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Filling Out the FAFSA Without a Social Security Number
By
Kayla Korzekwinski
Kayla Korzekwinski is a Scholarships360 content writer. She earned her BA from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where she studied Advertising/PR, Rhetorical Communication, and Anthropology. Kayla has worked on communications for non-profits and student organizations. She loves to write and come up with new ways to express ideas.
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Caitlyn Cole is a college access professional with a decade of experience in non-profit program and project management for college readiness and access organizations.
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Maria Geiger is Director of Content at Scholarships360. She is a former online educational technology instructor and adjunct writing instructor. In addition to education reform, Maria’s interests include viewpoint diversity, blended/flipped learning, digital communication, and integrating media/web tools into the curriculum to better facilitate student engagement. Maria earned both a B.A. and an M.A. in English Literature from Monmouth University, an M. Ed. in Education from Monmouth University, and a Virtual Online Teaching Certificate (VOLT) from the University of Pennsylvania.
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Students in the United States come from all over the country and the world. A student’s citizenship status can affect their eligibility for federal financial aid. If a student doesn’t have a Social Security Number, they may not be able to complete the FAFSA. Continue reading to learn more about filling out the FAFSA without a r if you aren’t a US citizen!
Related: What does my FAFSA Student Aid Index (SAI) number mean?
Students without a Social Security Number
A Social Security Number is required for a student to complete the FAFSA. A Social Security Number is also required to make an FSA ID. You’ll use your FSA ID to electronically sign your FAFSA, review your student aid information and manage your Federal Student Loans online.
Undocumented students and DACA recipients are not eligible for federal financial aid, but they may be eligible for state or college-specific aid such as scholarships.
Also see: How long does it take for the FAFSA to be processed?
Eligible noncitizens
If a student qualifies as an eligible noncitizen, they are able to complete the FAFSA and receive federal financial aid. According to the Department of Education, an eligible noncitizen is a United States national, including natives of American Samoa or Swains Island, permanent residents of the United States with a Permanent Resident Card, or a person whose Arrival-Departure Record has one of the following designations:
- Refugee
- Asylum granted
- Cuban-Haitian entrant
- Conditional entrant
- Victim of human trafficking
- Parolee
Additionally, citizens of the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, or the Republic of Palau can also receive federal financial aid. However, they are only eligible for Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Federal Work-Study.
For the 2023/2024 FAFSA, the Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid Department instructs eligible noncitizen students to select “No, but I am an eligible noncitizen” for the citizenship question. For the 2024–25 FAFSA form, eligible noncitizen students should select the “Eligible noncitizen” option under the “Student Citizenship Status” section.
See also: FAFSA 101 guide
If you are unsure if your status or citizenship makes you eligible for federal financial aid, check with your high school counselor or your college’s financial aid office.
Don’t miss: Scholarships360’s free scholarship search tool
Parents without a Social Security Number
Let’s say your parents are not US citizens or permanent residents. The FAFSA does not ask about your parents’ citizenship status, and their status does not affect the student’s eligibility for financial aid. Here are a few pieces of advice to note for students with undocumented parents:
- If your parent doesn’t have a Social Security number, enter all 0s in the space.
- Parents without a Social Security number will not be able to make an FSA ID to electronically sign the FAFSA. Instead, print the signature page, have the parent sign it, and mail it to the address indicated.
- If your parents live and file taxes in a foreign country and don’t file U.S. taxes, there will be a chance to indicate that they have filed their taxes.
Students or parents who are not United States citizens may have concerns about indicating their immigration status. The FAFSA on the Web Worksheet allows students and parents to preview the citizenship questions before submitting the form.
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Student must have a social security number or be an eligible noncitizen to fill out the FAFSA
In conclusion, students who are not US citizens must be an eligible noncitizen in order to complete the FAFSA and be eligible for federal financial aid. If your citizenship doesn’t qualify you for federal financial aid, there are other forms of funding such as scholarships, college-specific aid, or state-specific aid. Be sure to talk to your high school counselor and college’s financial aid office to learn about additional options! International students can consult our guide for international FAFSA applicants for additional resources.
See also: Who is my parent when I fill out the FAFSA?
Keep reading
- How to fill out the FAFSA if your parents didn’t file income tax
- Guide for international students studying in the USA
- What to do if your parents won’t submit the FAFSA
Frequently asked questions about filling out the FAFSA without a social security number
What if you are undocumented and don't have a social security number when filling out the FAFSA?
Why does FAFSA need my Social Security number?
