Creating and Using Your FSA ID: An Overview

College Access FairfaxOctober 7, 2016

What is the FSA ID?• The FSA ID is a username and password used

by students, parents, and borrowers to:• login to U.S. Department of Education websites• electronically sign documents

• You will use it:• Every year you apply for federal student aid at

fafsa.gov• To receive a federal student loan • To perform important activities as a federal student

loan borrower, such as choosing a repayment plan or applying for a deferment

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Does my parent need an FSA ID?• Ifyouareadependentstudent,thenyourparentwillneedanFSAIDinordertosignyourFAFSAelectronically

• Notsureifyou’reconsideredadependentstudentfortheFAFSA,gotoStudentAid.gov/dependency tofindout

IMPORTANT• YouandyourparentmusthavedifferentFSAIDs• YoumustcreateyourownFSAID—it’syourelectronicsignatureandyouneedtoownit

• YourparentmustcreatehisorherownFSAID• Youandyourparentshouldeachuseyourowne-mailaddresswhencreatinganFSAID(youcan’tuse/sharethesamee-mailaddress)

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Getting Started• Go to StudentAid.gov/fsaid• Click the “Create an FSA ID Now” button

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Create Your FSA ID (Username and password)

E-mail:• Optionalbutstronglyrecommended

• EachFSAIDmusthaveaunique e-mailaddress(youandyourparentcannotusethesamee-mailaddress)

• Youmusthaveaccesstothise-mailaccount

Username:• Don’tincludepersonalinfosuchasdateofbirthorname

• Ifyouseeamessage“Usernametaken,createadifferentusername”thensomeonehasalreadyusedthatusername

Youcanselect“ShowText”toseewhatyou’retyping

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Provide Personal Information• MakesureyourSocialSecuritynumber,dateofbirth,andnamematchwhat’sonyourSocialSecuritycard

• YoumusthaveaSocialSecuritynumbertocreateanFSAID.

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Link Your PIN (if you have one)

• If you applied for federal student aid before May 2015, then you most likely had a 4-digit PIN—the FSA ID replaces the PIN; you can link your PIN to your FSA ID on this screen

• If you can’t remember your PIN, you can select “Forgot My PIN” and answer a challenge question or you can continue without linking your PIN

• If you didn’t have a PIN, then you won’t see this screen

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Provide Profile Information• Confirminformationyouenteredpreviouslyandprovideadditionalinformation

• Makesureyourinformationiscorrect;anyerrorscouldresultinadelayorprobleminyourreceivingfinancialaid(ortherepaymentofyourfederalstudentloans)

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Select/Create Challenge Questions and AnswersAnsweringyourchallengequestionsisonewaytounlockyouraccountorresetyourusernameandpassword

Questions1and2:• Selectaquestionfromthedropdownmenuandthenenteryouranswer

Questions3and4:• Makeupyourownquestionandenteryouranswer

• Makesuretheanswerswillbeeasytoremember

• Examplesofquestions:• What’syourfavoritecolor?• What’syourfavoritefood?

Question5:• Enterasignificantdate• Itcan’tbeyourdateofbirth• Examplesofdates:

• Favoriteholiday• Siblingorparentdateofbirth

Youcanselect“ShowText”toseewhatyou’retyping

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Review Info and Agree to Terms• Reviewandconfirmyourinformation

• Ifyouneedtomakeacorrection,usethe“Previous”button

• ReviewandagreetothetermsandconditionsforusingyourFSAID

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Verify Your E-mail• Ifyouprovidedane-mailaddress,thenyouwillbetakentotheE-mailVerificationpage

• Onceyouverifyyoure-mail,youcanuseyoure-mailaddressasyourusernamewhenloggingintoDepartmentofEducationwebsites

• Youcanalsocontinuewithoutverifying

HowtoVerifyYourE-mail• DonotclosetheE-mailVerificationpage

• We’llsendyouane-mailwithasecurecode

• Logintoyoure-mailaccountusingadifferenttaborbrowserwindoworanotherdevice

• Lookforane-mailwiththesubjectline,“Important:YourFSAIDE-mailValidation- ActionRequired”

• Thee-mailwillincludeasix-digit,numericcodethatyouwillenterinthe“SecureCode”datafield

E-mail Verification Page

E-mail With Your Secure Code

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Your FSA ID is created!• YourFSAIDwascreated• Ifyouprovidedane-mailaddress,thenyouwillreceiveaconfirmatione-mail

UsingYourFSAID• Youcanlogintofafsa.govandcomplete,sign,andsubmitanew(original)FAFSA

• Ifyoudidn’tprovideorlinktoaPIN,thenyourinfowillbesenttotheSocialSecurityAdministrationforconfirmation

• SSAreviewwilltake1-3days• Untilyourinfoisverified,youwon’tbeabletotakecertainactions,suchascorrectyourFAFSA,submitarenewalFAFSA,orsignaMasterPromissoryNote.

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