Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) online or on paper through the mail. This document requires financial information for the student, along with parents until the student is married or turns 24. The application is what federal processors use to determine EFC and grant eligibility.
Submit any corrections needed once the Student Aid Report (SAR) is received. The SAR is sent by the government let the student and parents ensure all information is accurate. This could include errors with a Social Security Number, amended tax or income information, issues with selective service registration or other matters within the data that may have been flagged for editing.
Contact the financial aid office the school of admission. Determine if anything else is needed in the application process. Each school's procedures are a little different and could include an additional school-specific application. Approximately 30% of applicants are selected by Federal Processors for a process called verification. This mandates that the financial aid officer get copies of the actual documents, including tax returns, photo identification and other income information used to complete the FAFSA. Any inconsistencies in the data will be corrected before the awarding process.
Review the award notification upon receipt. The award letter informs the student of eligibility for grants and the amount of assistance. Accepting these awards and any other types of aid offered will signify planned attendance to that institution. This is done either by mail or electronically, according to the instructions described in the notice.