How to create a parent FSA ID
Senior Associate, JPMorgan Chase
Although the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is designed for students, parents or legal guardians often play an essential role in the process. Dependent students must provide their parents’ information on their FAFSA® and have a parent or a high school counselor or college aid administrator, in limited circumstances, sign it.
You’ll find out if you’re considered dependent or independent when you fill out your FAFSA®. Factors include age, marital status, and whether you’re on active duty in the U.S. armed forces.
For a parent or legal guardian to sign your FAFSA® form, access information about your financial aid, complete their tax return, or update their information on your FAFSA®, they can create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID. They can’t share an FSA ID with you and will need their own.
However, once your parent has an FSA ID, it’s theirs for life. They can continue using the same FSA ID to handle financial aid matters for each college-aged child they have. They could also use that ID if they themselves are seeking financial aid for school.
It’s important to note that as of the 2024-25 FAFSA®, students will see the term “contributor” on their FAFSA®, which refers to anyone such as the student, a spouse, a biological or adoptive parent, or a parent’s spouse who’s required to provide their information on a FAFSA®, along with their consent and approval to share their tax information from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), for the form to be processed.
What’s a parent FSA ID?
Your parent’s FSA ID serves as their legal electronic signature throughout the federal student aid process. It confirms their identity and grants them access to certain U.S. Department of Education websites. They’ll need it to renew your FAFSA® each year and to access federal student aid information online.
Do both parents need to create an FSA ID?
Only one legal parent or guardian needs to create an FSA ID if you’re a dependent student, though both legal parents may need to provide information for the FAFSA®. In the case of divorced parents, the parent who provided more financial support over the past 12 months will be identified as a contributor on your FAFSA®. If both of your parents provided equal financial support, the parent with the greater income and assets will be identified as a contributor.
It's important to note that identifying as a contributor on the FAFSA® won’t make your family member responsible for paying for your education costs.
How to create a parent FSA ID
Here are the steps to take if your parent needs to set up an FSA ID.
- Go to the FSA ID website.
- Select “Create Account.”
- They’ll be directed to another page with an online form. There, your parent will fill out their personal information, which includes their name, Social Security number, and their mobile phone number or email address (or both).
- Once they’ve followed all the instructions, they can complete and sign your FAFSA®. However, they’ll need to wait up to three days to complete other actions while the system confirms their identity.
All new users must set up a two-step verification method (text, email, or authenticator app) during the "Create Account" process. Once your parent sets up their two-step verification method, they’ll need to complete two-step verification each time they log on to StudentAid.gov.
How long after applying can your parent use their FSA ID?
The Social Security Administration must verify your parent's information before they can use their FSA ID for certain actions. This process usually takes one to three days. Once their information is verified, they can use their FSA ID at U.S. Department of Education websites.
Final thoughts
Applying for financial aid doesn’t need to be complicated. Make sure your parent creates their FSA ID early to access key financial aid information and e-sign federal student aid documents for you so your FAFSA® gets processed quickly.
