Troubleshooting Your Account Username and Password (FSA ID)

Troubleshooting Your Account Username and Password (FSA ID) FAFSA

We’ve all been there. With the number of usernames and passwords we need these days, it’s no wonder we occasionally forget our login information. Don’t stress.

You can regain access to your Federal Student Aid account, username and password, known as your FSA ID, in a few simple steps.

Forgot Username

First, navigate to StudentAid.gov/login. You can also download the My Student Aid app. If you’ve forgotten your username, you can use your verified email address or verified phone number to login.

forgot username in studentaid account fafsa

And if you can’t remember those, select the “Forgot My Username” link. When you see the “Did You Know?” pop-up box appear, select the “Continue Recovering My Username” button.

Retrieve Your Username

You have three options to retrieve your username. Have a secure code sent to your mobile phone. Have a secure code sent to your email. Or answer your challenge questions.

The options requiring a secure code will work only if you have a verified mobile phone number or verified email address linked to your account. We’ll walk you through all three options.

three options to retrieve the username in the fafsa id account

Retrieve Username By Phone

If you want to retrieve your username using your verified mobile phone number, select “Text a secure code to my mobile phone.” You’ll be prompted to type in the verified mobile phone number connected with your account, along with your date of birth.

After entering your information, select the “Continue” button. A “Secure Code Sent” pop-up will appear. If you did not receive a text with your secure code, select the “Resend Secure Code” link.

Once you receive the secure code on your mobile phone, enter it in the text box and select “Continue.” And now you’re good to go. This screen displays both your found username and a log-in button.

username found in the studentaid to the fafsa account

Retrieve Username By Email

If you prefer to retrieve your username with email, select the “Email a secure code” button. You’ll be prompted to type in the verified email address connected to your account, along with your date of birth. After entering your information, select the “Continue” button.

A “Secure Code Sent” pop-up will appear. Check your email for the code. If you didn’t receive a code, select the “Resend Secure Code” link.

Be sure to check your spam folder if you don’t see the email in your inbox. Once you have the secure code from your email, enter it in the “Verify your email address” text box and select “Continue.”

And now you’re good to go. The next screen will display both your found username and a “Log in” button.

username found in the studentaid to the fafsa account

Retrieve Username By Challenge Questions

If you want to retrieve your username by answering challenge questions, select the third button.

You’ll be asked to fill in your last name, Social Security number, and your full date of birth. After entering your information, select the “Continue” button.

A pop-up will appear with two of your challenge questions displayed

Enter your answers in the provided text boxes. To see your answer as you type, you can select the “Show Answer” text that is displayed within the text box. Note that answers are not case-sensitive.

After answering your challenge questions, select “Continue.” And now you’re good to go. This screen displays both your found username and a log-in button.

username found in the studentaid to the fafsa account

What if you forgot your password?

We’ll walk you through how to get back into your account. Back on the main log-in page at StudentAid.gov/login, select the “Forgot My Password” link.

forgot password in fafsa id account in studentaid

Quicktip: Resetting yout password is similar to retrieving your username and requires either your verified EMAIL ADDRESS, verified PHONE NUMBER, or ANSWER TO YOUR CHALLENGE QUESTIONS.

On the next screen, you’ll need to enter your username or your verified email or mobile phone number, along with your date of birth.

After entering your information, select “Continue.” To reset your password, you will first need to have a secure code sent to your verified mobile phone or your verified email address.

Or you could answer some of your challenge questions. When you reset your password using your challenge questions, for security purposes, there is a 30-minute delay before you can log in to your account.

Select the option that works best for you. We’ll walk you through all three options.

Reset Password by Phone

If you want to get a secure code texted to you, select the “Text a secure code to my mobile phone” button and select Continue.

A “Secure Code Sent” pop-up will appear. Check your text messages. If you did not receive a secure code text message, select the “Resend Secure Code” link.

Once you receive the secure code on your mobile phone, enter it in the text box and select “Continue.”

Reset Password By Email

If you’d rather have a secure code emailed to you, select the “Email a secure code” button and select “Continue.”

The “Secure Code Sent” pop-up will appear. Check your email, including spam folder, if you didn’t receive the code, select the “Resend Secure Code” link.

Once you receive the secure code in your email, enter it in the text box and select Continue.

Reset Password By Challenge Questions

If you want to reset your password by answering challenge questions, select the “Answer my challenge questions” button and then select “Continue.”

A pop-up will appear with two of your challenge questions displayed. Enter your answers in the provided text boxes. To see your answer as you type, you can select the “Show Answer” text that’s displayed within the text box.

Note that answers are not case-sensitive. After answering your challenge questions, select “Continue.”

Reset Your Password

Whether you reset your password by phone, email, or challenge question, once you select the “Continue” button, you’ll be brought to the “Create a New Password” page.

For security purposes, your password must be between 8 and 30 characters in length. It must contain at least one uppercase letter, one lowercase letter, and one number.

Never include your name, date of birth, or Social Security number.

Your password is case-sensitive. If you attempt to use a password that you previously used, you will receive an error message. After entering your new password in the “New Password” and “Confirm New Password” fields, select the “Finish” button.

And that’s it. You will now be returned to the “Log In” screen.

Unlock Your Account

Did you mistype your username or password one too many times and lock yourself out of your account?

Don’t panic.

You once again have up to three methods to unlock your account.

You can…

  • Have a secure code sent to your mobile phone
  • Have a secure code sent to your email
  • Or answer challenge questions.

From there, you can create a new password to access your account.

When All Else Fails

One last scenario. Perhaps it’s been years since you last signed in with your FSA ID. You’ve changed jobs, emails, and phone numbers, and forgotten challenge questions.

We’re here to help. Contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center by phone, email, or live chat, during business hours, for help.

Congratulations! You’ve successfully recovered your account and will now be able to reaccess the credentialed areas of StudentAid.gov.

One thought on “Troubleshooting Your Account Username and Password (FSA ID)

  1. Gerald Micheal Robinson says:

    hello I’m writing this message to verify that I would like to start on time schooling but I’m having difficulty trying to login my account and put my school codes in for my school I’m going to full sail University please email me back

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