How to Avoid Common Errors

Below are suggestions for avoiding common errors made by students when filling out the FAFSA. Errors can delay processing your forms, which could delay receipt of financial aid.

• COMPLETE EVERYTHING. DO NOT LEAVE ANY LINE BLANK. Instructions listed on the FAFSA pertain to students enrolled at Yale School of Medicine.
• Be sure you have a Social Security number. No FAFSA will be processed if you don’t have one.
  
• Be sure to provide all income, earnings, benefits and asset information.
• Yale University - FAFSA code of 001426.
• For more FAFSA tips & common errors visit here: https://www.nasfaa.org/fafsa_tips

MD students applying for Yale Scholarship and/or Yale Loans or Title VII funds* are required to complete a CSS Profile and provide parental financial information.

*Title VII funds are PCL, Loans for Disadvantaged Students and Scholarship for Disadvantaged Students

• You can complete the CSS Profile online and file it electronically by going to https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/
• Make sure to read the instructions carefully and be sure to complete the whole application, leaving nothing blank.
• Don’t forget to complete both the parents' and the student's portion of the CSS Profile if you are applying for university funds (e.g., Yale Scholarship, Yale Loans) and/or Title VII funds (Loans for Disadvantaged Students and Primary Care Loans). Students will not be eligible for Yale scholarship, PCL or LDS and/or Yale Loans if parental information is missing, therefore, the student and both parents must complete every question.
• If your parents are separated, you must provide parental information for both parents. The CSS Profile has added a feature to make this easier. Both parents may input data onto the application. Security has been provided to allow for privacy. Each parent must complete one section on Parent Data. The custodial parent should complete the first section and the other parent the Divorced and Separated Section. The information requested is identical and the most common errors should be reviewed in the same fashion. Only the numbers have changed.

Visit here for additional instructions on how to complete the profile: CSS/Financial Aid PROFILE: Student Guide.

Visit here for interactive presentations to give you useful tips to prepare for completing the CSS profile: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/