Office of Student Aid : Applying for Student Aid 2008-09 : 4-Step Application Process : Complete the FAFSA

Step 1: Complete the FAFSA on the Web

Before you complete your FAFSA on the Web, you should request a Federal Student Aid PIN (Personal Identification Number) from the U.S. Department of Education's PIN Registration Web site. The same PIN can be used each year to sign the FAFSA electronically and access your U.S. Department of Education records online. You will not receive your PIN the same day you apply for it. If you are required to include parent information on the FAFSA, your parent will also need to request his/her own PIN.

You will find the 2008-09 FAFSA on the Web after January 1 at the Department of Education's secure Web site. Read and follow the instructions carefully, and be prepared to provide the following information:

• Your Social Security number and driver's license number (if you have one)
• Your parent's Social Security numbers and dates of birth (if applicable)
• Your alien registration number (if you are an eligible non citizen)
• Individual student information (marital status, veteran status, etc.)
• 2007 taxable and nontaxable income information (e.g., adjusted gross income, earnings, income tax paid, Social Security benefits, etc.) for you and your parents/spouse (if applicable)

We encourage new first-year, transfer, and graduate students to submit the FAFSA by February 15 to receive maximum consideration for student financial aid. Next year, and in subsequent years, we will recommend that you submit the FAFSA by April 15. If necessary, you may use estimated tax information to complete the FAFSA by the recommended date; the Office of Student Aid may contact you at a later date to request documentation that will help us verify that information. If you are a Pennsylvania resident and want to be considered for the Pennsylvania State Grant, you must submit your FAFSA no later than May 1. If you are a resident of another state, please verify the deadline with your state grant agency on the FAFSA Web site.

To apply for student financial aid at Penn State, you must meet certain eligibility requirements.

Before You Begin
We encourage you to review our Tips for Completing the 2008-09 FAFSA and the following links on the FAFSA Web site:

Before Beginning a FAFSA Overview
Filling Out a FAFSA Overview
FAFSA Follow-up Overview

Penn State's federal school code is 003329 for all campuses and programs except Penn State College of Medicine (G06813) and The Dickinson School of Law (G03254). Please use this code where requested on the FAFSA to ensure that your application reaches Penn State.

Review the information you have entered on the FAFSA and make sure everything is correct before you press the Submit button. Print a copy of your FAFSA information page and keep it with your tax information and student-aid-related letters or statements you receive.