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When a student files a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), it creates a “snapshot” of the financial situation of the student’s family as of the date the application was completed. Errors may occur, however, because the student and family filled in the wrong information on the FAFSA. The student must correct this information so it is accurate as of the day the FAFSA was originally signed.
Applicants can make corrections to their FAFSA by:
- using Corrections on the Web (the student may use regardless of the method originally used to file the FAFSA); or
- using a paper Student Aid Report (SAR);
Postsecondary schools can make corrections to a student's FAFSA by:
- submitting changes via FAA Access to Central Processing System (CPS) Online (the school may use regardless of the method originally used to file the FAFSA). The school must have signed documentation from the student and parent (signatures can be on Part 2 of the SAR, a signed copy of the correction or update or a signed verification document). Refer to the Application and Verification Guide of the Federal Student Aid Handbook for signature requirements.
Corrections on the Web
Any student who has a Personal Identification Number (PIN) – regardless of how he or she applied – may correct any data, except the SSN, by using Corrections on the Web and select Make Corrections to a processed FAFSA in Step 3. If dependent students change parental data, a parent must either sign electronically with his or her own PIN or print out and sign a signature page.
Correcting a Paper Student Aid Report (SAR)
Students who received a paper SAR can make corrections or updates on it, sign it and return it to the FAFSA processor at the address given at the end of the SAR. One parent of a dependent student, must also sign the SAR unless the only corrections are to the institution or housing codes, the address or telephone number.
FAA Access to CPS Online
The student’s postsecondary school can make corrections and updates electronically. The school must have signed documentation from the student and/or the parent for the correction(s).
After the changes are processed, the student will receive an E-Mail Notification of SAR Processing, a SAR Acknowledgement or a revised paper SAR acknowledging the correction from the CPS. New in the 2008-09 academic year, the notification sent will be in Spanish if the application or correction record is in Spanish.
School Code and Address Changes
A student can add or delete school codes or change his or her address, e-mail address or telephone number using one of the following three ways:
- by submitting a correction electronically using FAFSA on the Web;
- submitting the corrections on a paper SAR; or
- by contacting the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) by phone (1-800-4-FED-AID).
The number of federal school codes an applicant can include on the 2008-09 paper FAFSA is four. Applicants can change up to four previously identified school codes on their paper SAR. The number of federal school codes that can be entered on FAFSA on the Web was increased to 10 choices. The CPS will send data to each of the school choices listed. When new schools are added, a corresponding number of schools will be removed from the list and will not have automatic access to the student’s information. The Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) was revised to include up to ten school choices.
Contact the School
The student should speak to the postsecondary school’s Financial Aid Office directly if there will be a significant change in the family’s income for the present year or other special circumstances that cannot be reported on the FAFSA or the SAR.
There are situations where the original application information may need to be changed: when errors need to be corrected; when dependency status, household size or the number in college must be updated; and when an aid administrator makes an adjustment based on professional judgement. Refer to the chapter on Corrections, Updates and Adjustments in the Application and Verification Guide of the Federal student Aid Handbook to learn how to make these changes to application information.
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