Student Forms FAQs

You must create your account through student forms, when you click on your ToDo list, there will be a hyperlink. You will register for the website using personal information as it was entered on the FAFSA. Be sure to use your legal name and not the preferred name you have listed in CUNYFirst. Once you're registered on the new platform, on your homepage you will see the specific actions needed to verify your FAFSA, this will be different for every student.

The Social Security Administration didn't confirm that you're a U.S. citizen. You need to reach out to your college's or career school's financial aid office to provide documentation of your citizenship (such as, your U.S. passport, Certificate of Naturalization, or birth certificate). If your documents support your status as a U.S. citizen, the college's or career school's financial aid office will make a copy of your documentation and continue to process your federal student aid. However, if you're an eligible noncitizen, select "Make a Correction" to update your information.

If you have submitted citizenship documents in previous award years, you may need to resubmit your document. As the college moved to a new platform to verify your documentation, we need you to resubmit your records again, even if it was done recently.

Please be aware that the underlying issue if you are selected for citizenship review is because the social security administration does not have access to accurate information about you. Please visit the Social Security website and contact your local office to see if they can assist you further.

Please be aware that your parent's invitation is sent via email, many users have told the college it showed up in their spam folder. Please have your parent check their spam folder to make sure the link to create their account appears. Also, it can take up to 10 minutes for the confirmation number or the invitation to be sent.

Many CUNY related applications CUNYfirst, blackboard, StudentForms, have trouble loading and being read by Safari, the standard webpage for iOS users. The best applicant webpage to use to submit documents or review your information is Google Chrome.

To download Google Chrome, click here.

If you are an iOS user (iPhone, MacBook. iPad) you must convert your photos to a PDF. Here are visual instructions.

Convert Any File to a PDF on Mac: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YH936hTvVO0

Convert Photo to PDF on iPhone: https://youtu.be/tKaeSic8llU

Please be aware that older versions of Firefox may not load your signature correctly when you complete your application, try updating the browser to the latest version. We recommend using Chrome for the best experience.

The login for the system is tied to CUNYfirst so when there are technical issues with CUNYFirst the system may be affected. Though rare, during peak usage times there is a possibility of extended load times or being disconnected from the system. Typically, these issues are resolved within a few hours.

If you receive a specific error message when logging in, please make note of it or take a screenshot and forward it the office for help.

We recommend using a cell phone or google voice number for the two-step authentication for the best experience. This can always be changed after successfully logging into your account code.

Typically documents are rejected for one of three main reasons:

1. Incomplete Form or Document
2. Ineligible Document
3. Missing or Invalid Signature

Here are some helpful tips!

• Always submit the front and back of your ID card
• Passport must be signed on the bearer's line for it to be valid
• If uploading a copy or picture of your passport both the photo page and signed signature page must be visible in the image
• Issuing authority of passport/card is found near the bottom of the photo page under the Authority heading (Ex) US Dept. of State)
• Issuing authority of a state ID/driver's license/permit would usually be the state or the state DMV. (Ex) State of New York, NYS, New York DMV are all acceptable answers)
• US passport/passport card can be used as both ID and proof of citizenship just select US Passport/card twice in each section on the affidavit

Typically, ineligible students submit employment authorization or student visas, to complete the citizenship requirement for Financial Aid. Neither of these documents are eligible for funds available from the FAFSA. On very rare occasions, employment authorization users will have additional documents that give them an eligible status.

Make sure the parent is entering biodemographic information into the confirm information section (First Name, Last Name, DOB, and SSN) that matches what is on the FAFSA. (Please review your FAFSA Application).