Content Areas

To earn this credential, you will need to know about the application process for federal financial aid. This will help you demonstrate the ability to help students and families through the application process, regardless of the type of higher education institution or educational program for which the student wishes to be considered.

The range of topics in this test include:

• The Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA^®)
• Application Process
• Processing FAFSA^® Data and Application Output
• Changing Applicant Data

Tests may include questions pertaining to a variety of program structures, such as credit- or clock-hour, term or nonterm, standard or nonstandard term, undergraduate or graduate/professional programs, and programs of various length (shorter than one year, two-year, four-year, certificate, etc.).

Sample Test Questions

All tests will include a combination of multiple-choice and scenario-based questions. Some questions may involve viewing or downloading worksheets, charts, and tables. Please ensure you have a calculator available while taking a credential test.

Review the following examples, which are similar in structure and scope to the questions that will appear on the test for this topic. Check your answers by selecting the question's link.

1. The FAFSA is used to

• calculate the SAI based on income, net worth of investments, and consumer debt.
• determine a student's eligibility for federal student aid and student loan forgiveness.
• verify a student's eligibility through database matches, and calculate the SAI.
• compute the COA at each school listed by the student.

2. When completing the FAFSA, a student whose divorced or legally separated parents are not living together must provide income and asset information for

• the parent (and current spouse, if remarried) who claimed the student as a dependent according to the IRS rules for qualifying children.
• both parents (and their current spouse, if remarried) if the student received equal financial support during the prior 12 months.
• the parent (and current spouse, if remarried) who provided more financial support during the prior 12 months.
• neither parent if the student has not lived with either parent (and current spouse, if remarried) during the prior 12 months.

3.  A student's claim of U.S. citizenship is verified by a match with the __________ database.

• Social Security Administration
• Department of Homeland Security
• Immigration and Customs Enforcement Agency
• Department of Justice

4. Which one of the following dates is considered the date the institution receives the ISIR?

• The date the FPS receives the ISIR transaction
• The date the FPS processes the ISIR transaction
• The date the ISIR transaction is sent to the school's SAIG mailbox
• The date the school loads the ISIR transaction into the school's system

Recommended Resources

Prepare for this test by reviewing related content in resources such as:

• Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (view U.S Code Title 20, Chapter 28)
• Federal regulations (view NASFAA's Compiled Title IV Regulations)
• U.S. Department of Education guidance
  • Dear Colleague Letters
  • Electronic Announcements
  • Federal Student Aid Handbook
  • Search for "FAFSA Specifications Guide" in the FSA Knowledge Center
  • Studentaid.gov Resources
  • Federal Student Aid Estimator
• Student Aid Reference Desk

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