Filling out the FAFSA

You should fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to find out if you're eligible for financial assistance. The FAFSA determines eligibility for need-based grants and scholarships, work-study and student-loan programs. Fill out the FAFSA four to six weeks before the start of classes to find out your funding eligibility. The following steps will help you through the process:

1. Get a PIN. Log on to www.pin.ed.gov and select "Apply for a PIN" on the left side of the screen. If you're a dependent student, a parent will also need to apply for a PIN. The PIN is important because it gives you access to your FAFSA online, allows you to electronically sign your FAFSA and to reapply for financial aid each year. Your PIN is confidential, so be sure to keep it in a safe place. 
2. Log on to www.fafsa.ed.gov, select "Filling Out an FAFSA," and make sure you fill out the FAFSA for the academic year of enrollment. Summer sessions are treated as part of the previous academic year. If you've filled out an FAFSA before, select "Renewal FAFSA." Be sure to have your PIN ready, along with federal income-tax information. 
3. When prompted, enter the Queens school code: 002957.
4. Once you've filled out the FAFSA, use your PIN to electronically sign the application. If you're classified as a dependent student, a parent will need to electronically sign, too. 

Once the FAFSA is signed and submitted, allow about two weeks for the U.S. Department of Education to process it and send a report to Queens' Office of Student Financial Services. You'll receive a Student Aid Report (SAR) saying that your FAFSA has been processed. Review the information you reported for accuracy.

What to do if there are problems with your FAFSA:

1. If your FAFSA is rejected, you must use your PIN to access your online FAFSA application, and make the necessary corrections outlined on your SAR.
2. If there is a conflict with your FAFSA -- signified by a "C" in the upper right-hand corner of your SAR -- you must take the steps outlined on your SAR to resolve it. 
3. If you're chosen for verification, Queens' Office of Student Financial Services will ask you to fill out the Federal Verification Worksheet and to furnish a copy of your federal income-tax return. If you're a dependent student, you'll also need to submit a copy of your parents' federal income-tax return. Your financial-aid eligibility can't be determined until Queens receives all of the required paperwork.

If any of these problems with your FAFSA come up, it could take up to an additional two weeks to make corrections and determine your financial-aid eligibility, so please send required documents as soon as possible.

For more information, contact Queens' Office of Student Financial Services at finaid@queens.edu.