• Be a citizen or eligible noncitizen of the United States with a valid Social Security Number;
  
  
• Have a high school diploma or a General Education Development (GED) certificate or pass an approved "ability to benefit" test;
  
  
• Enroll in an eligible program as a regular student seeking a degree or certificate; and
  
  
• Register (or have registered) for Selective Service, if you are a male between the ages of 18-25.

Citizen/Eligible Noncitizen

You must be one of the following to receive federal student aid:

• U.S. citizen
• U.S. national (includes natives of American Samoa or Swain's Island)
• U.S. permanent resident who has an I-151, I-551, or I-551C (Permanent Resident Card, formerly called Alien Registration Receipt Card)

If you are not in one of these categories, you must have an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) showing one of the following designations in order to be eligible:

• "Refugee"
• "Asylum Granted"
• "Indefinite Parole" and/or "Humanitarian Parole"
• "Cuban-Haitian Entrant, Status Pending"
• "Conditional Entrant" (valid only if issued before April 1, 1980)

If you have only a Notice of Approval to Apply for Permanent Residence (I-171 or I-464), you are not eligible for federal student aid.

If you are in the United States on an F1 or F2 student visa only, or on a J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa only, you cannot get federal student aid. Also, persons with G series visas (pertaining to international organizations) are not eligible for federal student aid.

NOTE:

• Citizens and eligible noncitizens may also receive loans from the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) and William D. Ford Direct Loan (Direct Loan) programs at participating foreign schools.
  
  
• Citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, and Palau are eligible only for Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOGs), or Federal Work-Study. These applicants should check with their financial aid administrators for more information.