Request student and parent PIN from the U.S. Department of Education's FAFSA web site at www.fafsa.ed.gov.

Complete the FAFSA online.

Sign the FAFSA online using PIN; or sign and mail hard copy of the signature page. Student and parent signatures are required.

After processing your application for financial aid, the U.S. Department of Education sends back a Student Aid Report (SAR). Review the SAR to verify that the information contained in it is correct.

If your SAR needs to be corrected: Return to www.fafsa.ed.gov web site to make corrections. Or, make the corrections yourself, and mail the corrected SAR to the U.S. Department of Education. Make sure student and parent signs the SAR before mailing it to the school.

Verification - You may be selected for verification by the U.S. Department of Education or by one of the schools you have selected. If so: Complete the verification worksheet. Attach copies of the student's tax return and W2 forms and/or parent's tax return and W2 forms. Follow the verification worksheet instructions for returning the documentation.

Get financial aid packages and Award letter from your school. Each school listed on your FAFSA sends an award letter or financial aid package detailing the student's eligibility for grants, scholarships, work study, Federal Stafford Loan (subsidized or unsubsidized), and/or Federal Parent Loan.

Read the package carefully and if requested, formally accept or deny the award, by signing and returning the letter.

If your financial situation has changed since the FAFSA was submitted, (for instance, a parent was employed when the form was completed but is now unemployed), contact the school financial aid office to see if the award can be adjusted based on this new information. In some cases, the financial aid office may be able to reconsider their award offer if you have extenuating circumstances (Paperwork required).

Complete the Institutional Application for Financial Aid (if required) and return it to the school financial aid office by the deadline date. Check the deadline dates for your institution's scholarships and other aid.

Check to see if your school requires that promissory notes be returned to the financial aid office.

For Federal Stafford Loan and Federal Parent Loan (PLUS): complete the Master Promissory Note (MPN) and return the application(s) to the First United Bank Student Loan Center (or to your school financial aid office, if required).

Check on application status online.

First time borrowers must complete entrance loan counseling.

Many schools allow this to be completed online at www.mapping-your-future.org. Be sure to print the confirmation page as proof that you completed the entrance loan counseling requirement. (Check to see if the school you plan to attend accepts this method).

Loan funds will generally be sent to the school in at least two payments.

Your school will either pay you directly or credit your student account (or a combination of the two).

If you are a first-time borrower, you will need to complete entrance counseling before receiving your first disbursement. You should contact the school you are planning to attend for a schedule of counseling times or you may complete the online counseling.

The first disbursement for a first-time borrower cannot be delivered to you until 30 days after the first day of class (you will need to make payment arrangements with the school of your choice in the meantime).