The Department of Education has announced upcoming changes to the FAFSA to address the challenges parents without social security numbers are facing in completing the form. Students whose parents do not have social security numbers will be able to submit the FAFSA online beginning sometime in the first half of March.

Additional enhancements to the process of creating FSA IDs for contributors without social security numbers were also announced by the Department. Most notably, applicants encountering difficulties with the TransUnion identity verification process will receive an automated email containing a case number and guidance on next steps. This goal of this new approach is to reduce wait times and expedite the submission of required identification documents.

Between now and when these updates are available, students facing priority dates and deadlines for colleges and universities can utilize a workaround process to submit their FAFSA. Students should check with their college or university on their preference for using the work around process or waiting to complete the online form.

The workaround as announced by the Department of Education is a nine-step process that will result in an incomplete FAFSA, still requiring correction and signing by contributors in the first half of March. At that time the DOE will issue a revised FAFSA Submission Summary along with a Student Aid Index (SAI) for the student and an Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR) for colleges to facilitate aid offers.

If students have already submitted a paper form, they should NOT resubmit an online form. If a paper FAFSA has already been submitted, those students are encouraged to monitor updates on the processing of their paper application.

To learn the steps of the workaround process, click here.