Who should apply?
Any student interested in being considered for loans, grants, scholarships, and work-study.
What are you going to complete?
Begin by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for federal and state aid consideration. Students interested in scholarships should be aware of possible separate scholarship applications.
When should you apply?
December 1 is the recommended filing date of FAFSAs for incoming freshmen. Returning students should submit their Renewal FAFSAs by April 15 of the preceding enrollment year for the maximum consideration of student aid programs. Submitting the FAFSA by the recommended date ensures that Pennsylvania-resident students meet the PHEAA state grant deadline of May 1.
Where should you apply?
Students submit the FAFSA to the Department of Education either via the web or by sending the FAFSA in the envelope provided with the paper application. The Department of Education processes the complete application and sends a copy of the information to the following: the schools the student lists on the FAFSA, the state grant agency of the student’s home residency state, and the student in the form of the Student Aid Report (SAR.) PENN STATE’S FEDERAL SCHOOL CODE is 003329.
Why should you apply?
Students must complete the FAFSA every year in order to be considered for student aid eligibility.
How should you apply?
Submit the FAFSA electronically studentaid.gov for the following reasons:
- Your FAFSA on the Web application will process faster than the paper application
- FAFSA on the Web is less error-prone than the paper application
- Students will only be asked questions that pertain to them, thus making filing the FAFSA on the Web easier than filing the paper application
- The FAFSA on the web site is secure
- Students can receive a confirmation right away that notifies them that their application has been received via FAFSA on the Web
Students who are in need of a paper FAFSA may obtain one from their high school guidance office, their public library, or from any Penn State location.