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A Step-By-Step Guide to Applying for Federal Financial Aid

By , About.com Guide

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Apply for a FAFSA PIN Number

Each student is assigned a unique PIN number by the Department of Education. This PIN number is required to “sign” your online FAFSA application, as well as to access much of your information.

It takes a minimum of 1-3 days to receive your PIN number once you request it. During this time, your information is verified with the Social Security Administration. If your information does not match up, or if the FAFSA system is overloaded, it may take longer than usual.

It is very important to apply for your PIN number well in advance of when you’ll need to use it. Applying for your PIN number within a couple of days of the financial aid deadline will likely cause you to miss it.

Keep this PIN number safe and private! It’s the same PIN number you will use during your entire college experience.

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