filing-the-fafsa-2015-2016-edition

Filing the FAFSA 28
• Male students who have not yet reached age 18
• Male students born in 1959 or an earlier year
• Male students enrolled in an officer procurement program at the Citadel (Charleston, SC), North
Georgia College (Dahlonega, GA), Norwich University (Northfield, VT) or the Virginia Military
Institute (Lexington, VA).
• Male students who are commissioned officers of the Public Health Service or a member of the
Reserve of the Public Health Service who is on active duty 4
Some states require Selective Service registration to enroll in a state college or university 5 or to qualify for
state financial aid. 6 Some colleges and universities require Selective Service registration for the student to
receive institutional financial aid funds.
Male students who have not yet registered with Selective Service may ask the U.S. Department of
Education to register the student with Selective Service by checking the “Register me” box on the FAFSA.
Only male students who are age 18 or older and who have not yet have turned age 26 as of the date the
FAFSA is filed may register with Selective Service using the FAFSA. FAFSA on the Web (FOTW) will ask
the student whether he wishes to register with Selective Service. (Female applicants will not be asked
whether they want to be registered with Selective Service.)
Students who are male but age 17 or younger as of the date the FAFSA is submitted should leave the
question blank. The student must register with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18th birthday. He
can do this at the Selective Service web site, www.sss.gov, or fill out a Selective Service postcard at any
U.S. post office.
If a student is unsure whether he has registered with Selective Service, he may check his registration status
at www.sss.gov or call 1-888-655-1825 or 1-847-688-6888.
Transgender students must comply with the Selective Service registration requirement based on the
student’s gender at birth as listed on the student’s birth certificate. 7 Thus, a student who was born male
but underwent sex reassignment surgery to become female must register with Selective Service. Students
who were born female but underwent sex reassignment surgery to become male are not required to
register with Selective Service. (However, given the possibility of a data match conflict for students who
are currently male, it may be advisable to register with Selective Service to avoid bureaucratic problems.)
Conscientious objectors are required to register with Selective Service. If a military draft is instituted, they
will be able to file a claim for exemption based on religious or moral objections at that time.
Male students who are over age 26 but never registered with Selective Service may be ineligible for
federal student aid and, possibly, also some state and institutional aid. They should first obtain a status
information letter from Selective Service to determine whether or not they were required to register. If they
were required to register but did not, they will need to provide the college financial aid administrator (not