’t know 6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Qualifying widow(er) 5 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Head of household 4 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Draft 2014-11-12 

Do Not Submit!
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For Help — www.studentaid.gov/completefafsa Page 5 

Step Three (Student): 

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Step Two CONTINUED from page 4

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Yes 1 No 2

Answer the questions in this step to determine if you will need to provide parental information. Once 

you answer “Yes” to any of the questions in this step, skip Step Four and go to Step Five on page 8.

a. Payments to tax-deferred pension and retirement savings plans (paid directly or withheld from earnings), including, but not limited to, 

amounts reported on the W-2 forms in Boxes 12a through 12d, codes D, E, F, G, H and S. Don’t include amounts reported in code DD 

(employer contributions toward employee health benefits).

b. IRA deductions and payments to self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, Keogh and other qualified plans from IRS Form 1040—line 28 + line 32 

or 1040A—line 17.

c. Child support received for any of your children. Don’t include foster care or adoption payments.

d. Tax exempt interest income from IRS Form 1040—line 8b or 1040A—line 8b.

e. Untaxed portions of IRA distributions from IRS Form 1040—lines (15a minus 15b) or 1040A—lines (11a minus 11b). Exclude rollovers. 

If negative, enter a zero here.

f. Untaxed portions of pensions from IRS Form 1040—lines (16a minus 16b) or 1040A—lines (12a minus 12b). Exclude rollovers. 

If negative, enter a zero here.

g. Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy and others (including cash payments and cash value 

of benefits). Don’t include the value of on-base military housing or the value of a basic military allowance for housing.

h. Veterans noneducation benefits, such as Disability, Death Pension, or Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and/or VA 

Educational Work-Study allowances.

i. Other untaxed income not reported in items 45a through 45h, such as workers’ compensation, disability, etc. Also include the untaxed 

portions of health savings accounts from IRS Form 1040—line 25. Don’t include extended foster care benefits, student aid, earned 

income credit, additional child tax credit, welfare payments, untaxed Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Workforce 

Investment Act educational benefits, on-base military housing or a military housing allowance, combat pay, benefits from flexible 

spending arrangements (e.g., cafeteria plans), foreign income exclusion or credit for federal tax on special fuels.

j. Money received, or paid on your behalf (e.g., bills), not reported elsewhere on this form. This includes money that you received from a 

parent whose financial information is not reported on this form and that is not part of a legal child support agreement. See Notes page 2. 

a. Education credits (American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit) from IRS Form 1040—line 50 or 1040A—line 33.

b. Child support paid because of divorce or separation or as a result of a legal requirement. Don’t include support for children in your 

household, as reported in question 95.

c. Taxable earnings from need-based employment programs, such as Federal Work-Study and need-based employment portions of 

fellowships and assistantships.

d. Taxable student grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS in your adjusted gross income. Includes AmeriCorps benefits (awards, 

living allowances and interest accrual payments), as well as grant and scholarship portions of fellowships and assistantships.

e. Combat pay or special combat pay. Only enter the amount that was taxable and included in your adjusted gross income. Don’t include

untaxed combat pay.

f. Earnings from work under a cooperative education program offered by a college.

46. Were you born before January 1, 1992?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

47. As of today, are you married? (Also answer “Yes” if you are separated but not divorced.). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

48. At the beginning of the 2015-2016 school year, will you be working on a master’s or doctorate program (such as an MA, 

MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD, graduate certificate, etc.)?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

49. Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? See Notes page 2. . . . . 

50. Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? See Notes page 2.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

51. Do you now have or will you have children who will receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2015 

and June 30, 2016?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

52. Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their 

support from you, now and through June 30, 2016?. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

53. At any time since you turned age 13, were both your parents deceased, were you in foster care or were you a dependent 

or ward of the court? See Notes page 9.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

54. As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you an emancipated minor? See Notes page 9. . . . . 

55. As determined by a court in your state of legal residence, are you or were you in legal guardianship? See Notes page 9. . . . . 

56. At any time on or after July 1, 2014, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an 

unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless? See Notes page 9.. . . . . . 

57. At any time on or after July 1, 2014, did the director of an emergency shelter or transitional housing program funded by 

the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was 

homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless? See Notes page 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

58. At any time on or after July 1, 2014, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living 

program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of 

being homeless? See Notes page 9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

45. Student’s 2014 Untaxed Income (Enter the combined amounts for you and your spouse.)

44. Student’s 2014 Additional Financial Information (Enter the combined amounts for you and your spouse.)

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Step Four (Parent): Complete this step if you (the student) answered “No” to all questions in Step Three.

Answer all the questions in Step Four even if you do not live with your legal parents (biological, adoptive, or as determined by the state [for example, if the parent is listed on 

the birth certificate]). Grandparents, foster parents, legal guardians, widowed stepparents, aunts and uncles are not considered parents on this form unless they have legally 

adopted you. If your legal parents are married to each other, or are not married to each other and live together, answer the questions about both of them. If your parent was 

never married or is remarried, divorced, separated or widowed, see Notes page 9 for additional instructions.

69. Your parents’ e-mail address. If you provide your parents’ e-mail address, we will let them know your FAFSA has been processed. This e-mail address will 

 also be shared with your state and the colleges listed on your FAFSA to allow them to electronically communicate with your parents.

73. How many people are in your parents’ household?

Include:

• yourself, even if you don’t live with your parents,

• your parents,

• your parents’ other children if (a) your parents will provide more than half of their support between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016, or 

(b) the children could answer “No” to every question in Step Three on page 5 of this form, and

• other people if they now live with your parents, your parents provide more than half of their support and your parents will continue to 

provide more than half of their support between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

74. How many people in your parents’ household (from question 73) will be college students between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016?

 Always count yourself as a college student. Do not include your parents. Do not include siblings who are in U.S. military service academies. You 

may include others only if they will attend, at least half-time in 2015-2016, a program that leads to a college degree or certificate.

In 2013 or 2014, did you, your parents or anyone in your parents’ household (from question 73) receive benefits from any of the federal programs listed? 

Mark all that apply. Answering these questions will not reduce eligibility for student aid or these programs. TANF may have a different name in your parents’ state. Call 

1-800-433-3243 to find out the name of the state’s program.

75. Supplemental 

 Security 

 Income (SSI)

76. Supplemental

 Nutrition Assistance

 Program (SNAP)

77. Free or 

 Reduced 

 Price Lunch

78. Temporary Assistance

 for Needy Families 

 (TANF)

79. Special Supplemental Nutrition 

 Program for Women, Infants, 

 and Children (WIC)

70. What is your 

parents’ state of 

legal residence?

71. Did your parents become 

legal residents of this state

before January 1, 2010?

72. If the answer to question 71 is “No,” give the 

month and year legal residency began for the 

parent who has lived in the state the longest.

STATE MONTH YEAR

No

Yes 1

2

83. If your parents have filed or will file a 1040, 

were they eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ? 

See Notes page 2.

84. As of today, is either of your parents a 

 dislocated worker? See Notes page 9. No

Yes 

Don’t know

No

Yes 

Don’t know

1

2

3

1

2

3

Step Four CONTINUED on page 7

82. For 2014, what is or will be your parents’ tax

 filing status according to their tax return?

59. As of today, what is the marital status of your legal parents? 60. Month and year 

they were married, 

remarried, separated, 

divorced or widowed. Divorced or separated. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Never married. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Married or remarried. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

MONTH YEAR

Widowed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

2 1

3

4

If you (the student) answered “No” to every question in Step Three, go to Step Four. If you answered “Yes” to any question in Step Three, skip Step Four and go to Step Five on page 8.

(Health professions students: Your college may require you to complete Step Four even if you answered “Yes” to any Step Three question.)

If you believe that you are unable to provide parental information, see Notes page 9.

What are the Social Security Numbers, names and dates of birth of the parents reporting information on this form?

If your parent does not have a Social Security Number, you must enter 000-00-0000. If the name includes a suffix, such as Jr. or III, include a space between the last name and 

suffix. Enter two digits for each day and month (e.g., for May 31, enter 05 31).

61. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER 62. LAST NAME, AND 63. FIRST INITIAL 64. DATE OF BIRTH

65. SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER 66. LAST NAME, AND 67. FIRST INITIAL 68. DATE OF BIRTH

,

,

1 9

1 9

Questions 61-64 are for Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent)

Questions 65-68 are for Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent)

Unmarried and both parents living 

together.. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

If your answer to question 59 was “Unmarried and both parents living together,” contact 1-800-433-3243 for assistance with answering questions 80-94.

Single. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Married—filed separate return. . . . . . . 

Married—filed joint return. . . . . . . . . . . 

Don’t know. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

Qualifying widow(er). . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Head of household. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

81. What income tax return did your 

 parents file or will they file for 2014?

IRS 1040. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

IRS 1040A or 1040EZ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

A foreign tax return. See Notes page 2.. . . . . 

A tax return with Puerto Rico, another U.S. 

territory or Freely Associated State.

See Notes page 2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

80. For 2014, have your parents completed their IRS 

income tax return or another tax return listed in 

question 81?

My parents will file but have not yet completed 

their return. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 

My parents are not going to file.

Skip to question 88. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

My parents have already completed their return. . .

M M Y Y Y Y

M M D D Y Y

M M D D Y Y

M M Y Y Y Y

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$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

$ , ,

For Help — www.studentaid.gov/completefafsa Page 7 

For questions 85–94, if the answer is zero or the question does not apply, enter 0. Report whole dollar amounts with no cents.

Step Four CONTINUED from page 6

90. As of today, what is your parents’ total current balance of cash, savings and checking accounts?

91. As of today, what is the net worth of your parents’ investments, including real estate? Don’t include the home in which 

your parents live. Net worth means current value minus debt. See Notes page 2.

92. As of today, what is the net worth of your parents’ current businesses and/or investment farms? Don’t include a family 

farm or family business with 100 or fewer full-time or full-time equivalent employees. See Notes page 2.

88. How much did Parent 1 (father/mother/stepparent) earn from working in 2014?

89. How much did Parent 2 (father/mother/stepparent) earn from working in 2014?

85. What was your parents’ adjusted gross income for 2014? Adjusted gross income is on IRS Form 1040—line 37; 

1040A—line 21; or 1040EZ—line 4.

86. Enter your parents’ income tax for 2014. Income tax amount is on IRS Form 1040—line 56; 1040A—line 39; or 

1040EZ—line 10.

87. Enter your parents’ exemptions for 2014. Exemptions are on IRS Form 1040—line 6d or on Form 1040A—line 6d. 

For Form 1040EZ, see Notes page 2.

Questions 88 and 89 ask about earnings (wages, salaries, tips, etc.) in 2014. Answer the questions whether or not a tax return was filed. This information may be on the W-2 

forms, or on IRS Form 1040—lines 7 + 12 + 18 + Box 14 (Code A) of IRS Schedule K-1 (Form 1065); on 1040A—line 7; or on 1040EZ—line 1. If any individual earning item is 

negative, do not include that item in your calculation.

a. Education credits (American Opportunity Tax Credit and Lifetime Learning Tax Credit) from IRS Form 1040—line 50 or 1040A—

 line 33.

b. Child support paid because of divorce or separation or as a result of a legal requirement. Don’t include support for children in your 

parents’ household, as reported in question 73.

c. Your parents’ taxable earnings from need-based employment programs, such as Federal Work-Study and need-based employment 

portions of fellowships and assistantships.

d. Your parents’ taxable student grant and scholarship aid reported to the IRS in your parents’ adjusted gross income. Includes 

AmeriCorps benefits (awards, living allowances and interest accrual payments), as well as grant and scholarship portions of fellowships 

and assistantships.

e. Combat pay or special combat pay. Only enter the amount that was taxable and included in your parents’ adjusted gross income. 

Do not enter untaxed combat pay.

f. Earnings from work under a cooperative education program offered by a college.

a. Payments to tax-deferred pension and retirement savings plans (paid directly or withheld from earnings), including, but not limited to, 

amounts reported on the W-2 forms in Boxes 12a through 12d, codes D, E, F, G, H and S. Don’t include amounts reported in code DD 

(employer contributions toward employee health benefits).

b. IRA deductions and payments to self-employed SEP, SIMPLE, Keogh and other qualified plans from IRS Form 1040—line 28 + line 32 or 

1040A—line 17.

c. Child support received for any of your parents’ children. Don’t include foster care or adoption payments.

d. Tax exempt interest income from IRS Form 1040—line 8b or 1040A—line 8b.

e. Untaxed portions of IRA distributions from IRS Form 1040—lines (15a minus 15b) or 1040A—lines (11a minus 11b). Exclude rollovers. 

If negative, enter a zero here. 

f. Untaxed portions of pensions from IRS Form 1040—lines (16a minus 16b) or 1040A—lines (12a minus 12b). Exclude rollovers. 

If negative, enter a zero here.

g. Housing, food and other living allowances paid to members of the military, clergy and others (including cash payments and cash value 

of benefits). Don’t include the value of on-base military housing or the value of a basic military allowance for housing.

h. Veterans noneducation benefits, such as Disability, Death Pension, or Dependency & Indemnity Compensation (DIC) and/or VA 

Educational Work-Study allowances.

i. Other untaxed income not reported in items 94a through 94h, such as workers’ compensation, disability, etc. Also include the untaxed 

portions of health savings accounts from IRS Form 1040—line 25. Don’t include extended foster care benefits, student aid, earned 

income credit, additional child tax credit, welfare payments, untaxed Social Security benefits, Supplemental Security Income, Workforce 

Investment Act educational benefits, on-base military housing or a military housing allowance, combat pay, benefits from flexible 

spending arrangements (e.g., cafeteria plans), foreign income exclusion or credit for federal tax on special fuels.

93. Parents’ 2014 Additional Financial Information (Enter the amounts for your parent[s].)

94. Parents’ 2014 Untaxed Income (Enter the amounts for your parent[s].)

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97. Supplemental 

Security 

Income (SSI)

98. Supplemental 

Nutrition Assistance 

Program (SNAP)

99. Free or 

Reduced 

Price Lunch

100. Temporary Assistance 

 for Needy Families 

 (TANF)

101. Special Supplemental Nutrition

 Program for Women, Infants, 

 and Children (WIC)

Step Five (Student): Complete this step only if you (the student) answered “Yes” to any questions in Step Three.

Step Six (Student): Indicate which colleges you want to receive your FAFSA information.

Step Seven (Student and Parent): Read, sign and date.

on campus

off campus

with parent

103. a 

103. c 

103. e

103. g

103. b

103. d

103. f

103. h

OR

OR

OR

OR

STATE

STATE

STATE

STATE

NAME OF 

COLLEGE

NAME OF 

COLLEGE

NAME OF 

COLLEGE

NAME OF 

COLLEGE

ADDRESS 

AND CITY

ADDRESS 

AND CITY

ADDRESS 

AND CITY

ADDRESS 

AND CITY

HOUSING PLANS

1ST FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE

2ND FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE

3RD FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE

4TH FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE

106. Preparer’s Social Security Number (or 107)

107. Employer ID number (or 106)

108. Preparer’s signature and date

COLLEGE USE ONLY

D/O

FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE

FAA Signature

DATA ENTRY 

USE ONLY: P * L E

If you or your family paid a fee for someone to 

fill out this form or to advise you on how to fill it 

out, that person must complete this part.

Preparer’s name, firm and address

1

1

1

on campus

off campus

with parent

on campus

off campus

with parent

on campus

off campus

with parent

Yes 1 No 2 Don’t know 3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

1

2

3

Homeless

Youth 

Determination

4

95. How many people are in your household?

Include:

• yourself (and your spouse),

• your children, if you will provide more than half of their support between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016, and

• other people if they now live with you, you provide more than half of their support and you will continue to provide more than half of their 

support between July 1, 2015 and June 30, 2016.

96. How many people in your (and your spouse’s) household (from question 95) will be college students between July 1, 2015 and 

June 30, 2016? Always count yourself as a college student. Include others only if they will attend, at least half-time in 2015-2016, a program that 

leads to a college degree or certificate.

In 2013 or 2014, did you (or your spouse) or anyone in your household (from question 95) receive benefits from any of the federal programs listed? 

Mark all that apply. Answering these questions will not reduce eligibility for student aid or these programs. TANF may have a different name in your state. Call 

1-800-433-3243 to find out the name of the state’s program.

102. As of today, are you (or your spouse) a dislocated worker? See Notes page 9.

Enter the six-digit federal school code and your housing plans. You can find the school codes at www.fafsa.gov or by calling 1-800-433-3243. If you 

cannot obtain the code, write in the complete name, address, city and state of the college. The information you report on the FAFSA is sent to each college 

listed, including the names of the other colleges listed. If you do not want this information sent to a particular college, do not list that school. For federal 

student aid purposes, it does not matter in what order you list your selected schools. For state aid, you may want to list your preferred college first. To find 

out how to have more colleges receive your FAFSA information, read What is the FAFSA? on page 10.

1

2

2015 or 2016

MONTH DAY

104. Date this form was completed

105. Student (Sign below)

 Parent (A parent from Step Four sign below.)

If you are the student, by signing this application you certify that you (1) will use federal and/or state 

student financial aid only to pay the cost of attending an institution of higher education, (2) are not 

in default on a federal student loan or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay it, (3) do not 

owe money back on a federal student grant or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay it, (4) 

will notify your college if you default on a federal student loan and (5) will not receive a Federal Pell 

Grant from more than one college for the same period of time. 

If you are the parent or the student, by signing this application you certify that all of the information 

you provided is true and complete to the best of your knowledge and you agree, if asked, to 

provide information that will verify the accuracy of your completed form. This information may 

include U.S. or state income tax forms that you filed or are required to file. Also, you certify that you 

understand that the Secretary of Education has the authority to verify information reported on 

this application with the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies. If you sign any 

document related to the federal student aid programs electronically using a personal identification 

number (PIN), username and password, and/or any other credential, you certify that you are the 

person identified by that PIN, username and password, and/or other credential, and have not 

disclosed that PIN, username and password, and/or other credential to anyone else. If you purposely 

give false or misleading information, you may be fined up to $20,000, sent to prison, or both. 

M M D D

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Notes for question 53 (page 5)

Answer “Yes” if at any time since you turned age 13:

• You had no living parent, even if you are now adopted; or

• You were in foster care, even if you are no longer in foster care today; or

• You were a dependent or ward of the court, even if you are no longer 

a dependent or ward of the court today. For federal student aid

purposes, someone who is incarcerated is not considered a ward of

the court.

The financial aid administrator at your school may require you to provide 

proof that you were in foster care or a dependent or ward of the court.

Notes for questions 54 and 55 (page 5)

The definition of legal guardianship does not include your parents, even 

if they were appointed by a court to be your guardians. You are also not 

considered a legal guardian of yourself. 

Answer “Yes” if you can provide a copy of a court’s decision that as of 

today you are an emancipated minor or are in legal guardianship. Also 

answer “Yes” if you can provide a copy of a court’s decision that you were 

an emancipated minor or were in legal guardianship immediately before 

you reached the age of being an adult in your state. The court must be 

located in your state of legal residence at the time the court’s decision 

was issued.

Answer “No” if you are still a minor and the court decision is no longer 

in effect or the court decision was not in effect at the time you became 

an adult.

The financial aid administrator at your college may require you to provide 

proof that you were an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship.

Notes for questions 56–58 (page 5)

Answer “Yes” if you received a determination at any time on or after 

July 1, 2014, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless 

or at risk of being homeless.

• “Homeless” means lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing. You 

may be homeless if you are living in shelters, parks, motels or cars, or 

are temporarily living with other people because you have nowhere

else to go. Also, if you are living in any of these situations and fleeing 

an abusive parent you may be considered homeless even if your

parent would provide support and a place to live.

• “Unaccompanied” means you are not living in the physical custody

of your parent or guardian.

• “Youth” means you are 21 years of age or younger or you are still

enrolled in high school as of the day you sign this application.

Answer “No” if you are not homeless or at risk of being homeless, or do 

not have a determination. You should contact your financial aid office 

for assistance if you do not have a determination but believe you are an 

unaccompanied youth who is homeless or are an unaccompanied youth 

providing for your own living expenses who is at risk of being homeless.

The financial aid administrator at your college may require you to 

provide a copy of the determination if you answered “Yes” to any of 

these questions.

Notes for students unable to provide parental information on

pages 6 and 7

Under very limited circumstances (for example, your parents are 

incarcerated; you have left home due to an abusive family environment; 

or you do not know where your parents are and are unable to contact 

them), you may be able to submit your FAFSA without parental 

information. If you are unable to provide parental information, skip 

Steps Four and Five, and go to Step Six. Once you submit your FAFSA 

without parental data, you must follow up with the financial aid office 

at the college you plan to attend, in order to complete your FAFSA.

Notes for Step Four, questions 59–94 (pages 6 and 7)

Review all instructions below to determine who is considered a parent 

on this form:

• If your parent was never married and does not live with your other

legal parent, or if your parent is widowed or not remarried, answer 

the questions about that parent.

• If your legal parents (biological, adoptive, or as determined by the

state [for example, if the parent is listed on the birth certificate]) are 

not married to each other and live together, select “Unmarried and 

both parents living together” and provide information about both of 

them regardless of their gender. Do not include any person who is 

not married to your parent and who is not a legal or biological parent. 

Contact 1-800-433-3243 for assistance in completing questions 

80-94. 

• If your legal parents are married, select “Married or remarried.”

Consistent with the Supreme Court decision holding Section 3 of 

the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional, same-sex 

couples must be reported as married if they were legally married in 

a state or other jurisdiction (foreign country) that permits same-sex 

marriage, without regard to where the couple resides. If your legal 

parents are divorced but living together, select “Unmarried and both 

parents living together.” If your legal parents are separated but living 

together, select “Married or remarried,” not “Divorced or separated.”

• If your parents are divorced or separated, answer the questions about 

the parent you lived with more during the past 12 months. (If you did 

not live with one parent more than the other, give answers about 

the parent who provided more financial support during the past 12 

months or during the most recent year that you actually received 

support from a parent.) If this parent is remarried as of today, answer 

the questions about that parent and your stepparent.

• If your widowed parent is remarried as of today, answer the questions 

about that parent and your stepparent.

Notes for questions 84 (page 6)

and 102 (page 8)

In general, a person may be considered a dislocated worker if he or she:

• is receiving unemployment benefits due to being laid off or losing a

job and is unlikely to return to a previous occupation;

• has been laid off or received a lay-off notice from a job;

• was self-employed but is now unemployed due to economic

conditions or natural disaster; or

• is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces and

has experienced a loss of employment because of relocating due to

permanent change in duty station; or

• is the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces and is a

displaced homemaker (as described below); or

• is a displaced homemaker. A displaced homemaker is generally a

person who previously provided unpaid services to the family (e.g.,

a stay-at-home mom or dad), is no longer supported by the spouse,

is unemployed or underemployed, and is having trouble finding or

upgrading employment.

Except for the spouse of an active duty member of the Armed Forces, if 

a person quits work, generally he or she is not considered a dislocated 

worker even if, for example, the person is receiving unemployment 

benefits.

Answer “Yes” to question 84 if your parent is a dislocated worker. Answer 

“Yes” to question 102 if you or your spouse is a dislocated worker.

Answer “No” to question 84 if your parent is not a dislocated worker. 

Answer “No” to question 102 if neither you nor your spouse is a dislocated 

worker.

Answer “Don’t know” to question 84 if you are not sure whether your 

parent is a dislocated worker. Answer “Don’t know” to question 102 if 

you are not sure whether you or your spouse is a dislocated worker. You 

can contact your financial aid office for assistance in answering these 

questions.

The financial aid administrator at your college may require you to 

provide proof that your parent is a dislocated worker, if you answered 

“Yes” to question 84, or that you or your spouse is a dislocated worker, if 

you answered “Yes” to question 102. 

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Page 10

What is the FAFSA®?

Why fill out a FAFSA? 

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in the 

financial aid process. You use the FAFSA to apply for federal student aid, such 

as grants, work-study, and loans. In addition, most states and colleges use 

information from the FAFSA to award nonfederal aid. 

Why all the questions? 

The questions on the FAFSA are required to calculate your Expected Family 

Contribution (EFC). The EFC measures your family’s financial strength and is 

used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid. Your state and the 

colleges you list may also use some of your responses. They will determine if 

you may be eligible for school or state aid, in addition to federal aid. 

How do I find out what my Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is?

Your EFC will be listed on your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAR summarizes 

the information you submitted on your FAFSA. It is important to review your SAR 

to make sure all of your information is correct and complete. Make corrections 

or provide additional information, as necessary. 

How much aid will I receive? 

Using the information on your FAFSA and your EFC, the financial aid office at 

your college will determine the amount of aid you will receive. The college will 

use your EFC to prepare a financial aid package to help you meet your financial 

need. Financial need is the difference between your EFC and your college’s 

cost of attendance (which can include living expenses), as determined by 

the college. If you or your family have unusual circumstances that should be 

taken into account, contact your college’s financial aid office. Some examples 

of unusual circumstances are: unusual medical or dental expenses or a large 

change in income from last year to this year. 

When will I receive the aid? 

Any financial aid you are eligible to receive will be paid to you through your 

college. Typically, your college will first use the aid to pay tuition, fees and room 

and board (if provided by the college). Any remaining aid is paid to you for your 

other educational expenses. If you are eligible for a Federal Pell Grant, you may 

receive it from only one college for the same period of enrollment.

How can I have more colleges receive my FAFSA information?

If you are completing a paper FAFSA, you can only list four colleges in the 

school code step. You may add more colleges by doing one of the following:

1. After your FAFSA has been processed, go to FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.

gov. Click the “Login” button on the home page to log in to FAFSA on the Web, 

then click “Make FAFSA Corrections.” 

2. Use the Student Aid Report (SAR), which you will receive after your FAFSA is 

processed. Your Data Release Number (DRN) verifies your identity and will be 

listed on the first page of your SAR. You can call 1-800-433-3243 and provide 

your DRN to a customer service representative, who will add more school 

codes for you. 

3. Provide your DRN to the financial aid administrator at the college you want 

added, and he or she can add their school code to your FAFSA. 

Note: Your FAFSA record can only list up to ten school codes. If there are ten 

school codes on your record, any new school codes that you add will replace 

one or more of the school codes listed. 

Where can I receive more information on student aid?

The best place for information about student financial aid is the financial aid 

office at the college you plan to attend. The financial aid administrator can tell 

you about student aid available from your state, the college itself and other 

sources. 

• You can also visit our web site StudentAid.gov. 

• For information by phone you can call our Federal Student Aid Information 

Center at 1-800-433-3243. TTY users (for the hearing impaired) may call 

1-800-730-8913.

• You can also check with your high school counselor, your state aid agency 

or your local library’s reference section. 

Information about other nonfederal assistance may be available from foundations, 

religious organizations, community organizations and civic groups, as well as 

organizations related to your field of interest, such as the American Medical 

Association or American Bar Association. Check with your parents’ employers or 

unions to see if they award scholarships or have tuition payment plans.

Information on the Privacy Act and use of your 

Social Security Number 

We use the information that you provide on this form to determine if you are 

eligible to receive federal student financial aid and the amount that you are 

eligible to receive. Sections 483 and 484 of the Higher Education Act of 1965, 

as amended, give us the authority to ask you and your parents these questions, 

and to collect the Social Security Numbers of you and your parents. We use your 

Social Security Number to verify your identity and retrieve your records, and we 

may request your Social Security Number again for those purposes. 

State and institutional student financial aid programs may also use the 

information that you provide on this form to determine if you are eligible to 

receive state and institutional aid and the need that you have for such aid. 

Therefore, we will disclose the information that you provide on this form to 

each institution you list in questions 103a - 103h, state agencies in your state of 

legal residence and the state agencies of the states in which the colleges that 

you list in questions 103a - 103h are located. 

If you are applying solely for federal aid, you must answer all of the following 

questions that apply to you: 1-9, 14-16, 18, 21-23, 26, 28-29, 32-37, 39-59, 61-68, 

70, 73-86, 88-102, 104-105. If you do not answer these questions, you will not 

receive federal aid. 

Without your consent, we may disclose information that you provide to entities 

under a published “routine use.” Under such a routine use, we may disclose 

information to third parties that we have authorized to assist us in administering 

the above programs; to other federal agencies under computer matching 

programs, such as those with the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security 

Administration, Selective Service System, Department of Homeland Security, 

Department of Justice and Veterans Affairs; to your parents or spouse; and to 

members of Congress if you ask them to help you with student aid questions. 

If the federal government, the U.S. Department of Education, or an employee 

of the U.S. Department of Education is involved in litigation, we may send 

information to the Department of Justice, or a court or adjudicative body, if the 

disclosure is related to financial aid and certain conditions are met. In addition, 

we may send your information to a foreign, federal, state, or local enforcement 

agency if the information that you submitted indicates a violation or potential 

violation of law, for which that agency has jurisdiction for investigation 

or prosecution. Finally, we may send information regarding a claim that is 

determined to be valid and overdue to a consumer reporting agency. This 

information includes identifiers from the record; the amount, status and history 

of the claim; and the program under which the claim arose. 

State Certification 

By submitting this application, you are giving your state financial aid agency 

permission to verify any statement on this form and to obtain income tax 

information for all persons required to report income on this form. 

The Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995 

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, no persons are required 

to respond to a collection of information unless such collection displays a 

valid OMB control number. The valid OMB control number for this information 

collection is 1845-0001. Public reporting burden for this collection of 

information is estimated to average two hours per response, including time 

for reviewing instructions, searching existing data sources, gathering and 

maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of 

information. The obligation to respond to this collection is voluntary. If you 

have comments or concerns regarding the status of your individual submission 

of this form, please contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center, P.O. Box 

84, Washington, D.C. 20044 directly. [Note: Please do not return the completed 

form to this address.]

We may request additional information from you to process your application 

more efficiently. We will collect this additional information only as needed and 

on a voluntary basis.

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