Create FAFSA Parent account

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is a requirement for students searching for financial aid to fund their college education.

Dependent students, especially those under 24 and unmarried, need to include parental information on their FAFSA form.

This requires a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID for the parent or guardian.

How to Create a FAFSA Parent Account

There isn’t a separate FAFSA parent account.

Instead, your parent will need to create an FSA ID, a username and password combination used for various federal student aid applications, including the FAFSA.

This is how:

  1. Visit the official Federal Student Aid website: studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account.
  2. Click “Create Account”: Locate the “Create Account” button and click on it.
  3. Enter Personal Information: A secure online form will appear. Your parent will need to enter their legal name, Social Security number, date of birth, and select “Yes” if they are a U.S. citizen.
  4. Create Login Credentials: Choose a unique username and password that adheres to the website’s security guidelines. Remember that this information will be used to access their FSA ID account in the future.
  5. Enter Contact Details: Provide a valid email address and, optionally, a mobile phone number. These will be used for two-factor authentication and important account notifications.
  6. Security Questions: Select and answer security questions. These will be used to verify your parent’s identity if they ever forget their password.
  7. Take your time to review all entered information, make any necessary corrections, and then submit the form.

Creating an FSA ID can take up to three business days to process. 

This waiting period is for security purposes to verify the information provided.

How do parents create a FAFSA ID?

There’s no separate process specifically for creating a FAFSA parent account.

An FSA ID allows one parent or guardian to access and sign the FAFSA form on behalf of the dependent student.

How do I delete my FAFSA parent account?

The FSA ID system serves various federal student aid applications. Deleting an FSA ID altogether is not possible. 

However, if your parent no longer needs their FSA ID, they can simply refrain from using it.

Their account will remain inactive, but their information will be securely stored.

What I forgot my FAFSA parent account FSA ID?

If your parent forgets their FSA ID username or password, they can retrieve it by following these steps:

  1. Visit the FSA ID website.
  2. Click on “Forgot Username/Password?”.
  3. Enter either their username or the email address associated with their account.
  4. Follow the on-screen prompts to retrieve their forgotten information.

Can you delete your FAFSA parent account and start over?

You cannot delete your FAFSA application entirely.

However, you can make corrections to a submitted FAFSA form as long as the federal deadline hasn’t passed.

To make changes, simply log back into your FAFSA application using your FSA ID and edit the necessary sections.

Why can’t I log into my FAFSA parent account?

There could be a few reasons why your parent might not be able to log into their FSA ID account:

  1. Incorrect Login Credentials: Double-check that your parent is entering the correct username and password.
  2. Caps Lock: Ensure Caps Lock is disabled on the keyboard as usernames are case-sensitive.
  3. Security Questions: If attempting to retrieve a forgotten password via security questions, ensure the answers provided match what was set up during account creation.
  4. Three Login Attempts: The FSA ID system has security measures in place to prevent unauthorized access. If your parent enters incorrect login credentials three consecutive times, the account might be temporarily locked.

If none of the above solutions work,  advise your parent to contact the Federal Student Aid customer service department by calling 1-800-433-3243 for further assistance.