FAFSA on the Web - U.S. Department of Education

What is a FAFSA transaction?
Each time a FAFSA or a correction to a FAFSA is processed, a transaction number is created. For example, the initial FAFSA is processed, creating Transaction 01. A correction to your Student Aid Report (SAR) is processed, creating Transaction 02. Another correction to your SAR is processed, creating Transaction 03.

Each time that a new transaction is created, we will send you a new SAR. All schools listed on the SAR will also receive updated information electronically.

If you received a paper Student Aid Report (SAR) which we mailed to you, your transaction number is located in the lower right corner on each page of your SAR, right after the Social Security Number and the first two letters of the last name. However, if you printed your SAR from this web site, your transaction number is located in the upper right hand corner of the SAR, right after the Social Security Number and the first two letters of the last name.

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What is a PIN?
A PIN is a 4-digit numeric code or a 6-digit alpha code that you need to:

Sign your FAFSA, Renewal FAFSA or FAFSA Corrections on the Web electronically (no paper signature page required).
View the status and/or results of your FAFSA, Renewal FAFSA or FAFSA Corrections on the Web over the Internet.
Access the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS) Web site (www.nslds.ed.gov) and view information about loans and other federal student aid you may have received
Access the Direct Loan Servicing Web site (www.dl.ed.gov) and view information about Direct Loans you may have received.
The Direct Loan Consolidation Web site (www.loanconsolidation.ed.gov) to track the processing status of your online Consolidation Loan application.
You may also E-sign the Master Promissory Note for your Federal Direct Loan (dlenote.ed.gov). To E-sign a Master Promissory Note for a Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), contact your school's Financial Aid Office or lender for assistance.

Your PIN is similar to the PIN you use to access your bank account. To protect the privacy of the information you are submitting, you must keep your PIN secret. If you do not have a PIN, have lost or forgotten your PIN, or if you think someone else knows your PIN, you can request a new one at www.pin.ed.gov.

If you are a dependent, one of the student’s parents should have his/her own PIN to electronically sign the student's FAFSA and any correction the student may need to make. If your parents have more than one child in school, they only need one PIN for all of the students.

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What is a Data Release Number (DRN)?
Your Data Release Number (DRN) is a four-digit number assigned to your application by the U.S. Department of Education. It will be printed on the lower left hand corner of your Student Aid Report (SAR).

If you want to receive or change your FAFSA answers you must have your DRN in order to do so.

Do not give out your DRN to anyone unless you have agreed to give them access to your FAFSA information.

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What is my Expected Family Contribution (EFC)?
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) measures your family's financial strength, and is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid during one school year. You receive an EFC based on the processing results of your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

For more information, see the financial aid administrator at your school or see The Student Guide at studentaid.ed.gov/students/publications/student_guide/index.html or call the Federal Student Aid Information Center to request a free copy of the Student Guide. Please refer to the Customer Service page for contact and assistance information by selecting this link.

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What is a signature page?
The signature page is a document generated by FAFSA on the Web, Renewal FAFSA on the Web, or FAFSA Corrections on the Web. It is personalized by containing your Student ID and address. Your Student ID is made of the type of application you completed, your Social Security Number, and the first two letters of your last name.

If you choose not to sign your FAFSA electronically, then you (and at least one parent if you are a dependent student) can sign a paper signature page. For Renewal FAFSA on the Web and FAFSA Corrections on the Web, a signature page from the parent of dependent students is necessary only if parental data is provided or altered.

Once you sign the document, mail it to the U.S. Department of Education address printed on the page. By signing, you agree, if asked, to provide information that verifies the accuracy of your completed FAFSA. This information may include a copy of your U.S. or state income tax form.

By signing the signature page, you also agree that you:

will use federal student financial aid only to pay the cost of attending an school of higher education,
are not in default on a federal student loan or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay it,
do not owe money back on a federal student grant or have made satisfactory arrangements to repay it,
will notify your school if you default on a federal student loan,
you and your parent(s) understand that the Secretary of Education has the authority to verify income reported on this application with the Internal Revenue Service and other federal agencies, and
will not receive a Federal Pell Grant for more than one school for the same period of time.

If you purposely give false or misleading information, you may be fined $20,000, sent to prison, or both.

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What is a Student Aid Report (SAR)?
A Student Aid Report (SAR) is a document you will receive after your FAFSA is processed. Your SAR will list all of the answers you provided on your FAFSA. You should review these answers carefully to make sure they are correct. If you need to make any changes, you can do so on the SAR and mail it back to the address provided, or you can go to www.fafsa.ed.gov and select "Make Corrections to a Processed FAFSA" from the FAFSA Follow-up section.

Your SAR will also contain your EFC (Expected Family Contribution), which measures your family's financial strength, and is used to determine your eligibility for federal student aid during one school year. Your school will use this number to decide how much financial aid you are eligible to receive based on your school's cost of attendance.

If you did not provide electronic signatures or paper signature pages with your FAFSA, you must sign the SAR and mail it back to the address provided for final processing.

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