Frequently Asked Questions about Applying for Financial Aid

What is the FAFSA?
A student who wants to receive federal financial aid to attend college must file the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, better known as the FAFSA.  The FAFSA is always free.

Should I pay for help to fill out my FAFSA?
No, you don’t need to.  If you apply using FAFSA on the Web at www.fafsa.ed.gov, you get online instructions for each question, and you can “chat” live online with a customer service representative.  Another source of free help is the online guide, Completing the FAFSA.  You can also get free help by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) at the telephone number(s) listed below or by contacting the financial aid administrator at OCtech.

            Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC):

            1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243)

            (TTY 1-800-730-8913)

Click here to view a slideshow of instructions on how to fill out a FAFSA form.

Various websites do offer help filing the FAFSA for a fee.  These sites are not affiliated with, or endorsed by, the U.S. Department of Education.  You are urged not to pay these sites for assistance that the financial aid office and Department of Education can provide for free.

Which FAFSA application should I complete?
Complete the 2008-2009 FAFSA for the award year that runs from July 1, 2008-June 30, 2009. This version is available in both English and Spanish. For Fall 2008, Spring 2009, Summer 2009.
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What documents do I need to complete the FAFSA?
For the 2008-2009 school year, you will need financial information from 2007. You will need to refer to:

• Your Social Security Number (can be found on Social Security card)
• Your driver's license (if any)
• Your 2007 W-2 Forms and other records of money earned
• Your (and your spouse's, if you are married) 2007 Federal Income Tax Return - IRS Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040TeleFile, foreign tax return, or tax return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia
• Your parents' 2007 Federal Income Tax Return (if you are a dependent student)
• Your 2007 untaxed income records - Social Security, Temporary Assistance to Needy Families, welfare, or veterans benefits records
• Your current bank statements
• Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond, and other investment records
• Your alien registration or permanent residence card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)

I haven’t finished my taxes yet.  What should I do?
If you are facing a deadline and want to get the application in as soon as possible, you may estimate your tax amounts for now. Once you have completed your tax forms, make the corrections to your file either on the Web.
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Why do I have to provide my parents’ information on the FAFSA?
When you apply for federal student aid, your answers to the questions in Step 2 of the online FAFSA will determine whether you're considered dependent on your parents or independent. If you're considered dependent, your parents' income and assets as well as your own must be reported on the FAFSA. Students are classified as dependent or independent because federal student aid programs are based on the principle that students (and their parents or spouse, if applicable) are considered the primary source of support for college education.
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What is the Data Release Number (DRN)?
The Data Release Number (DRN) is required to make certain changes associated with the FAFSA you filed. You can make corrections to your mailing address and/or to the schools you listed to receive your FAFSA data. Just call the U.S. Department of Education's Federal Student Aid Information Center (1-800-4-FED-AID [1-800-433-3243]). The DRN also allows you to release your FAFSA data to schools you did not list on your original FAFSA.

The DRN can be found in the lower left-hand corner of your Student Aid Report (SAR).

What if I live with someone other than my parent who pays the rent?
You should not report any information for a friend or roommate unless the two of you are actually married.  You must report in Worksheet B any cash support given by the friend or relative as untaxed income but should not report in-kind support (such as food).  You would have to report as untaxed income on Worksheet B the rent the roommate paid on your behalf.

What is the difference between cash support and in-kind support?
Cash support is given either in the form of money or money paid on your (the student’s) behalf.  You must report such cash received as untaxed income.  For example if a friend or relative gives you grocery money, it must be reported as untaxed income on Worksheet B.  If the friend or relative pays your electric bill or part of your rent, you must also report those payments.

Examples of in-kind support are free food or housing that a student receives.  You usually don’t report such support.  You must however provide documentation from the person providing in-kind support that they provide support and do not give you money or pay your bills for you.

However, the application does require you to report the value of housing a family receives as compensation for a job on Worksheet B.  The most common example is free housing or a housing allowance provided to military personnel or clergy, which is required to be reported on Worksheet B.
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How can I check the status of my FAFSA application?
At any point during the processing period, you can use your PIN to check the status of your FAFSA or to check on a correction you made to your FAFSA:

• Go to FAFSA on the Web.
• Click on the first item in the right-hand column (under “FAFSA Follow-up”): Check Status of a submitted FAFSA.
• Read the Check Status page, click on “Next” at the bottom of the page, then enter the information required.

Checking the status of your application at any time during the processing period is beneficial, but we recommend you at least check the status at the following times:

• 1 week after submission - if you used a PIN to sign your application
• 2-3 weeks after submission - if you printed, signed, and mailed a signature page.   

Helpful Hint: If you printed out the Electronic Filing Instructions when you filed your Web application, write down the dates you checked the status.

If you've already checked the status of your processed application and would like to view your application data, select this link. (Note: You must have a U.S. Department of Education PIN.)
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What other requirements are there for males when applying for financial aid?
Most male students must register with the Selective Service System to get federal aid. If you are a male between the ages of 18 and 25 you must register. You can click below to register online.

https://www4.sss.gov/regver/register1.asp

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