 "Photo: File")
Once again, it’s time for students to begin filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the upcoming summer, fall, and spring semesters. Here are some things students should keep in mind when filling out their FAFSA.
The FAFSA is a form that students need to renew annually in order to apply for financial aid. According to financial aid student worker Andrianna Collins-Brockman, it is important for students to fill out the FAFSA in order to apply for grants, loans, work study, and sometimes various scholarships.
However, students cannot apply for the Hope Scholarship through the FAFSA. In order to qualify for Hope, students need to fill out either a Hope Inquiry Form that can be found at the Financial Aid office or the GSFAPPS application accessed at http://www.gacollege411.org/.
Students need to have several documents at the ready when filling out the FAFSA. First, students will need to have records of income earned in the year prior. If a student is classified as “dependant,” they will also need records of their parents’ income.
Students will also need to know their financial information from the previous year. This includes referring to items including their social security number, driver’s license, W-2 forms and other records of money earned, Federal Income Tax Return, and un-taxed income records, including veteran benefits, child support or worker’s compensation.
Current financial information is also requested including current bank statements, business, investment and mortgage and farm, stock or bond records.
Students will also be required to answer spousal information if they are married, and will be asked to provide a permanent resident card if they are not a US citizen.
Students are also classified into two categories: “dependent” or “independent.” The FAFSA has a list of requirements to help determine between the two.
There is a common misconception most students have about whether they are considered dependent or independent.
“Most people think that if they don’t live with their parents and they don’t support them financially, then they’re considered an independent student, but that’s not true,” said Collins-Brockman.
According to the FAFSA, “independent” students must meet any of the following requirements including having a birthday before Jan. 1, 1987; served on active duty in the US Armed Forces; veteran of the US Armed Forces; married; parents have been deceased since the age of 13; dependent or ward of the court since the age of 13; lived in foster care since the age of 13; was or is currently an emancipated minor; currently or was in legal guardianship; homeless or at risk of being homeless; will be working on a master’s or doctorate program; has children and provide more than half of the support; or has dependents (other than children or spouse) that live in the same house and the student provides more than half of their support.
Students who are classified as “independent” do not to have report on their parents’ financial information.
The FAFSA should always be completed as soon as possible. It is available every year in January and must be competed by April 1st for summer registration and by July 1st for fall.
After filling out the FAFSA, there may be some extra documents that the Financial Aid office will need students to fill out in order to verify any information that has been submitted.
The FAFSA can be found at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm.
For information about the FAFSA or for further financial information, visit the Financial Aid office located at Aycock Hall, or visit http://www.westga.edu/financialAid/index.php/.
Be the first to comment on this article!