Your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID, for short) is a lifetime username and password that you use to access the financial aid sites, including the government FAFSA® one (fafsa.gov). If you are a parent, you can use your same FSA ID across multiple children’s FAFSA® forms. If you are a student, you can use the same FSA ID for each year that you fill out the FAFSA® (even for graduate studies later on). Your FSA ID never expires.

You are required to have an FSA ID to complete and submit a FAFSA® form. That’s because you’ll need to officially “sign” your application before it can be processed. The FSA ID is the fastest way to digitally sign your application. It is also the only way you can access or correct your FAFSA® online after submission.

You can create your FSA ID here. Sometimes it can be created instantly, whereas other times, it will take 1-3 days before your account is verified and confirmed. You’ll get an email when the process is complete.

Note that all students need a social security number to create an FSA ID.

Parents without SSNs can still create an FSA ID. If your parent doesn’t have an SSN, find instructions here on how parents can create an FSA ID.

Here are the steps for creating an FSA ID.

To start the process, go to studentaid.gov to create an FSA ID, and click on "Get started."

1. Enter personal info: Name, Date of Birth, and SSN

IMPORTANT: Make sure this is your full legal name and exactly as your name appears on your Social Security Card.

TROUBLESHOOTING: If you run into an error at this step, it is likely because someone has already created an FSA ID using the same SSN that you entered or because the U.S. government's Social Security Administration might have the wrong information in their records. In that case, go to ssa.gov to find out how to correct any errors. The student's information must be correct at the SSA, before a student can get an FSA ID and before the student's FAFSA® can be processed.

2. Choose a username and password (together known as your "FSA ID"), as well as your account/recovery email.

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3. Enter contact info: Phone number, Address

4. Choose your communication preferences.

5. Choose security/challenge questions and answer them.

6. Review your info to verify it, and agree to T&Cs

7. Confirmation / Success - You can now use your FSA ID to sign your FAFSA. Remember that your parent will need to also complete this process, as your FAFSA requires both the student and one parent to sign.