What Does the FAFSA Cover?

Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is usually the first step in applying for grants, student loans and other financial aid for college. Because the information submitted on the FAFSA helps determine a student's eligibility for assistance, it requests financial information about students and their families.

Features

The FAFSA requests information about the applicant's college enrollment status (full or part-time) and what type of degree the student is pursuing.

Student Information

The FAFSA asks students to provide information about marital status, income, savings and investments, and most recent tax return. Another set of questions will determine if an applicant needs to provide information about his parents.

Parent Information

Parent information on the FAFSA includes income, savings and investments, and last tax return. The FAFSA also asks for information about household size and whether the family received welfare benefits.

College Status

The FAFSA asks how many people in the applicant's household will be college students during the year covered by the application.

Recipients

At the end of the application form, applicants can designate up to four colleges or universities to receive their FAFSA information.

References

• FAFSA online

Resources

• U.S. Department of Education - FAFSA