Determine your eligibility for a direct Stafford loan. You must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, or a non-citizen accepted to or attending a college participating in the Federal Family Education Loan Program. You must be enrolled in the college at least part-time, which is usually six credits.
Complete the Federal Application for Student Aid (FAFSA). You will need to have all your financial information for the previous year (2010 information for the 2011-12 school year). This documentation will include your Social Security card, driver's license, W-2 forms, 2010 Federal Income Tax return for you, your spouse, or your parents -- depending on your living situation -- bank statements and any other financial records you have.
Set up an account with FAFSA. You will need to enter your Social Security number, your full first and last name and date of birth (or your child's, if you are filling out the information as a parent/guardian). You will also need to create a password for your account login.
Enter your FAFSA pin. You will need to register for a pin online at the Federal Student Aide PIN website. If you are a dependent student and your parents are filling out your financial aid forms, you will need two separate PINs.
Complete the remainder of the FAFSA form. This will include demographic questions (address, email, phone number), questions to determine your financial eligibility, your FAFSA school code, your dependency status, your financial information and any special circumstances factoring into your application process.
Allow several weeks to several months for your FAFSA to be processed. Once your application is processed and your loan eligibility determined, you will receive a letter in the mail. You can apply for the Stafford loan after receiving this letter.
Apply for the direct Stafford loan by going to Staffordloan.com. Fill out the required information to determine how your school participates in the lending program. Some schools will require you to apply directly through the school financial aid office.
Contact your school's financial aid office for the necessary paperwork for a direct Stafford loan. Most schools will allow you to complete your loan entrance counseling online. The process is similar to the FAFSA -- in fact, some schools will use the FAFSA information to determine eligibility for a direct Stafford loan.
Register at Federal Student Aid's website. You can save and send your information to FAFSA and any colleges you have applied to.