Why are they asking this information?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) asks a question about drug convictions to determine whether the student needs to complete a worksheet to determine whether their eligibility for federal student aid is affected.

How to answer this question / fill out this section

You will want to select “No” to this question if:

• You have never received federal student aid.
• You have never had a conviction for possessing or selling illegal drugs.
• The conviction was not a state or federal offense.
• The conviction occurred before you were 18 years of age and you were not tried as an adult.
• The conviction was removed from your record.
• The offense that led to your conviction did not occur during a period of enrollment for which you were receiving federal student aid (grants, work-study, or loans).

Selecting "Yes" in this section does not disqualify you for Federal aid eligibility. Your eligibility won't be suspended. Drug convictions no longer affect your federal student aid eligibility. If you answer "Yes" you will be provided a worksheet to help you determine whether your conviction affects your eligibility for federal student aid. Please answer the questions correctly; however, they won't impact your eligibility.