What is a FSA ID and why do you need one?
Key takeaways
- Your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) allows you to access federal financial aid via the U.S. Department of Education’s online system.
- You can only have one FSA ID, which you can create by visiting the Federal Student Aid website.
- The FSA ID is linked to your Social Security number (SSN) and is considered a valid legal signature.
A Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) is the credential students and parents can use to access the U.S. Department of Education’s online system. If you or your student plans to apply for federal student aid, having a FSA ID can accelerate the application process, and it will also allow you to easily manage your aid online in the future.
What is a FSA ID?
A FSA ID is the username and password required to access your account for federal student aid on the Department of Education website.
Each FSA account can have only one FSA ID, and you should never create a FSA ID for someone else, including family members. FSA IDs are tied to Social Security numbers and serve as a legal signature.
Your FSA ID will help you do the following:
- Access the online Free Application for Federal Student Aid form.
- Sign your FAFSA application and submit it online.
- Prefill the online FAFSA form with information from the previous year.
- Log in to the myStudentAid app.
- Sign student loan contracts.
- Manage student loan repayment plans.
How to create a FSA ID
Both students and their parents or guardians will need to create individual FSA IDs to take advantage of its benefits. Here’s how to do it:
- Enter personal information: Visit the Federal Student Aid website and provide your SSN, email address, phone number, full name, date of birth and mailing address.
- Create a unique username and password: Your password should be between eight and 30 characters long. It must have at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter and one number. You may use special characters, though they aren’t required..
- Complete challenge questions and answers: You will need to select four challenge questions and provide your answers. These questions will be used to verify your identity if you forget your password.
- Enter your email address or phone number: An email address or phone number can be used for only one FSA account. If you share an email or phone number with someone else, make sure that it has not already been used to create a FSA ID.
How to create a FSA ID without a Social Security number
The U.S. Department of Education says you can create a FSA ID without an SSN in a few situations only. This can be an option if:
- You are a parent or spouse of a student who is completing the FAFSA and you don’t have an SSN.
- You are a citizen of the Freely Associated States, which includes the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands.
To create a FSA ID without an SSN, you’ll follow the same steps as above. However, you’ll answer “knowledge-based questions” to verify your identity. These questions will center around information only you would know, such as streets you have lived on in the past and banks you have opened accounts with.
Who needs a FSA ID?
You’ll need a FSA ID if you or your student wants to sign and submit the FAFSA form online instead of sending it via mail.
Having a FSA ID will also make it easier to complete your FAFSA each year, as it allows you to prefill information from the previous year’s application, import tax information from the IRS and view and print a copy of your Student Aid Report.
Finally, college students and their parents or guardians who need to access and correct information about their federal financial aid online will need a FSA ID to do so.
Bottom line
Creating an FSA ID is an integral part of the process of applying for financial aid for school. That’s because this ID is the basis for filling out the FAFSA, which makes it possible to qualify for federal and state-based aid like scholarships, grants, work-study programs and federal student loans.
Fortunately, you likely have everything you need to create a FSA ID from anywhere you have an internet connection. Once you create this account and begin filling out the FAFSA, you’ll be on your way toward funding college in no time.
