Maintained for Historical Purposes

This resource is being maintained for historical purposes only and is not currently applicable.

Submitting an Initial Application

AwardYear: 1998-1999
Edition: PostSecondary
Part: 2 - - The Application Process
SectionNumber:
SectionTitle: Submitting an Initial Application

PageNumbers: 14-15

Submitting an Initial Application

A student must complete the FAFSA accurately. The CPS must receive a student's electronic FAFSA transmission by June 30, 1999. A paper FAFSA must be legible and mailed to the address specified in the FAFSA in time for the CPS to receive it by this deadline. (See page 29 for a complete list of deadlines.) There are no exceptions to any Department deadlines. An electronic application record received before January 1, 1998 or after June 30, 1999 will not be processed. An application signed before January 1, 1998 or received after June 30, 1999 will be returned unprocessed with a letter of explanation.

States and schools often set earlier deadlines for awarding aid from some programs, including the campus-based programs (Federal Perkins Loans, FSEOGs, and FWS). Students must also keep in mind that eligibility does not continue year to year and that a FAFSA or Renewal FAFSA must be filed each year.

A student completing the FAFSA should read the instructions carefully. This advice cannot be overemphasized; most errors are caused by students making assumptions about what information is being requested. Oversights and careless errors on the application, such as providing incorrect SSNs, also cause processing delays. Such delays may cause otherwise eligible students to miss the deadline to qualify for aid.

It is important for a student to save all records and other materials used in completing the FAFSA (including photocopies of the completed FAFSA) because he or she may need them later if either the Department or the school select him or her for a process called verification. Verification is the process by which students must document what was reported on the FAFSA (see pages 20-21). Most verification requires the student to submit a copy of his or her signed federal tax return and a copy of his or her parents' or spouse's signed federal tax return (if applicable).