Am I eligible to receive any grant from FAFSA?

How to Complete the FAFSA & Receive Pell Grant

• Answer:

  With the growing cost of education, many students must rely on financial assistance to attend college. The federal government provides many grants and loans to help students and their parents pay for college. The most common federal grant is the Pell Grant, which is awarded to low-income undergraduates. This grant money does not have to be repaid. However, students must apply for financial aid by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Difficulty: Moderately Challenging Things You'll Need Social Security number Driver's license number Bank statements Income tax returns Investment records Instructions Go to the FAFSA Web site, where you can submit your application online. Follow the three steps outlined on the first page of the Web site. Gather the documents you will need beforehand, including your Social Security card, bank statements, investment records, income tax returns and your driver's license. You will also need to provide some of this information regarding your parents as well. Fill out the FAFSA application online. A "Help" application is accessible for most fields on each page should you need it. The system evaluates your answers and automatically skips questions that will not apply to you. You may save your application and return to it later. Submit the application electronically after you have completed it. Check the status of your application at least once between one and three weeks after submitting it, which is recommended by Federal Student Aid. Wait for Federal Student Aid to process your application and send your Student Aid Report (SAR) to you. You can view your SAR online when your application has been processed. Your school will use this information to determine your award amount for loans and grants. Keep in contact with your school's financial aid office to learn what financial aid you have been awarded. Your school will determine if you are eligible to receive a Pell Grant based on the information you provided in your SAR. If you are awarded a Pell Grant, the school will either apply it to your outstanding balance or pay the total amount directly to you. Usually, the school will credit the grant to your account and pay you any remaining funds that are left over. Tips & Warnings Tip: According to Federal Student Aid, you should apply as soon as possible after January 1 of each year. Some states and schools have different deadlines, so check with your school to see when its deadline is. Warning: Complete the application correctly. If you discover that you have made a mistake on your FAFSA after you have submitted it, you must wait until after it has been processed to make the correction.