Prepare for the FAFSA

The 2025-2026 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now available! Discover how to get ready for the FAFSA.

Create FSA ID for students and parents

The first step in the process is to create your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID), which serves as your username and password for most federal financial aid websites. Make sure to set this up at least one week before you plan to begin your FAFSA to allow enough time for processing.

All contributors must have their own FSA ID to complete the FAFSA. A contributor includes the student, the student's spouse, biological or adoptive parents, and a parent's spouse (such as a stepparent) who is required to provide information on the FAFSA. Each contributor must sign the FAFSA using their FSA ID; otherwise, the application will be invalid, and a Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated.

It’s important that each contributor sets up their own FSA ID using their individual email account. Parents and spouses are not permitted to create an FSA ID for the student, and students cannot create FSA IDs for their parents or spouses.

Each contributor should create their own FSA ID using their individual email accounts. Parents and spouses are not allowed to set up an FSA ID on behalf of the student, nor can students create FSA IDs for their parents or spouses.

Try the Federal Student Aid’s Parent Wizard tool to help determine who the Parent on the FAFSA is.

Contributors for Dependent Students Who Need an FSA ID:

• Married biological or adoptive parents living together and filing taxes separately must each have an FSA ID.
• Married biological or adoptive parents who file taxes jointly need at least one parent to have an FSA ID.
• Unmarried biological or adoptive parents living together and filing taxes separately must each have an FSA ID.
• A remarried parent who files taxes separately must ensure both the parent and stepparent have their own FSA IDs.
• A divorced parent who has provided more than 50% of the financial support over the past 12 months must have their own FSA ID. If this parent is remarried and files separately, both the parent and stepparent must each have an FSA ID. If they file jointly, at least one must have an FSA ID.
• A single parent of a dependent student must also have their own FSA ID.

Contributors for Independent Students Who Need an FSA ID:

• Spouses of independent students who file taxes separately must have their own FSA IDs.

Contributors without Social Security Numbers

• If you have a Social Security Number (SSN), you must provide it when creating an account.
• All students are required to have an SSN to set up a StudentAid.gov account, with the exception of those from the Freely Associated States (Micronesia, Marshall Islands, or Palau). Be sure to check your eligibility for federal student aid.
• If you are married and filed taxes jointly but only one parent has an SSN, that parent should create the account and be listed as a contributor on the student's form.
• If you are a parent or spouse who does not have an SSN but is required to contribute, you must still create an account to assist with the student’s FAFSA form. When creating your account, leave the SSN field blank and select the option “What if I don’t have a Social Security number?”

For information on the tax year associated with each financial aid year, please refer to the question below titled "What financial year information is required for the FAFSA?"

Students and their contributors will use their FSA IDs throughout the college years and beyond to access federal aid information systems, so it's essential to remember both your FSA ID and password.

Now it is time to visit studentaid.gov to Create FSA ID

If you already have an FSA ID, make sure you are prepared and ready with your login information.

Collect the necessary documents

To complete and submit your FAFSA, you will need the following:

• Your Social Security number (or Alien Registration number if you are not a U.S. citizen).
• Your driver’s license number, if applicable.
• Your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other documentation of income earned for the specific financial year required by the FAFSA.
• All contributors must consent to an IRS information transfer using the Direct Data Exchange, regardless of whether they filed taxes in the U.S. If the IRS cannot transfer your information, you will have the option to enter it manually. Consent from all contributors is necessary; otherwise, the FAFSA will be deemed invalid.
• Bank statements, including balances for cash, savings, and checking accounts, as well as records of investments (if applicable), such as stocks, bonds, real estate (excluding your primary residence), and business and farm assets.
• Documentation of untaxed income (if applicable), including child support received, interest income, and veterans' non-education benefits for the specific financial year required by the FAFSA.

Complete and Submit Your FAFSA!

Once you have collected all the necessary information, you can submit your FAFSA online through the Federal Student Aid website. Follow Federal Student Aid on Facebook, X, and Instagram for the latest updates!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)