What Information Is Required When Inviting a Contributor to Complete the FAFSA?
The information required when inviting a contributor (independent student's spouse, or dependent student's parent) to complete the FAFSA includes the contributor's:
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Legal name as it appears on their Social Security Card (do not use nicknames or shortened names)
- Date of birth
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Social Security Number (SSN)
- Mailing address if they don't have an SSN (must be exactly as it appears when creating their FSA ID)
- Email address (use the email address that you want the contributor’s invitation to be sent. This doesn't need to match the email address they used when creating their FSA ID)
Important Note: DO NOT SKIP ANY OF THIS INFORMATION: Using incorrect information or skipping a required field will create a linking error.
Pro Tip: Complete the student portion of the FAFSA first. (Student will need to choose "Start New Form" and log in before the parent)
Social Security Number or Mailing Address: For example, when a dependent student invites a parent who has an SSN, they must enter the correct SSN in the invitation screen (shown below) along with the contributor's legal name, date of birth, and email address. The legal name, date of birth, and SSN must match what the parent used when setting up their FSA ID. There is a crosscheck between the FAFSA and FSA ID system to make sure the parent is getting linked up with the correct student’s FAFSA.
- When a parent does not have an SSN, the student checks the "My parent doesn't have a SSN" box on the invitation screen and it will flip to asking them to enter the parent's full mailing address instead; the mailing address will have to match what is in the parent's FSA ID to complete the linking process.
Important Note: If the student incorrectly entered any of the parent's information, the student must go back in and correct it before the parent will be able to log in and link up with the student's FAFSA. A linking error will need to be corrected by the student or parent before federal financial aid can be disbursed to the student.
Email Address: The email address used to invite a contributor does not have to match the email address in that contributor's FSA ID. For example, the student does not have to use the same email address that is in the parent's FSA ID when they invite the parent to contribute. When the contributor logs in with an FSA ID, the email address does not have to match what is in the invitation. This means that, at the time of the initial invitation, the same email address can be used for multiple contributors (e.g., the student and the parent). Note: The parent can not log in with an email; they must log into their section using their FSA ID. The name, date of birth, and SSN will have to match what was in the invitation to have access to the student’s FAFSA.
Note: Prior to the release of the updated FSA ID process (scheduled late 2023), the contributor can set up an FSA ID without an email. After ED updates the FSA ID process, an email will be required. If the contributor tries to log into a 2024-25 FAFSA and their FSA ID does not have an email address in it, the contributor will have to stop and add the email address to the FSA ID, but it still won’t have to match what was in the invitation.
If you complete the parent portion first, the parent is asked to provide the student's information. Since the student has not yet started the FAFSA, the student will receive an email indicating a FAFSA has been started on their behalf. The student can then enter the FAFSA, make any necessary corrections, provide consent, and sign it.
Reference the 2024–25 FAFSA Form Preview Presentation for more information. Presentation is also attached below.