| PublicationDate: 7/1/97 Summary: FASFA, Live on the WEB Author: OPE - Office of the Assistant Secretary for OPE The U. S. Department of Education (ED) is pleased to announce that FAFSA on the Web is live. FAFSA on the WEB is an interactive application that students can use to apply for Federal student aid over the Internet. FAFSA on the Web is easy to use and makes applying for student aid faster. FAFSA on the Web was designed with the student in mind. It has a user-friendly interface, extensive on-line instructions, and a search engine for selecting institutional Title IV Codes. It will also edit student information as it is entered, ensuring better data quality and reduced rejection rates. FAFSA on the Web doesn't require that you or your students install any application software or configure a modem to transmit information to the Central Processing System (CPS). Instead, FAFSA on the Web runs under Netscape Navigator 3.0 or 3.01, a browser that many users already have installed on their PC, MacIntosh, or UNIX computers. Using the domestic (128-bit encryption) version of Netscape Navigator, students using FAFSA on the Web can surf their way to our web site at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov where they can enter their FAFSA information online and transmit that information directly to the Central Processing System (CPS) over the Internet. FAFSA on the Web is convenient for students to use because they can apply for financial aid from the privacy of their home or dorm room. In an institutional setting, FAFSA on the Web can accommodate an unlimited number of users, allowing students to apply from the financial aid office, library, computer lab or Guidance Office. Although FAFSA on the Web offers an alternative to the paper application, students will need to sign and submit an original signature to fully complete the application process. We strongly recommend that students have access to a printer in order to expedite the application process. If the student has a printer available, the software will print a copy of the applicant data and the signature page. We will then hold that student's record for 14 days while we wait for the signature page to arrive. If the student does not send in a valid signature page within 14 days, the CPS will print a SAR and request that the student (and parent, if dependent) sign it and return it to the FAFSA processor. If the applicant does not have access to a printer at the time of transmission, the CPS will immediately send a Student Aid Report (SAR) to the student requesting the appropriate signatures. Once all appropriate signatures are sent to the FAFSA processor, the CPS can calculate the student's Expected Family Contribution (EFC). ED will provide assistance to FAFSA on the Web users through a customer service 800 number. By calling 1-800-801-0576, users will be able to: - Check the status of their FAFSA on the Web application - Receive assistance with hardware, software, and transmission. We are excited about this new way to apply electronically for Federal student aid and hope that you and your students will benefit by this premiere product. |