Hey, I'm in the middle of filling out my FAFSA and realized that I need my parent's signature to complete it. What's the best way to get this done? Do they have to be physically with me, or can it be done online? If it's online, what information do they need to have ready? Thanks for any tips!
Hello! It's important to secure your parent's signature for your FAFSA, and fortunately, it can be done online which makes the process more convenient, especially if your parent isn't physically with you. All you need is for them to create their own FSA ID - an online, user-verified account coordinated through the government's Federal Student Aid office. It's a combination of a username and password that they'll use to sign the FAFSA electronically.
Your parents can create an FSA ID on the official FSA ID site. They'll need to provide basic personal information like their full name, social security number, date of birth, and contact information. They'll also need to create security questions and answers. Stress to them to save their FSA ID information somewhere safe as they will use the same ID to sign the FAFSA each year you're in school and need to apply for financial aid.
Once the FSA ID set up is done, they can use it to electronically sign your FAFSA application on the FAFSA website. Just make sure all the data is correct before signing, because once it's submitted, you can't make changes to some parts of the application.
Lastly, remember to submit FAFSA as soon as possible, because some aid is awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Even if you're not sure you'll qualify, it's worth submitting because it can open the door for several aid options, including grants, loans, and work-study programs.
I hope this helps and best of luck!
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.