FAFSA Process
How do I complete the FAFSA Process?
- File online at http://www.fafsa.ed.gov (a U.S. Department of Education website).
- To complete the FAFSA, you will need information and documents such as your Social Security Number, recent bank statements and your parents’ and your own federal income tax returns and W-2 forms.
- When requested, visit www.pin.ed.gov for PIN numbers for you and one parent (if you are a dependent). Your PIN is your electronic signature on the FAFSA.
- When asked for a school code, enter BJU’s school code — 003421. This number will ensure that BJU gets an electronic copy of your FAFSA results — the information necessary to award you financial aid.
- When you are finished with the application, you and your parents need to sign it electronically with your PINs and submit it.
What is the FAFSA?
FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Essentially, it’s the U.S. Department of Education’s way of qualifying which students are eligible for financial aid. We also use it to qualify students for aid from BJU.
How does the FAFSA work?
You provide financial information which determines your Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Your EFC represents how much money the government believes your family should be able to put toward your college expenses. As soon as you submit the FAFSA, you will receive an EFC number on the confirmation page.
If your EFC is fairly low, the government will know that you can use some extra financial help. They may award you a Pell Grant (which is money toward college that you don’t have to repay); and if you meet certain academic criteria, you may also be considered for other grants, such as the ACG (Academic Competitiveness Grant) or a SMART (Science and Mathematics Access to Retain Talent) grant.
You may also have the option to take out special student loans (such as the Stafford loan), which have lower interest rates than bank loans.
