How to Apply for Federal Student Aid

I recently applied for federal student aid for college. I'm going to go back to school to take my Master's degree in Creative Writing, but there's no way I can afford to pay upfront the $30,000 it will take. So I searched online to find out how to apply for federal student aid - and, surprisingly, it's really easy. If you want to apply for federal student aid, just follow these simple steps and you too can get a federal student loan.

1. Go to the website, http:///www.pin.ed.gov. Fill in the short application to get your federal PIN number. It took about 24 hours before mine was e-mailed to me, but it's very quick. You can apply for a federal student loan without a PIN number, but it's easier and quicker to apply for one with it.

2. Once you have the PIN number, go to the government website http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/index.htm and click on 'Filling Out a FAFSA'. (Free Application for Student AID). Before you start, you will need:

Your social security number

Your driver's license

Your 2007 W-2 forms

Federal income tax returns

Your parents' federal income tax returns if you're still a dependant

Your 2007 untaxed income returns - (eg: social security or welfare payments)

Your bank statements

Your current business and investment mortgage information

Your alien registration card if you're not a US citizen

The Federal School code for the school you've been accepted to (you can search for this on the FAFSA website).

Once you have all these in hand, you can start to apply for federal student aid.

3. Choose the school year you want to apply for and follow the instructions, completing all the fields necessary.

4. There is one section that asks for your parents' information and income. If you are not filing as a dependant on your parents' income tax, then just leave this section blank. If you are a dependant, this is where you will need your parents' income tax returns, bank statements and business and investment mortgage information.

5. When you have finished completing the application, sign it with your PIN number and click on the 'submit' button to send it off. One word of caution, make sure you check the deadline dates, before you submit your application. If you miss the deadline, your application will simply be declined, so check the calendar carefully.

Once I had submitted my application form, I got notice within three weeks that I had been accepted for federal student aid. From there, it was simple. Now I am signed up to start my Master's degree in the fall and getting the money needed couldn't have been easier. Just remember, getting the money is quite easy, paying it back might be difficult.