Once your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form has been processed, you may make certain changes to it.

Learn what types of corrections and updates you may make and how to make them.

Correcting or Updating Your FAFSA® Form

Most of the questions on the FAFSA® form want to know your situation as of the day you sign the application. However, there are some instances in which you’ll want to (or be required to) change the information you reported.

What kinds of changes can I make to my FAFSA® form once it’s been processed?
     Corrections: If You Made a Mistake
     Corrections: If You Filed a FAFSA® Form Using an Incorrect Social Security Number (SSN)
     Updates: If Your Situation Has Changed
     Changes to Federal School Codes: If You Want to Add or Delete a School
How do I make changes to my FAFSA® form?

What kinds of changes can I make to my FAFSA® form once it’s been processed?

Corrections: If You Made a Mistake 

If you made a mistake in what you reported on the FAFSA form, you’ll need to make a correction. Find out how to make changes to your FAFSA information.

Corrections: If You Filed a FAFSA® Form Using an Incorrect Social Security Number (SSN)

If you filed a FAFSA® form using an incorrect SSN, you can correct your SSN by doing one of the following:

  • Recommended method: You can submit a new online FAFSA form. In many cases, this is the easiest and fastest option. Note: Submitting a new FAFSA form will change the date your FAFSA form was submitted and processed. Be sure to check your state or school deadlines, because your FAFSA submission date must meet those deadlines in order for you to qualify for state or school aid.
  • You can ask the financial aid office at one of the schools listed on your Student Aid Report (SAR) to change your SSN for you.
  • Least efficient method: You can change your SSN on your paper SAR, sign it, and mail it to the address provided on the SAR. This can take two to three weeks to process. Note: The SSN can’t be changed through the paper SAR more than once.

Updates: If Your Situation Has Changed

Most information cannot be updated because it must be accurate as of the day you originally signed your FAFSA form. For example, if you spent some of your savings after filing the FAFSA form, you may not update your information to show a change in that amount. You should speak to the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend if there will be a significant change in your or your parent’s income for the present year or if your family has other circumstances that cannot be reported on the FAFSA form. 

You may update your mailing address, email address, and other contact information if it has changed.

There are certain items that you must update:

  • You must update anything that changes your dependency status (for instance, you are now pregnant or are now in legal guardianship) except a change in your marital status. If your marital status changes, you must speak to the financial aid office to determine whether you may update the FAFSA form.
  • If (and only if) you are selected for verification, you must update your FAFSA form if there is a change in the number of family members in your parents’ household or in your household. If the number of family members changes as a result of a change in your (the student’s) marital status, you must speak to the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend to determine whether you may update the FAFSA form.
  • If (and only if) you are selected for verification, you must update your FAFSA form if there is a change in the number of people in your parents’ household who are in college or the number of people in your household who are in college. If the number of people in college changes as a result of a change in your (the student’s) marital status, you must speak to the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend to determine whether you may update the FAFSA form.

Changes to Federal School Codes: If You Want to Add or Delete a School

If you want to make your FAFSA information available to an additional school after filing the FAFSA form, you may add that school’s Federal School Code.

Note: No more than 10 schools may be listed on your FAFSA form at one time. (The FAFSA PDF has space for only four schools, while the online FAFSA form and the myStudentAid mobile app allow 10 to be listed.) If you add an eleventh school, the new school code overwrites a previous school code. You may choose which school to replace with the new school. The school removed from the list will not have automatic access to any new information you provide after you’ve removed that school.

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How do I make changes to my FAFSA® form?

You can make changes in one of the following ways:

                  1. Select the “LOG IN” button and enter your FSA ID.

                  2. On the “My FAFSA” page, select “Make FAFSA Corrections.”

                  3. Create a save key.

                  4. Change your information.

                  5. Submit your new information.

  • Write in the corrections or updates on your paper SAR, sign it, and mail it to the address provided on the SAR.
  • Check with the financial aid office at the school you plan to attend; the school might be able to make changes for you electronically.

Note: Tax return information you transfer via the Internal Revenue Service Data Retrieval Tool cannot be changed on your online FAFSA form. If you filed a 1040X amended return, contact your school’s financial aid office to discuss whether it would be appropriate for the school to adjust the information on your FAFSA form.

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