Common questions where mistakes are made when completing the FAFSA:

The online form requires signatures of the student and the parent (if the student is considered dependent). The following thirteen questions are asked on the FAFSA to determine the student's status as a dependent (requiring parental information) or an independent student. If the student can answer "yes" to at least one question, he/she is considered independent. Some questions have been added or changed.

1. Were you born before January 1, 1986?
2. As of today, are you married? (Answer "Yes" if you are separated but not divorced.)
3. At the beginning of the 2009-2010 school year, will you be working on a master's or doctorate program (such as MA, MBA, MD, JD, PhD, EdD)? *This does not include students in the Post- Baccalaureate Certification program*
4. Are you currently serving on active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces for purposes other than training? (See description below for what qualifies as active duty)
5. Are you a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces? (See description below for what qualifies the student as a veteran)
6. Do you have children who receive more than half of their support from you between July 1, 2009 and June 30, 2010? *In order to answer "yes" to this question, the student must support him/herself 100% and the child more than 50%*
7. Do you have dependents (other than your children or spouse) who live with you and who receive more than half of their support from you, now and through June 30, 2010?
8. When you were age 13 or older, were both of your parents deceased, were you in foster care, or were you a dependent/ward of the court? (See description below for additional definitions)
9. As of today, are you an emancipated minor as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? (See description below for additional definitions)
10. As of today, are you in legal guardianship as determined by a court in your state of legal residence? (See description below for additional definitions)
11. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did your high school or school district homeless liaison determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless? (See description below for additional definitions)
12. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of an emergency shelter program funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless? (See description below for additional definitions)
13. At any time on or after July 1, 2008, did the director of a runaway or homeless youth basic center or transitional living program determine that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or were self-supporting and at risk of being homeless? (See description below for additional definitions)

• Answer "Yes" if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces or are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on active duty for other than state or training purposes.
• Answer "No" if you are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee who is on active duty for state or training purposes.

• Answer "Yes" (you are a veteran) if you
  • have engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces (Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines, or Coast Guard) or are a National Guard or Reserve enlistee who was called to active duty for purposes other than training, or were a cadet or midshipman at one of the service academies, and
  • were released under a condition other than dishonorable.
• Also answer "Yes" if you are not a veteran now but will be one by June 30, 2010.
• Answer "No" (you are not a veteran) if you
  • have never engaged in active duty in the U.S. Armed Forces,
  • are currently an ROTC student or cadet or midshipman at a service academy, or
  • are a National Guard or Reserves enlistee activated only for training.
• Also answer "No" if you are currently serving in the U.S. Armed Forces and will continue to serve through June 30, 2010.

Question 8 (above): Deceased parents, foster care, ward of the court:

• Answer "Yes" if you had no living parent (biological or adoptive) when you were age 13 or older, even if you are now adopted.
• Answer "Yes" if you were in foster care when you were age 13 or older, even if you are no longer in foster care as of today.
• Answer "Yes" if you were a dependent/ward of the court when you were age 13 or older, even if you are no longer a dependent/ward of the court as of today.
  Note that you WILL be required to provide documentation that you were in foster care, a dependent/ward of the court, or that both of your parents are deceased.

Question 9 or 10 (above): Emancipated minor or legal guardianship:

• Answer "Yes" if you can provide a copy of a court's decision that you are an emancipated minor or are in legal guardianship. The court must be located in your state of legal residence. If the court order is no longer in effect, answer "No."
  Note that you WILL be required to provide documentation from the courts to show you are an emancipated minor or in legal guardianship

. Question 11-13 (above): Deceased parents, foster care, ward of the court:

• Answer "Yes" if you received a determination at any time on or after July 1, 2008, that you were an unaccompanied youth who was homeless or, for question 13, at risk of being homeless. 
  • "Homeless" means lacking fixed, regular and adequate housing, which includes living in shelters, motels or cars, or temporarily living with other people because you had nowhere else to go.
  •  "Unaccompanied" means you are not living in the physical custody of your parent or guardian.
  •  "Youth" means you are 21 years of age or younger or you are still enrolled in high school as of the day you sign this application.
• Answer "No" if you are not homeless, at risk of being homeless or if you do not have a determination.
  Note that you WILL be required to provide documentation of the determination if you answer "yes" to one of these questions.

Delays in processing your FAFSA by the Department of Education will occur if you do not respond to all of the questions or obtain the signatures required on the FAFSA (electronic or paper). In order for the Office of Financial Aid to process your financial aid award accurately and efficiently, there are several questions on the FAFSA that will require your attention. Those questions are listed below, along with advice for their responses:

What type of veterans educational benefits will you receive?

1 = Montgomery GI Bill - Active Duty (Chapter 30)
2 = Post -9/11 GI Bill (Chapter 33)
3 = Montgomery GI Bill - Selected Reserve (Chapter 1606)
4 = Reserve Educational Assistance Program (Chapter 1607)
5 = Vocational Rehabilitation and Employment (Chapter 31)
6 = Dependents' Educational Assistance (Chapter 35)
7 = Any other type of veteran education benefits

Your email address
If you provide an email address, the processor will correspond with you electronically. Leave blank to receive information through the U.S. Postal Service.

• Degree or Certificate you will be working on during 2009-2010
  1st Bachelor's Degree
           For students seeking a FIRST bachelor's degree
  2nd Bachelor's Degree
           For students returning seeking a SECOND bachelor's degree (meaning you have already
           earned a first bachelor's degree).
  Associate Degree (occupational or technical program)
  Associate degree (general education)
  Certificate or diploma (occupational, technical, or educational program of less than two years)
  Certificate or diploma (occupational, technical, or educational program of two or more years)
           For students seeking a Post Baccalaureate Certification
  Teaching Credential
  Graduate or professional degree
           For students seeking a Master's Degree
  Other/undecided
  

• Grade Level
  1st year (0 - 29.9 credits earned)
  2nd year (30 - 59.9 credits earned)
  3rd year (60 - 89.9 credits earned)
  4th year (90+ credits earned)
  5th year, Post Baccalaureate Certification, 2nd Degree
            (students seeking Post Baccalaureate Certification)
  Graduate Student (first year)
            (Master's degree students in their first year)
  Graduate student (after first year)
            (Master's degree students who have completed their first year and are continuing)

What types of aid interest you? It is crucial you answer it appropriately.
1 = work-study (earned through working)
2 = student loans
3 = both work-study and student loans
4 = neither
5 = don't know

• If you answer 2, 3, or 5, the Office of Financial Aid will automatically process a loan for you. When you receive your award information, you will have the option to accept or cancel all or a portion of the loan.
• If you answer 1 or 4, and afterwards decide you do want a student loan, you will need to contact our office.
• Answering 1 or 3, does not require to you to obtain a job while you are in school, it is only used to award you money in federal work study if you are eligible. You must earn this money through a paycheck every 2 weeks, like a regular job - it is not deducted from your university bill.

Were you convicted of a drug offense while receiving federal student aid?
Do NOT leave this item blank. Failure to respond = NO Federal Student Aid (including loans).

Student income tax for 2008 / Parents' income tax for 2008
This is the amount of taxes paid, not withheld. Be sure to use the correct line from your tax forms: (1040 - line 57, 1040A - line 35, 1040EZ - line 11)

School Information
You need to list the schools in order of preference.
MU's School Code is 003325
MU's Address is P.O. Box 1002, Millersville, PA 17551

Housing Plans
1 = on-campus/dorm
2 = living with parents
3 = off-campus/apartment (any housing that is not with your parents nor billed by
Millersville University- includes Shenks Hall & Reighard Hall)

Are you eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ?
In general, a person is NOT eligible to file a 1040A or 1040EZ if he or she

• makes $100,000 or more (2008 Form 1040, line 37)
• Itemize deductions (2008 Form 1040, line 40)
• receives income from his or her own business or farm (2008 Form 1040, lines 12 or 18)
• receives alimony (2008 Form 1040, line 11)

Asset information
It is the recommendation of the Millersville University Office of Financial Aid that if you receive a box that indicates you may be eligible to skip information about your assets, that you do NOT skip it. Many times you answer a question incorrectly and it will prompt this box, when we will need your asset information.

• More information regarding assets:
  Net worth means current value minus debt. If net worth is one million dollars or more, enter $999,999. If net worth is negative, enter 0.
• Investments include real estate (do not include the home you live in), trust funds, UGMA and UTMA accounts, money market funds, mutual funds, certificates of deposits, stocks, stock options, bonds, other securities, installment and land sale contracts (including mortgages held), commodities, etc.
• Investments also include qualified educational benefits or education savings accounts such as Coverdell savings accounts, 529 college savings plans and the refund value of 529 prepaid tuition plans. For a student who does not report parental information, the accounts owned by the student (and the student's spouse) are reported as student investments. For a student who must report parental information, the accounts are reported as parental investments, including all accounts owned by the student and all accounts owned by the parents for any member of the household.
• Investments do NOT include the home you live in, the value of life insurance, retirement plans (401[k] plans, pension funds, annuities, non-education IRAs, Keogh plans, etc.) or cash, savings and checking accounts already reported.
• Investment value means the current balance or market value of these investments as of today.
• Investment debt means only those debts that are related to the investments.

Business and/or investment farm value includes the market value of land, buildings, machinery, equipment, inventory, etc. Business and/or investment farm debt means only those debts for which the business or investment farm was used as collateral.

Business value does not include the value of a small business that your (your spouse and/or your parents) owe and control and that has 100 or fewer full-time or full-time equivalent employees.
Investment farm value does not include the value of a family farm that you (your spouse and/or your parents) live on and operate.