PIN (personal identification number)

• A PIN is a 4 digit numeric code used to electronically sign the FAFSA.
• Students and one parent of dependent students need to register for a PIN.
• Individual PIN's remain the same throughout a person's lifetime.
• To apply for a PIN, visit www.pin.ed.gov
• If you have forgotten you pin, you may request a duplicate one at the above link.

Identify Yourself

• Use complete legal name as it appears on Social Security Card.
• Read questions carefully. The words "you" and "your" always refer to student under the student section.
• Veterans must have served on active duty a minimum of 180 days and be discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. If service was for training purposes only, do not answer "yes" to the veteran question.

Number in College

• Students may not count their parents in the number in college, only siblings.
• Parents can count each other plus their children.
• Dual credit students cannot be counted by siblings or parents, although dual credit students can count siblings that have graduated from high school.

Parents and the FAFSA

• If a student's parents have been divorced or separated, the parent with whom you lived with the most during the past 12 months, lived with last if it has been longer than 12 months is the parent responsible for filling out the FAFSA.
• If the responsible parent has remarried, the current spouse must report income and assets on the FAFSA as well.
• If a student answers "no" to all the dependency questions, parent's information is required, even if parents are no longer supporting student.

Dependents

• A dependent is a person for whom you alone provide and will continue to provide more than half of their support.
• If a student has an unborn child due before or during the award year (July 1 - June 30) and will be considered a dependent, the unborn child should be counted as a member of the household.

 What Counts as Income?

• Retirement plan contributions.
• Child support received.
• Military food and housing allowances.