If you do not already have an FSA ID, you can create one here.
The FSA ID process consists of these main steps:
Provide a unique username.
Enter your email address.
Provide a unique password.
Provide your name, date of birth, and Social Security Number (SSN).
Provide your mailing address.
Select your language preference.
Provide your mobile phone number. Select the box if you would like to register your mobile phone to receive one-time secure codes if you forget your username or password. (You will be required to either provide your email address or provide your mobile phone number and opt-in to messaging before you can proceed.)
For security purposes, complete the challenge questions and answers.
Confirm and verify your information.
Agree to the terms and conditions.
Verify your email address and/or mobile phone number. This verification allows you to retrieve your username or reset your password without answering your challenge questions. Also, you can use your mobile phone number or your email address as your username when logging in to ED systems. We'll also be able to notify you by email of changes to your account.
Still working on submitting your FAFSA? If you’re having some trouble, these resources may have what you need:
Use this guide if you are unsure which parent to put on the FAFSA
Read this if you are wondering if you are an independent or dependent student or watch this video for guidance
This guidebook has clear instructions for students who are considered "non-traditional" under the FAFSA*
*A student is considered non-traditional in the context of FAFSA if: a student has a legal guardian that is not their biological parent, they have a child, they are/have experienced homelessness, they are undocumented, and/or their family does not file taxes.
Already submitted the FAFSA? Here is an overview of what comes next.
Submitting your FAFSA is the first step to obtaining your financial aid. After that, you need to review your Student Aid Report for errors and potentially resubmit your FAFSA.
Use this video to walk you through SAR retrieval.
Use this video if you need to add a college to your FAFSA.
Use this guide to walk you through the SAR Review + FAFSA correction process.
This checklist will help ensure you worked through each and every step.
Use this self-guided lesson to gain an understanding of what a SAR is and how we use it.
Verification is a process by which federal student aid or your college verifies the information included on the FAFSA. If you are selected, you must complete all necessary steps in order to receive any of your aid. Here is what you need to know.
You can find out if you were selected for verification in a few different ways :
Receiving an email from your college
Checking your online student portal under the financial aid section
Reviewing your Student Aid Report (SAR)
IRS Forms
Most students and parents must submit a Tax Transcript as part of their verification process. The IRS website allows you to request online and through the mail. Please make sure you enter the following information:
your SSN, date of birth, filing status, and mailing address from your latest tax return,
access to your email account,
your personal account number from a credit card, mortgage, home equity loan, home equity line of credit, or car loan, and
a mobile phone with your name on the account.
If you request through the mail, be sure to look out for the transcript to come in 5-10 business days!
If your family did not file taxes, you will request a Verification of Non-Filing Letter from the IRS by mailing or faxing in this form.
What is loan counseling? If you have not previously received a Direct Loan or Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL), the Federal Government requires you to complete entrance counseling to ensure that you understand the responsibilities and obligations you are assuming.
What is an MPN? A Master Promissory Note is essentially a contract you sign with the federal government assuring them that you will pay back your loans. You must complete your MPN for your specific college.
Instructions for Completing Loan Counseling & MPN (Master Promissory Note)
Instructions for Completing Direct Parent PLUS Loan Counseling & MPN (Master Promissory Note
Affordability is a major piece in choosing the right college. Use these steps to compare the Cost of Attendance of different colleges.
Cost of Attendance is the total of what it will cost to attend a college/university. Included in Cost of Attendance is tuition, fees, housing, meals, and oftentimes books/supplies
Click on this tool to find out the Cost of Attendance at your college.
Put the name of the school in the "Look Up A College By Name" box.
When your college page is pulled up, click the "Paying" button in the middle of the screen.
In a new tab, open the Compare Student Aid Awards tool. Enter the information from your college search in the "Cost of Attendance" section.
In the same tool, add in your financial aid award. If you do not have an award letter, you can create an estimate using this information:
Full Pell Grant (EFC0) = $6,495
Federal Direct Loans (Student Loans): $5,500
Click calculate to see your potential gap cost or your potential refund at each college.
Sometimes it can be hard to know which scholarship to apply for, and there are so many scholarships out there. Here are our favorite scholarship search sites that should cut down your options to find the scholarships that are well-suited to you.
CA Scholarship Spreadsheet (shows the same scholarships as those in the Search Tool, but in a different format!)
Don't forget to read through the emails from your college counselors about other scholarships you may be eligible for!