 TITLE: Can I Apply for FAFSA With Bad Credit? CONTENT: How to Apply for the FAFSA\n--------------------------\nThe FAFSA is available online starting October 1 for the following school year. It's free, though you must complete it for each year you're in school. While you'll usually have until early summer to complete the application, it's best to do so as soon as possible to have the best chance of getting more student aid.\nWhen you fill out the FAFSA, you'll be asked to submit a significant amount of information, such as:\n*   Your Social Security number (and if you're a dependent student, your parents' Social Security numbers)\n*   Your driver's license number if you have one\n*   Tax return information (for both yourself and your parents if you're a dependent)\n*   The amount you and your parents have in savings\n*   The list of schools you're applying to or have been accepted to\nThis information helps the government estimate how much your education will likely cost, how much your family can contribute and how much financial aid you'll probably need.\nThere are a few common FAFSA mistakes you should make sure to avoid:\n*   **Submitting the form late**: Financial aid is often limited, and if you submit your FAFSA at the last minute or even past the deadline, you may miss out on certain aid options. Some forms of aid, such as university grants, are especially limited and doled out on a first-come, first-served basis. If you complete the FAFSA as soon as possible, you may be more likely to access these opportunities.\n*   **Assuming you're not eligible**: You may assume if you don't get financial aid one year, you won't get any the following year. Always apply for FAFSA, even if you didn't receive aid the prior year, since it doesn't rule out you receiving it in the future. If your family's income has changed, you may be newly eligible for certain aid, or there may be different aid options in one year versus another. Also, you have to submit the FAFSA to be eligible for federal student loans, which may be your best funding option if you have bad credit.\n*   **Thinking your family makes too much money**: You may be surprised at what income level can still be considered as having need. In addition, some schools offer financial aid that isn't need-based, and you can apply for student loans even without demonstrating financial need. There's no downside to filling out the FAFSA, especially since it's free and there's no credit check. END