Filling Out the FAFSA: I am a U.S. Citizen, But My Parents are Undocumented Immigrants
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When can I submit my FAFSA application? The FAFSA for the 2025-26 academic year is now open for all students. FAFSA applications for the current academic year, 2024-25, can be submitted until June 30, 2025.
Dive deeper into FAFSA
When you need to apply: Find out the FAFSA deadline
How much aid you'll get: Estimate your financial aid award
What's on your FAFSA checklist: What you'll need to complete the application
Your financial aid letter: Understand and compare offers
All U.S. citizens are eligible for federal financial aid, regardless of their parents' or spouse’s immigration status.
If you are a U.S. citizen, but your parents are undocumented immigrants and don't have a Social Security number (SSN), you should still submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The FAFSA opens the door to federal student loans, need-based grants like the Pell Grant, work-study, state and institutional aid and even some private scholarships.
If you’re married to someone without an SSN, you should also submit the FAFSA.
You and your parent(s) or spouse may each be considered FAFSA contributors who will fill out separate portions of the FAFSA. If your parent(s) or spouse contributor doesn’t have an SSN, they may need to follow extra steps to verify their identity and financial information.
Any federal agency that receives information about your undocumented parent(s) or spouse from the Education Department can only use it for explicitly authorized purposes, like identity verification and calculating your financial aid eligibility. By law, federal agencies cannot use information your parent(s) or spouse enters on the FAFSA for any immigration or enforcement actions.
Here’s how to submit the FAFSA if you have an undocumented parent or spouse.
Request your FSA IDs and screenshot “personal information”
You and your FAFSA contributor(s) must each request your own FSA IDs before filling out the form. An FSA ID is the username and password combination you'll use to sign into your studentaid.gov account to fill out your portion of the FAFSA. It can take several days to receive your FSA ID after you request it.
Parents or spouses without SSNs can still request an FSA ID. They may need to follow extra steps to verify their identity. Ask them to screenshot or record the exact language they use for their “personal information” section. You must use the exact same wording and abbreviations (i.e. Road vs. Rd.) when inputting contributor information to your portion of the FAFSA form.
If your parents’ or spouse’s account is immediately verified, they can begin fully using their FAFSA account right away. If their account is created but not yet verified, they can still immediately be able to access the FAFSA form, but their account will have limited functionality until full approval.
Gather documents for the FAFSA
With your parent(s) or spouse, take a few minutes to gather important financial documents to help the process go smoothly. For the 2025-26 FAFSA, these documents may include:
2023 tax returns.
Records of child support received.
Current balances of cash, savings and checking accounts.
Net worth of investments, businesses and farms.
Steps to fill out the FAFSA for U.S. citizens with undocumented parents or spouses
You don’t need to wait for your contributor(s) to receive FSA IDs to get started on the FAFSA. Here’s the summary of the FAFSA steps you’ll take next:
Start the FAFSA form on FAFSA.gov. Follow the prompts and submit your personal information.
Follow the prompts for inviting contributor(s) to your form. You’ll need to supply their first and last name, SSN (if they have one), date of birth, email address and mailing address (if they don’t have an SSN). Make sure you enter this information exactly as your contributors did when requesting their FSA IDs. Refer to screenshots or records they took of their “personal information" page.
Once you invite your contributor(s), they will need to sign into their studentaid.gov account with their FSA ID. All undocumented contributor(s) must manually enter their financial information and sign their portion of the form. If they have an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), they should include that on the form.
Select the schools you'd like to receive the form.
Sign your section of the form. You'll land on the "section complete" page.
Check your email for confirmation and your FAFSA submission summary. Save a copy of this message for your records and to share with any schools with upcoming FAFSA deadlines. You’ll also receive a Student Aid Index, which colleges use to determine your financial aid package.
More details and instructions are also available on StudentAid.gov.
How to get FAFSA help if you have undocumented parents
Students whose parents don’t have SSNs face extra FAFSA hurdles. If you or your parents or spouse need further assistance filling out your form, consider reaching out to the following resources:
Your high school's college or guidance counselor.
The financial aid office at your current or prospective college.
College access organizations in your community.
The government's FAFSA helpline: 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243).
» MORE: How to make FAFSA corrections
Private student loan options
Some private lenders may allow you to borrow a student loan with a co-signer who is a U.S. citizen. Before considering private options, first submit the FAFSA so you exhaust all free money available, including federal, state and school grants and federal work-study. Then, move on to federal loans.
Use private loans as a last resort to fill in any gaps in your college costs. Private student loans don’t offer the same protections as federal student loans, such as income-driven repayment plans and loan forgiveness programs.
