The FAFSA: How to file?

If you’re going to complete the FAFSA online (which we recommend) you should first get a U.S. Department of Education PIN. The PIN will serve as your electronic identification when you submit your form (and when you go to check it later).

To get your PIN, fill out the application at www.pin.ed.gov -- don't worry, it’s pretty painless. Your PIN will be mailed to you in 7-10 days. You can fill out the FAFSA online without a PIN, but you'll have to print out and mail in a signature page, and it will take longer to get results back.