Why are they asking this information?

The Department of Education requires that you meet certain citizenship criteria in order to receive Federal financial aid. You are automatically eligible if you are a U.S. citizen or U.S. national (natives of American Samoa or Swain’s Island).

How to answer this question / fill out this section

• A person is or becomes a United States citizen by birth within the 50 States, the District of Columbia, or by naturalization. Select “Yes, I am a U.S. Citizen” if you meet this criteria.
• If you’re not a U.S. citizen, there are still other levels at which you can still receive Federal Financial Aid, even if you aren’t a citizen. Eligible noncitizens must meet the following criteria in order to be eligible:
  • A U.S. permanent resident, with a Permanent Resident Card (I-551), or a conditional permanent resident with a Conditional Green Card (I-551C)
  • Other Eligible Noncitizen with an Arrival-Departure Record (I-94) from the Department of Homeland Security showing any one of the following designations: "Refugee," "Asylum Granted," "Parolee” (I-94 confirms that you were paroled for a minimum of one year and status has not expired), T-Visa holder (T-1, T-2, T-3, etc.), or "Cuban-Haitian Entrant"
  • The holder of a valid certification or eligibility letter from the Department of Health and Human Services showing a designation of "Victim of human trafficking"
  • A resident of the Republic of Palau (PW), the Republic of the Marshall Islands (MH), or the Federated States of Micronesia (FM)
  • A Canadian-born Native American under terms of the Jay Treaty
• Select “No, but I am an eligible noncitizen” if you meet the above criteria.

• Select “Neither citizen nor eligible noncitizen” if you are in the U.S. and have:
  • been granted Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA); an F-1, F-2, or M-1 student visa; a J-1 or J-2 exchange visitor visa: or a G series visa…
  • A F1 or F2 student visa
  • A J1 or J2 exchange visitor visa
  • A G series visa (pertaining to international organizations)

Other categories not included under U.S. citizen and eligible noncitizen:

• If you are neither a citizen nor an eligible noncitizen, you are not eligible for federal student aid, but you may still qualify for local state grants. For this reason, you will still want to continue and complete the FAFSA.