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QuikApps Guide

Start Your Application

1. Once you have your PaySchools Central account set up, you can begin your application.

2. To access the application, open the menu and select the FREE/REDUCED MEAL APPLICATION option.

3. Instructions regarding how to complete an application can be accessed from the QuikApps menu at any time.

4. Contact information is shown pre-filled with the profile information on your PaySchools Central account.

5. You can verify or alter the information for your application specifically if any changes are needed.

6. Select your preferred contact method: email or mail.

This will be used if your district requires your application to be reviewed. In that case, the district will use this contact method to send your determination letter.

7. Press CONTINUE to go to the next step.

8. If changes were made to the contact details, you may choose to update PaySchools Central contact details as well.

NOTE: You can NOT update your email address, as this is also your login ID. If you wish to change your email address, please return to PaySchools Central using the CANCEL option and go to the My PaySchools Central Dashboard --> Menu --> Your Profile.

9. Choose your application type:

a) Choose RETURN TO APPLICATION to continue an application that you started but had not completed. This option will
ONLY show if you have already started an application.

b) Choose NEW APPLICATION to begin an application for this school year.

10. Before you begin, read messages from your school and instructions on how income should be entered.

a) If your school district does NOT have a message, you will ONLY see the “Here’s how eligibility is handled” only.

11. Here’s How Eligibility Is Handled:

Instructions for how to complete an application and the details that will be needed such as income types.

12. Continue to the next step:

a) Select Continue to go to the next step. Press Back to return to the last step. Use the Cancel and Go to my PaySchools Central Dashboard link to leave the application and return to PaySchools Central.

Add / Verify Students

1. Verify Students: Students from last year’s application and PaySchools Central will be listed.

2. Data regarding your student will be shown, including student ID, district name, grade, and school name.

In addition, if your student is already directly certified from an outside government program such as SNAP, TANF, FDPIR, this will be identified in this section. This is done directly from the State program to your school district and there is nothing needed on your side.

3. You can remove students with the X icon in the top right corner of each student box.

4. Click ADD STUDENTS if you need to add additional students.

5. Select “is this a Foster Child?” for any students in your household who are fostered in your household. You will not enter any income or additional details for the student, but they will be part of your family count and will affect your determination.

6. Continue to the next step by selecting Continue or click Back to return to the last step.

7. Use the Save and Go to my PaySchools Central Dashboard link to save the application and return to PaySchools Central.

8. Directly Certified Students:

If all your students are directly certified by the state, you will be informed and directed to the disclosure options to allow or prohibit sharing of your meal status for other departments. Disclosing this information can reduce the amount of money owed on school fees.
If some, but not all of your students are directly certified:
1. You can extend that benefit to the other children on your application either individually or by using the Extend To ALL option to select all students currently on your application.
2. If you extend benefits to ALL students on your application, you will also be redirected to the disclosure options to allow or disallow sharing of your meal status for other departments which can reduce the amount owed on school fees if your schools allow.

NOTE: Foster students will NOT be on this list, as they are verified by the state in a different manner than direct certification.

9. Student Assistance: If your student is NOT directly certified, you will need to enter assistance details or income.

10. If they are NOT part of a state assistance program, choose “None of These.”

Choose whether they are a Special Situation. If they have a Special situation, choose the option from the dropdown: homeless, migrant, or runaway.

11. If they ARE part of a state assistance program, choose the option from the dropdown (TANF, SNAP, FDPIR).

Enter their case number provided by the state.
Select Next to go to the next step or click Back to return to the last step.

12. If the student has income, select the income box to display the income fields.

13. Enter income from work, welfare/child support/alimony gross), and the frequency of the income from the drop-down.

14. Enter income from pension retirement, SSI, VA, SS (after taxes).

15. Enter other income that was NOT entered from the above such as PFD in Alaska (after taxes).

16. You MUST complete the amount field for each income type you select in order for the Next button to be enabled.

17. Continue to the next step by clicking Next.

Add / Verify Members

1. Verify and Add Members: Please read the information on what is considered to be a member.

2. You will automatically be added to the application as a member.

Members from last year’s application will automatically be added.
1. Remove members if they are no longer in your household.
2. Add all members to your member list using the Add Member button.
Continue to the next step by selecting the Continue button or press the Back button to return to the last step or use the Save and Go to my PaySchools Central Dashboard link to save the application and return to PaySchools Central.

3. Member Assistance: You will also need to enter assistance details or income for members of your household.

If they are NOT part of a state assistance program, choose “None of These” from the dropdown options and move on to the income section.
If they ARE part of a state assistance program, choose the option from the dropdown: TANF, SNAP, or FDPIR.
You will then be prompted to enter your student’s case number provided by the state.
If they are NOT part of a state assistance program and have income, enter income amounts and the frequency: weekly, every two weeks, monthly, or annually if that option is available for your district.
Check the income box and enter the member’s income.
1. Enter income from work, welfare/child support/alimony (gross), and the frequency of the income from the dropdown.
2. Enter income from pension retirement, SSI, VA, SS (gross).
3. Enter other income that was NOT entered from the above such as PFD in Alaska (gross).
You MUST complete the amount field for each income type you select or the Continue button will not be enabled.
Continue to the next step by selecting the Continue button or press the Back button to return to the last step. Click the Save and Go to my PaySchools Central Dashboard link to save the application and return to PaySchools Central.

4. Statements:

Read the Use of Information and USDA Non-Discrimination statements.
Continue to the next step by selecting the Continue button or press the Back button to return to the last step. Click the Save and Go to my PaySchools Central Dashboard link to save the application and return to PaySchools Central.

Review and Sign Application

1. Summary and Review:

Review all member and student details:
1. Ensure all income and assistance types have been entered.
2. If any details were missed or need to be changed, click on the Edit link to be directed to the student or member assistance screen to make changes. Once done, you will be redirected to this page to review again or can use the buttons at the bottom to navigate through the application again.
Read the “I certify” message and agree that all information provided is correct.
Continue to the next step.

2. Sign your application and give demographic data.

Demographics data is optional and may or may not be displayed based on your school district's state requirements.
1. Choose between ‘Hispanic or Latino’ or ‘Not Hispanic or Latino’
2. Choose from other demographics for additional details.
Enter the last 4 digits of your Social Security Number (SSN) or select “No SSN\Not applicable” if you do not have a SSN.
Enter your PaySchools Central password.
Continue to the next step.
Select the Sign button to complete the application and go to the next step.
Click the Back button to return to the previous step.

3. If applicable and set up by your school, the next step is to complete disclosure choices. This option is to share your student’s meal benefit with other departments your school has designated, which can reduce fee costs.

4. Select the school departments to share the benefit with for each of your students individually or select the Check this box if you would like to share with ALL departments checkbox for each of your students.

5. Enter your PaySchools Central Password.

6. Continue to the next step by selecting the Sign button to sign the application and go to the next step or press the Back button to return to the last step.

Get a Determination Letter

1. Get your determination letter.

If your school automatically approves applications:
1. Get your application via three options (note that you can do all three options if you choose):
  1. Download and print: download your determination letter immediately.
2. Email: send the determination letter to your email in PDF
3. Standard Mail: you can choose to have the determination letter sent to you from the school district via mail. Please note this will take time for the district to print and mail to you and is NOT the preferred method of delivery.
If your school does NOT automatically approve applications:
1. You will be notified that the application is pending approval and your preferred contact method will be used to send your letter once approved.
2. If changes are needed for your application to be approved, an email will be sent and a screen pop-up in PaySchools Central will be shown.
3. In both cases, you will be instructed to return to your application to make changes and resubmit.

2. Continue to the next step by clicking Continue.

Review Completed Application

1. You can view the current application from the View Completed Application option in the side menu.

2. Download Application: application details can be downloaded in PDF.

3. Download Determination: determination letter can be downloaded in PDF.

4. Decline benefits: if your income situation changes and you no longer wish to use Free or Reduced-price meals or apply the status for a reduction in fees.

Declining benefits will cause the application to be removed and your student’s meal status reset to full pay.
You can always submit a new application to re-apply for benefits at any time throughout the school year.
Confirm that you are declining benefits by clicking YES.

-- back to PaySchools Central --