If you haven’t filled out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, now’s the time. March 1 is the deadline to be eligible for the ISU grants and work study program, but applications are accepted past that date.  

When completing the 2015-2016 FAFSA form, according to the ISU FAFSA help page, a student must know his or her:

• student’s social security number
• parent(s) social security number
• student’s driver’s license
• student alien registration or permanent resident card if the student is not a U.S. citizen
• 2014 wage and income information, including: W-2’s, other income statements and/or federal IRS tax returns: 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ

If your taxes aren’t filed by March 1st, the FAFSA will allow estimated income information to be entered initially the Student/Parent tax filing status and final tax values can be updated at a later date, through the process of a FAFSA correction, once taxes have been filed.

• current bank statements
• current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records

Avoid common mistakes: 

• make sure you enter your social security number correctly
• if your parents are filling out the FAFSA for you, make sure they know that when the form says “you” it means you the student
• if you have a sibling attending the same university, make sure your information isn’t mixed up with their information

Click here to find a seven-step video on how to make filling out the FAFSA easier.