- 1). Collect your personal and family financial information. You will need your Social Security number, driver's license, most recent federal tax returns for yourself and your parents, W-2s, current bank statements and any information about untaxed income or investment income for your family. If you are not a U.S. citizen, you will need your permanent resident card or alien registration.
- 2). Visit the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) website. Download a copy of the FAFSA on the Web worksheet. Complete this worksheet. It will help you make sure that you have all of your information ready.
- 3). Clear your browser's cache to protect your personal information. The FAFSA website has information on how to do this for different browsers.
- 4). Open the application and fill it in completely.
- 5). Apply for a PIN number if you do not already have one. This will allow you to sign your FAFSA application electronically, which will make the application process go much faster.
- 6). Use your PIN to sign the FAFSA and submit it. This will let you apply for the Pell grant. There is a summer deadline each year that you must meet when submitting the application, so check the FAFSA website for this date.
- 7). Wait for your Student Aid Report (SAR). If you are qualified for a Pell grant, you will be notified in this report. You will also be given instructions as to how to claim your money.
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