StudentAid.gov Account
Your First Step in the Federal Financial Aid Process
Before completing the FAFSA, students—and anyone required to contribute information to their FAFSA—need their own StudentAid.gov account.
Your StudentAid.gov account gives you secure access to federal student aid information and serves as your electronic signature for federal student aid forms.
You'll use the same account throughout the financial aid process, from completing the FAFSA to managing federal student loans after you leave school.
ICAN StudentAid.gov Account Setup Video
Watch this overview to learn how to create your StudentAid.gov account
What Can You Do With Your StudentAid.gov Account?
Your account allows you to access and manage federal student aid information on StudentAid.gov.
You may use it to:
- Complete and submit the FAFSA
- Sign federal student aid documents electronically
- Check the status of your FAFSA
- Review your FAFSA Submission Summary
- View federal grants and student loans you've received
- Complete federal student loan requirements
- Access student loan repayment tools and forms
- Manage federal student aid after leaving school
Keep Your Account
You don't create a new StudentAid.gov account each year. The account you create now stays with you throughout the federal student aid process.
Who Needs an Account?
Every FAFSA Contributor Needs Their Own
A contributor is someone required to provide information on the FAFSA, provide consent and approval for the transfer of federal tax information, and sign their section of the form.
Contributors may include:
- The student
- A student's parent
- A parent's spouse
- A student's spouse
Every contributor needs their own StudentAid.gov account.
You cannot share an account with your student, parent, or spouse. Each account belongs to one individual and serves as that person's electronic signature.
| Contributors | Scenarios | |
|---|---|---|
| STUDENT All students must create a StudentAid.gov account |
One Parent | If you are a dependent student with two married parents who filed a joint federal tax return in 2025. |
| If you are a dependent student with a parent that is single (never married), widowed, separated, or divorced and not re-married. | ||
| Both Parents | If you are a dependent student with two married parents who filed separate federal tax returns in 2025. | |
| If you are a dependent student with two parents who are unmarried but living together, or if the parent that you need to include on the FAFSA form is currently remarried and filed a federal tax form separate from their current spouse. | ||
| Married Student | Spouse | If you are a married student who filed taxes separately in 2025 from your current spouse. |
| Married Student | Student Only | If you are over the age of 24, OR married, and filed joint federal tax returns in 2025. |
Create Your Account Before Starting the FAFSA
Don't wait until you're ready to submit the FAFSA to create your account.
Students and other contributors should create their accounts ahead of time so they're ready when it's time to complete the form.
Create a StudentAid.gov Account →
What You'll Need
Before you begin, have your personal information available.
Depending on your circumstances, this may include:
- Your full legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security number, if you have one
- Email address
- Mobile phone number
- Mailing address
If you have a Social Security number, enter your name exactly as it appears on your Social Security record.
Use a Personal Email Address
Students should avoid using a high school or college email address.
You'll continue using your StudentAid.gov account after graduation, and you may lose access to a school email account.
Use a personal email address you'll be able to access for years to come.
Each StudentAid.gov account must also use its own email address.
Steps to Create Your Account
Go to StudentAid.gov and select Create Account.
You'll be guided through the process to:
- Enter your personal information.
- Add and verify your email address.
- Add and verify a mobile phone number, if desired.
- Enter your mailing address and communication preferences.
- Create a username and password.
- Set up two-step verification options.
- Save your backup code.
- Complete the account creation process.
Your information will also go through an identity verification process.
In many cases, verification happens immediately. If verification is pending, you may still be able to complete and sign your FAFSA sections while the process is being completed.
Protect Your Account
Your Account Is Your Electronic Signature
Don't share your StudentAid.gov username, password, or verification codes with anyone—including your parent, student, spouse, school counselor, or someone helping you complete the FAFSA.
If someone is helping you with financial aid, you should still log in to and sign your own account.
Keep your:
- Username
- Password
- Email address
- Verification methods
- Backup code
in a secure place that you can access when needed.
ICAN Tip
Make sure both the student and required parent contributors know their own account information before beginning the FAFSA. Account-access problems can slow down the process when you're trying to complete the form.
What If You Don't Have a Social Security Number?
A parent, spouse, or other FAFSA contributor who doesn't have a Social Security number may still be able to create a StudentAid.gov account and participate in the FAFSA.
The account creation and identity verification process is different, so follow the instructions specifically for individuals without an SSN.
Learn How to Create a StudentAid.gov Account Without an SSN →
Already Have an Account?
Don't Create Another One
You can have only one StudentAid.gov account.
If you've completed a FAFSA before, borrowed federal student loans, or previously created an account, you may already have one.
If you don't remember your username or password, recover your existing account rather than creating a new one.
Recover Your StudentAid.gov Account →
Keep Your Information Current
You'll use this account for years, so update your information when something changes.
Keep your account current if you change your:
- Email address
- Phone number
- Mailing address
- Name
- Password
- Verification methods
Keeping your information current can make it easier to access your account when you need it.
Ready for the FAFSA?
Once the student and all required contributors have their StudentAid.gov accounts, you're ready for the next step.
Learn How to Complete the FAFSA →
Schedule a FAFSA Appointment With ICAN →
