Learning About the Pell Grant Application
One of the first things that most students wonder about when they first want to apply for a Pell Grant, is how they can do just that. They wonder about the Pell Grant application they need to fill out, and where to obtain a copy. Most students then rejoice when they find out that the only application they need to fill out to become eligible to receive the Pell Grant is the very same application that they needed to fill out to become eligible for virtually all forms of federal student aid. This is the government’s universal application for federal aid, and is more commonly referred to as the FAFSA.
The FAFSA, or free application for student aid, is the only Pell Grant application that you must pay attention to if you want to apply for the Pell Grant, and by filling one out you will automatically put yourself into contention for at least some Pell Grant funding. Filling out a FAFSA is actually very simple, and you have the option of either filling one out online, or by hand via its written form. It is highly recommended that you fill one out online as this can make the entire process much faster and easier, although it is up to you. If you do decide to fill out the written form of the FAFSA, you can obtain a copy from your school’s financial aid office, by calling this number 1-800-4-fed-aid, or by requesting one online at the Department of Education’s official website, fafsa.ed.gov.
If you decide to apply online you can go to the same website to apply, and when you are ready to do so it is important to note that you will need a PIN before you are able to submit your application. Your PIN is essentially a number that can allow you to electronically sign your FAFSA, and without it you won’t be able to complete the entire process online. Getting your PIN is easy, and you simply need to go to fafsa.ed.gov, and follow the appropriate steps to obtain it. Once you have your PIN you should be ready to fill out your FAFSA, and before you start doing so it is important to note that you should have certain pieces of information by your side before you jump right in.
The most vital pieces of information you should have by your side before you begin filling out your FAFSA include the following:
-Federal tax returns from the previous year, and W-2 forms
-Current driver’s license
-Social security number
-Parents’ tax documents if considered a dependent
-Spouse’s tax documents if married
-Current untaxed income statements from previous year
-All investment records and related statements
-Current bank statements
-If not a U.S. citizen—alien registration card, or permanent resident card
-If you own a home—the appropriate mortgage information and records
-If you own a business or farm—the appropriate business and farm records
By having this information by your side you should be able to breeze through the FAFSA with no sweat. The entire process shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours, and when you’re finished you need to make sure to review your SAR, or Student Aid Report for errors. The SAR lists all of the pertinent information that you provided while filling out your FAFSA, and it also contains what your EFC is, and your status when it comes to your eligibility for the Pell Grant. It is generated upon completion of your FAFSA, and if you go over it and don’t see any errors then you are pretty much done filling out your FAFSA. By submitting a FAFSA you have made yourself eligible for all of the best federal aid that is currently in existence, including the Pell Grant, and now all you have to do is wait until your school returns to you an award letter at some point during the springtime.
