FAQ
What services does ACCESS provide to students?
ACCESS helps Boston students identify and apply for financial aid in order to attain their dream of attending college. ACCESS Advisors provide direct service to students on matters dealing with the financial aid process to help eliminate barriers to higher education. To learn more, consult about ACCESS.
How can I learn more about the financial aid process?
Read about the financial aid process at Apply. If you have any additional questions, contact ACCESS.
What are the components of financial aid?
Financial aid consists of grants and scholarships, which means free money, loans, which means borrowed money, and work-study, which means a school job.
What is the information reported on FAFSA used to determine?
The EFC or Expected Family Contribution--the amount of money a family will be expected to contribute towards a student's education. Colleges will determine how much financial aid you qualify for based on the EFC. The formula for financial aid need is Cost of Attendance minus EFC.
What happens once the FAFSA has been processed?
The student may view the Student Aid Report, or SAR, online. The Student Aid Report provides the opportunity to make corrections to an already processed FAFSA. Carefully review the SAR to make sure that all information being reported is accurate. The SAR also contains your Expected Family Contribution.
FAFSA Basics
What is a PIN?
A PIN is an electronic signature for the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). If students apply online, they must apply for a PIN to be used as the electronic signature. Apply for a PIN at www.pin.ed.gov. Parents must also apply for a PIN to electronically sign their section of the FAFSA. Note that the PIN can also be used to: review and correct answers on your electronic Student Aid Report (SAR), print a copy of your SAR, electronically sign loan promissory notes, and view information about federal student loans and grants you've received, and reapply for student aid every year you are in school.
How can a student apply for a PIN?
Go directly to www.pin.ed.gov or go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and click on the PIN site icon at the top of the home page. Click the link that says "Apply for a PIN." A window will pop-up and prompt you to fill in name, Social Security number, and date of birth along with a street address and email address. You will have the option to create a four digit PIN or have one randomly assigned to you.
The real time PIN that you either create or have assigned will be your permanent PIN once your name and Social Security number is matched by FAFSA processing. If for some reason there is an error matching the name and Social Security number, you will be notified via email, or by postal mail if you did not provide an email address.
How can a parent apply for a PIN?
Go directly to www.pin.ed.gov or go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and click on the PIN site icon at the top of the home page. Click on the link that says "Apply for a PIN". A window will pop-up and prompt you to fill in the parent's name, Social Security number, and date of birth, along with a street address and email address. You will have the option to create a four digit PIN or have one randomly assigned to you.
The real time PIN that you either create or have assigned will be your permanent PIN once your name and Social Security number is matched by FAFSA processing. If for some reason there is an error matching the name and Social Security number, you will be notified via email, or by postal mail if you did not provide an email address.
Can a student begin filling out a FAFSA online without a PIN?
Yes, the student can begin and save the FAFSA until he/she gets a PIN. Or, the student can submit the FAFSA and then choose to go back and sign electronically by clicking on the Electronic Signature link on the FAFSA home page.
What is the simple needs test for the FAFSA?
If a student was eligible to fill out a 1040EZ or 1040A or receive the federal benefits listed, then the simple needs test for the FAFSA eliminates the students, cash, savings and investments sections when calculating the Expected Family Contribution. Note that responding "No" or "I don't know" will result in assets and investments being considered and can affect the EFC.
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FAFSA - Parental Information
What parent information should be used if a student is living with someone other than biological/adopted parents?
The biological/adopted parents information should be used to fill out the FAFSA. If the student has contact with their biological parents then they must make an effort to retrieve information from them. Legal guardians or relatives information is not considered for filling out the FAFSA unless the specific institution the student is planning to attend instructs otherwise. The last resort would be to request a dependency override from each college by explaining the situation through a formal letter and a meeting. At that point, some colleges will accept information from the guardian that has been supporting the student or grant an independency override that will waive the parental information from being needed.
If a student's parents are separated or divorced, whose information should be used?
Parental information should be provided only for the parent who the student has lived with for the past 6-12 months. If the student has been living with both separated/divorced parents for equal amounts of time then the student should use the parent who has provided the most financial support for the year. If the parent is remarried, then the step parents' information will be needed as well. For the most part, if the parent is remarried then tax forms should be filed jointly, so the biological parent and step-parents' information is on the tax form.
If a student's parents were never married and live together, what information should be used on the FAFSA?
Information should be reported for the parent who has provided the most financial support.
If a student is living on his/her own, is parent information necessary for the FAFSA?
In many cases, parent information would be required if the student does not fall under the criteria for being considered "independent." However, students may request that their college financial aid office grant them a Dependency Override. (See info below on the process.)
What makes a student qualify as "independent" for the FAFSA?
The Student must fall into one of the following categories:
- Must be 24 years old
- Have a child that receives more than half of their support from you
- Both parents are deceased or if you were an orphan or ward of the court until age 18
- Married
- Have dependents other than your spouse or children that receives more than half their support from you
- Currently registered in the Armed Services
- Veteran of the Armed Services
If none of the above applies to the student, then he or she is considered dependent and has to provide parent information on the FAFSA.
What is a Dependency Override for the FAFSA?
If a student lives on his/her own, or his/her parents are in another country, then the college's financial aid office may make an exception for them called a Dependency Override. The student must present the documents listed below and explain the situation in detail to the college financial aid counselor in ordered to be considered independent.
Students seeking Dependency Override should gather the following information to try to prove independence:
- Rent receipts in student's name
- Lease agreement
- Phone bill receipts in student's name
- Electric bill receipts
- Any other house bill receipts
- Bank statements that list checks made to house and miscellaneous bills
- A formal, detailed letter from the student explaining and requesting a dependency override
- A third party document, which is a letter from a counselor, clergy, employer, or close friend stating that he or she can vouch that the student supports himself or herself or has no contact with parents or that parents live in another country
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FAFSA - Residency Status
Who is an "eligible noncitizen" for the FAFSA?
Eligible noncitizens fall into two categories: students who have a U.S. permanent resident card (I-551) ("Green Card") or a conditional I-551C (is stamped on their passport with a temp alien registration number) and students who have an Arrival-Departure record I-94 card designated Refugee, Asylum Granted, or Parolee.
What should undocumented students currently obtaining residency do when filling out the FAFSA?
Students who will be obtaining residency within the year should fill out the paper FAFSA and leave information missing. It may be returned and may have to wait until they have the appropriate information.
What additional resources are available for undocumented students?
The following organizations can provide information and advocacy to undocumented students.
- MIRA (Massachusetts Immigrant & Refugee Advocacy Coalition)
- Diana Bell, 617.350.5480 ext. 206
-
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- Greater Boston Legal Services: Immigration Department
- 197 Friend Street, Boston
- Attorneys: Ann Mackin or John Wilshire Carrera, 617.603.1808
- Catholic Charities Clinic, Free Immigration Clinic
- 75 Kneeland Street, Boston
- Wednesday nights from 5-8pm and every 3rd Saturday of the month, 617.451.7979
- EBECC: East Boston Ecumenical Community Council (GOALS Program)
- P.O. Box 450, 50 Meridian Street, Suite B-1, East Boston, 617.567.2750
- www.ebecc.org
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FAFSA - Additional Questions
How many people should a student report on the FAFSA as members of the household?
The Parent Household number should include all children and relatives that the parent financial supports. That includes children who are away at college or who are not be living with them. If a student lives on his/her own and does not live with a parent, but is still using the parental info, then the student should be included in the household number as well.
How should names and Social Security numbers be reported?
The full name stated on the social security card should match what is reported on the FAFSA. Students who enter an incorrect Social Security number will have to complete a new FAFSA with the correct information. If the parents' Social Security number or name is entered incorrectly, it can be corrected on the student aid report (SAR).
What if a student's parents don't have Social Security numbers?
If a student's parent does not have a Social Security number, on the FAFSA report all zeros in the appropriate boxes.
What if a student does not have a Social Security number?
If a student does not have a Social Security number then he/she will not be able to fill out a FAFSA online. The student will need to fill out a PDF form and mail it in.
How should students with dependents report that information on the FAFSA?
Students who have children who receive more than half of their support from them should answer yes to Q51, which asks whether they have dependents. Students who have unborn children that will be born before the end of the award year and will be provided more than 50% support by student should also say yes to Q51. Students should be able to report some sort of taxable or untaxed benefits that prove they support their child to be considered dependent. If the student's parent supports both parties, then the student should provide parental information.
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