Find FSA ID

To complete the FAFSA electronically, you’ll need a Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID).

This unique username and password combination acts as your electronic signature and grants access to various U.S. Department of Education (DOE) online systems, including the FAFSA form.

How Can I Find My FSA ID?

If you’ve already created an FSA ID, it’s always readily available for retrieval. This is how to do it:

  1. Locate your FSA ID credentials: Take your time to review any emails or documents you received after creating your FSA ID. The Department of Education might have sent you a confirmation email with your username and a temporary password.
  2. Check your saved passwords: If you use a password manager, search for entries containing keywords like “FSA ID” or “Federal Student Aid.”

Your FSA ID username is usually an email address or a combination of letters and numbers you chose during creation.

What Happens If I Forget My FSA ID?

You shouldn’t worry too much if you can’t recall your FSA ID details. The system offers recovery options:

  1. Forgot Username: Visit the Federal Student Aid website and go to the login page. Click the “Forgot Username” link. You’ll be prompted to enter your Social Security number (SSN), date of birth, and either your verified email address or phone number. A secure code will be sent to your chosen contact method to retrieve your username.
  2. Forgot Password: On the login page, click “Forgot Password.” Enter your username (if retrieved) and either your verified email address or phone number. You’ll receive a secure code for resetting your password.

How Do I Recover My FSA ID and Password?

If you’ve forgotten both your username and password, fret not. Here’s how to regain access:

  1. Visit the FSA ID Recovery Page: Go to the Federal Student Aid website (https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) and locate the “Forgot Username or Password” link on the login page. This will lead you to the FSA ID Recovery page.
  2. Choose Recovery Option: Select “I forgot both my username and password.”
  3. Provide Details: Enter your Social Security number, date of birth, and email address (if used during creation). You’ll also need to answer your challenge questions correctly. These were set up during your initial FSA ID creation.
  4. Retrieve Credentials: If the information matches your FSA ID profile, you’ll receive instructions on how to retrieve your username and reset your password.

Answering your challenge questions incorrectly will prevent you from gaining access.

If this occurs, you may need to contact the Federal Student Aid customer service team for further assistance.

How Do I Deactivate My FSA ID?

If you no longer require your FSA ID, you can choose to deactivate it. Here’s how to go about it:

  1. Log in to your FSA ID Account: Visit the Federal Student Aid website (https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa) and log in using your username and password.
  2. Manage Your Account: Locate the “Manage My FSA ID” section on your account dashboard.
  3. Deactivate Option: Look for a link or button labeled “Deactivate My FSA ID.” Follow the on-screen prompts to confirm deactivation.

Deactivating your FSA ID will prevent future access to federal student aid resources and signing electronically on FAFSA forms.

You can always recreate an FSA ID if needed in the future.

How Do I Get a Parent FSA ID?

As of the 2024-2025 FAFSA cycle, all parents of dependent students (students under the age of 24) will need to create their own FSA IDs to sign electronically on the FAFSA form.

The process for creating a parent FSA ID is identical to the one outlined earlier.

Parents will need their own Social Security number, email address, and date of birth to complete the registration.

Remember that each parent or legal guardian of a dependent student must have a separate FSA ID.