The FAFSA requires that you be a citizen of the United States or an eligible non-citizen. You need a Social Security Number, and men over 18 have to register with the Selective Service.
The Office of Federal Student Aid recommends that you gather important financial documents for use in filling out the FAFSA. You need your driver's license if you have one, and records of your income, such as W-2 forms, your latest Income Tax Return and bank statements. If you are a dependent student, you need your parents' Federal Income Tax Returns as well. If you're not a United States citizen, you need a permanent resident card or alien registration card.
You must have, or be working toward, a high school diploma or GED. You may also take and pass a U.S. Department of Education approved exam, according to the Office of Federal Student Aid. You must be enrolled, accepted for enrollment or applying to a school that participates in the federal student aid program.
If you have been convicted for selling or possessing drugs, and the conviction occurred during a period when you were receiving federal financial aid, you are likely no longer eligible.
There are exceptions to this. If you were under 18, the conviction was expunged from your record, it was not a federal or state conviction or you were not receiving aid, you will still be eligible for aid and should fill out the FAFSA.
The Office of Federal Student Aid requires that FAFSA applicants meet certain financial requirements. If you are already in default on a student loan or owe a refund on a grant from the federal government, you are not eligible for aid.
When filing the Free Application for Student Aid, you must meet its deadlines and your school's deadline. They may not coincide, so be sure to confirm the due date with your high school counselor or with your college's financial aid office.
For the 2009 to 2010 school year, you must submit your FAFSA by midnight, June 30, 2010, Central Daylight time. The due date for the 2010 to 2011 school year is midnight, June 30, 2011. The Office of Federal Student Aid warns that your application has to be accepted as well as completed to meet the deadline. Be sure to file early.