Creating and Using Your Account Username and Password (FSA ID): An Overview

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HOW DO YOU CREATE
YOUR ACCOUNT
USERNAME AND
PASSWORD?

1

GETTING STARTED
• Go to StudentAid.gov.
• Select the “Create Account” button

2

GETTING STARTED
On the “Create an Account (FSA ID)” page, select the “Get Started” button.

3

PROVIDE PERSONAL IDENTIFICATION
INFORMATION
• Make sure your Social Security number (SSN), date of birth, and name match what’s on
your Social Security card.
• You must have an SSN to create an account username and password.

4

CREATE YOUR ACCOUNT USERNAME
AND PASSWORD
Username:
• Don’t include personal info such as
date of birth or name.
• If you see a message “The username
you entered is already in use,” then
someone has already used that
username.
Password:
• Your password must be between 8
and 30 characters in length, and
must contain at least one uppercase
letter, one lowercase letter, and one
number.
• Your password is case-sensitive.

5

PROVIDE CONTACT INFORMATION
• To sign up for mobile phone account
recovery, provide a mobile phone
number on this screen.
• Make sure your information is correct;
any errors could result in delays in
receiving financial aid (or in the
repayment of your federal student
loans).

6

SELECT COMMUNICATION
PREFERENCES
• You must select whether to receive
required communications by email or
postal mail.
• You can opt in to receive informational
emails and/or text messages
regarding programs you may be
eligible for.

7

SELECT CHALLENGE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS
• Answering your challenge questions is
one way to unlock your account or
retrieve your username or password.
• Your answer is not case-sensitive.

8

REVIEW INFO AND AGREE TO TERMS
• Review and confirm your information.
• If you need to make a correction, use
the “Edit” button within that tile of
information.
• Review and agree to FSA’s terms and
conditions.

9

VERIFY YOUR CONTACT INFORMATION
• Only a verified email address OR a
verified mobile phone number is
required, but if you provided both on
previous screens, you MUST verify
both on the “Account Recovery” page.
• Select the “Verify My Mobile Phone
Number” button to verify your mobile
phone number.
• Select the “Verify My Email Address”
button to verify your email address.

10

VERIFY YOUR MOBILE PHONE NUMBER
• After selecting the “Verify My Mobile
Phone Number” button, you will be
sent a text message with the six-digit
numerical secure code.
• Enter your secure code in the “Verify
Your Mobile Phone Number” modal
and select “Continue”.
• Once you verify your mobile phone
number, you can use it to log in,
unlock your account, retrieve your
username, or reset your password.

Text Message With Your Secure Code

• NOTE: You MUST verify your
information before continuing.
11

VERIFY YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS
• After selecting the “Verify My Email
Address” button, you will be sent an
email with the six-digit numerical
secure code.
• Enter your secure code in the “Verify
Your Email Address” modal and select
“Continue”.
• Once you verify your email, you can
use it to log in, unlock your account,
retrieve your username, or reset your
password.

Email With Your Secure Code

• NOTE: You MUST verify your
information before continuing.
12

YOUR ACCOUNT IS CREATED!
• If you provided an email address, you’ll
receive a confirmation email.
Using Your Account Username and
Password
• You can immediately use your account
username and password to sign an original
(first-time) FAFSA form.
• Your info will be sent to the Social Security
Administration (SSA) for confirmation.
• SSA review will take 1–3 days.
• Until your info is verified, you won’t be able to
take certain actions, such as correcting your
FAFSA form, submitting a FAFSA Renewal, or
signing forms such as the Income-Driven
Repayment Plan Request and Direct
Consolidation Loan Application.

13