Go to the FAFSA website.
Click on the orange "Start Here" button. You will be taken to a page asking you for your name, social security number and date of birth.
Enter the required information and click "Next." You will be taken to a welcome page.
Click on the "Apply for a PIN" link. A new browser window will appear asking you for information such as your name, social security number and address. Fill this out and click "Next." Follow the onscreen instructions to receive your PIN by regular mail or e-mail. You will need this four-digit number to sign your FAFSA, so it is important that you do not lose it. Have your parents apply for a PIN as well, since most undergraduate FAFSA applications require a parental signature.
Close the PIN browser window and return to the main FAFSA website. Click the "Start FAFSA" button. You will be taken to a screen asking you to create a password.
Type in your desired password in both fields and then click "Next." You will be taken to an introduction page.
Read any links of interest on the introduction page to clarify questions that you may have about the FAFSA. Once you are done, click "Next." You will be taken to a student demographic page.
Fill out the student demographic page, entering your name, gender, address, residency information, contact information and driver's license if applicable. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a student eligibility page.
Fill out the student eligibility page, entering your citizenship, educational history, educational goals and your parents' education levels. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to another student eligibility page.
Enter your high school information and click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a page that will tell you whether or not you may be eligible for aid. If you are, you will be asked to enter all the schools that you may potentially attend.
Enter the federal school codes for each prospective college, or use the search tool to find them. For each school, use the drop-down list to select your housing plans. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a dependency determination page.
Fill out the dependency determination page, including your birth date, marital status, educational goals and information about any children you may have. Other questions will appear in response to the answers that you provide. This information will be used to determine whether or not you are still considered a dependent of your parents. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a dependency status results page. If you are about to graduate from high school and will be starting on your first year of college, you will more than likely be considered a dependent. This means that, unless there are mitigating circumstances, you will have to enter your parents' information.
Select the "I will provide parental information" option and click "Next" to continue. This will allow you to continue the application. If you feel you are unable to provide parental information, select the "I am unable to provide parental information" option and hit "Next." Selecting this will take you through a different application process. Since there are very few circumstances in which parental information is not required, most college undergraduate students provide this information. Assuming that you are able and required to provide parental information, you will be taken to a parents' demographic page.
Fill out your parents' marital status, e-mail address, state residency history and household information. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a page asking for your parents' tax information.
Use the drop-down box to select the option that best describes your parents' tax situation. Click "Next" when you are done. You will be taken to a page asking you to provide your parents' financial information.
Fill out the required financial information and click "Next." There will be several pages of this. Once you have completed your parents' financial information, you will be taken to a page asking for your own.
Select the option from the drop-down box that best describes your tax situation. Click "Next" when you are done.
Fill out the required financial information and click "Next." There will be several pages of this. Once you have completed your financial information, you will be taken to a page asking you to sign and submit your FAFSA.
Enter the required information, including your PIN and your parents' PIN. If you were not required to provide parental information, no parental PIN need be included. Once you are done, click "Submit My FAFSA Now."
Wait for your school to send you information about the loans and grants you are eligible to receive. They will base their determination on the information you provided in the FAFSA.