Before You Apply

1. Create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID

An FSA ID is a username and password that you must use to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites, such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Students need an FSA ID to electronically sign the FAFSA form and to fill out a renewal FAFSA form.

Dependent students also need to have one of their legal parents (contributor) obtain an FSA ID in order to sign the FAFSA form. Contributor participation does not indicate financial responsibility.

Important: You will use this same FSA ID year after year. Store it in a safe location.

2. Gather Your Records

All students and contributors must provide consent and approval to:

• Disclose their personally identifiable information (PII) provided on the FAFSA form to the IRS for matching purposes
• Obtain their federal tax information directly from the IRS via the direct data exchange
• Allow the U.S. Department of Education (ED) to use their federal tax information to determine the student’s eligibility and amount of federal student aid
• Allow ED to share their federal tax information with postsecondary institutions and state higher education agencies for use in awarding and administering financial aid
• Have your alien registration card if you are not a U.S. citizen

3. Fill out the FAFSA

You are required to complete a Free Application for Federal Student Aid or FAFSA each year, even if you are a returning student that has received financial aid in the past.

• You may choose to print and complete a FAFSA on the Web Worksheet which tells you what documents (for example, your tax forms) you'll need to refer to as you fill out the FAFSA, and it shows you the FAFSA questions so you can fill in your answers in preparation for applying. The Worksheet is an optional tool; you can go straight to the FAFSA Web site to apply if you prefer.