The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Form
The FAFSA form is a standard document used to determine your eligibility for federal and some state aid, including:

• Federal Pell Grant
• Federal SEOG
  (Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant)
• Federal Perkins Loan
• Federal Stafford Loan
• Federal Work-Study
• State Grants

Tips
Federal Loan Applications: Student
Federal Loan Applications: Parent
Supplemental Data Form
When to apply for Financial Aid
Start the loan application process

Tips for filling out the FAFSA 
Follow the instructions carefully. Give yourself time and quiet. Find a place and time to complete the form without interruption. Get organized. Gather your personal and family financial records. Here's a checklist of records you may need:

• Last year's federal tax returns forms 1040/1040A/1040EZ and W2 forms
• If you haven't filed a return yet, try to do that before you apply for financial aid.
• If you can't find last year's return, call Student Financial Services at The Art Institute of Washington and we'll help you get a copy from the IRS.
• It is important to keep a copy of your tax return because you may be asked to provide it to the Student Financial Services Office later.
• Checkbook records
• Savings account and investment statements
• Installment and mortgage loan payment books
• Information relating to income including wages, dividends, Social Security benefits, welfare payments, alimony or child support, Veterans Administration benefits, and disability benefits.

All information provided to the school will, of course, be kept confidential. The Art Institute of Washington is in compliance with the provisions of the Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1974. This law regulates the release of any personal information.

Involve other family members who must provide information. Your parent(s) will need to complete the parent section of the form if you are classified as a "dependent" student for federal financial aid purposes. Remember to sign the form ; If you apply through FAFSA on the Web, be sure to get a PIN so that you can e-sign. A parent must also sign if they contributed information to the form.

If you need assistance with the form, feel free to call our Student Financial Services Office at 877-303-3771.

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Federal Loan Applications: Student
To apply for a Federal Stafford Loan (student loan), you may use the form provided by the Student Financial Services Office. Read the Promissory Note before you sign it. It is a legal document requiring you to pay back the money you borrow. Be sure to answer all of the questions on the application carefully, and accurately, and completely. These are the grade level maximums. You can receive up to these amounts:

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Federal Loan Applications: Parent 
An eligible parent qualifies for Federal PLUS (parent loan for undergraduate students) loans while their dependent son or daughter attends school. To apply for a PLUS Loan, one of your parents must complete the application and pass a credit check. The parent borrower may use the application provided by the Student Financial Services Office. We suggest that your parent wait to apply for this loan until you receive your Student Financial Plan, which will show the recommended amount to be borrowed. The maximum amount that a parent can borrow is the cost of education minus any aid that the student is receiving.

Supplemental Data Form
In addition to the loan application; students who apply for a loan will need to complete a Supplemental Data Form. This form is available through the Student Financial Services offices.

When to apply for financial aid
As soon as you enroll at The Art Institute of Washington, you should apply for financial aid. Appropriate application forms are available in the school's enrollment packet - the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), applications for the Federal Stafford Student Loan and Federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) with a list of preferred lenders, and The Art Institute of Washington Merit Award application. If you are enrolled before the forms are available for the year in which you will be starting school, and you need to know as soon as possible what your financial aid amounts might be, we can provide you with an "Estimator" form. These forms are available from the Student Financial Services Office.

Continuing students should apply as soon as possible after the new year's FAFSA is distributed. Deadline dates will be provided each year.