Because	the	Department	matches	the	student9s	name	and	SSN	with	the	Social	Security	Administration	(SSA),	the	name	on
the	FAFSA	form	should	match	the	one	in	the	SSA9s	records	(i.e.,	as	it	appears	on	the	student9s	Social	Security	card).
Students	(except	citizens	of	one	of	the	Freely	Associated	States	3	see	<Account	Username	and	Password=	in	Chapter	1)
must	have	an	SSN	to	apply	for	federal	student	aid.	If	they	submit	a	paper	(PDF)	FAFSA	form	without	an	SSN,	the	FAFSA
form	will	be	returned	unprocessed.	Students	will	be	unable	to	submit	a	FAFSA	form	electronically	without	an	account
username	and	password,	which	requires	an	SSN	(except	students	who	are	citizens	one	of	the	Freely	Associated	States).
The	student	must	contact	the	local	SSA	office	to	get	an	SSN	or	to	find	out	what	the	number	is	if	they	lost	their	Social
Security	card.	Go	to	https://www.ssa.gov/number-card	for	more	information.
If	the	student9s	name,	date	of	birth,	or	SSN	does	not	match	with	the	Social	Security	Administration,	the	student	typically
needs	to	resolve	the	issue	with	the	SSA.	If	the	information	submitted	is	correct,	the	student	must	contact	SSA	to	update
its	records.	After	the	student	receives	confirmation	that	SSA	has	corrected	its	records,	the	student	must	contact	the
Federal	Student	Aid	Information	Center	(FSAIC)	and	ask	them	to	manually	sync	their	data	with	SSA.	Alternatively,	if	the
student	notifies	the	school	that	they	received	confirmation	from	SSA,	the	FAA	may	update	the	Resend	to	Matches	field	to
<Y=	in	the	FAFSA	Partner	Portal	and	submit	it	as	a	correction	so	the	transaction	can	go	back	to	SSA	for	an	updated	match
flag.	Records	sent	for	rematching	will	continue	to	receive	this	match	flag	until	SSA	updates	its	database.
Students	who	enter	their	name,	date	of	birth,	or	SSN	incorrectly	should	log	in	to	StudentAid.gov	and	update	their
information	in	Account	Settings.	The	record	will	be	resent	to	SSA	for	matching.	Once	SSA	verifies	the	account,	the
student	should	update	their	FAFSA	form	by	submitting	a	correction.
Student	Contact	Information	(2)
This	is	the	student9s	current	mobile	phone,	email	address,	and	permanent	home	address,	with	three	exceptions:
Students	under	the	age	of	13	should	not	provide	an	email	address	as	FSA	cannot	communicate	with	them
electronically.	See	<FAFSA	Filers	Under	the	Age	of	13=	in	Chapter	1	for	additional	information.
Incarcerated	students	should	use	an	address	where	they	can	reliably	receive	mail.	This	may	be	the	physical	address
of	the	facility	they	are	in,	the	address	of	the	school	(if	permitted	by	the	school),	or	a	central	processing	facility	used
by	the	facility	for	mail	distribution.	If	a	prison	ID	number	is	required	by	the	facility	for	the	applicant	to	receive	mail,
the	applicant	should	list	that	at	the	end	of	the	address	field.	If	an	incarcerated	student	is	released,	they	should	also
update	their	address	in	their	StudentAid.gov	account	or	on	their	FAFSA	Submission	Summary.
Homeless	students	should	use	a	mailing	address	where	they	can	reliably	receive	mail.	That	can	be	the	address	of	a
relative	or	friend	who	has	given	them	permission	to	use	it,	or	it	can	be	their	school9s	address	if	they	have	contacted
the	school	for	permission	and	instructions	on	how	mail	they	receive	at	the	school	will	reach	them.	As	soon	as
homeless	students	have	more	permanent	housing,	they	should	update	their	address	in	their	StudentAid.gov	account
or	on	their	FAFSA	Submission	Summary.
If	the	student	provides	an	email	address,	they	should	get	an	email	with	a	link	to	their	online	FAFSA	Submission	Summary
within	one	to	three	days	after	the	FPS	receives	the	completed	application.	The	Department	will	also	use	this	email	address
to	correspond	with	the	student	regarding	their	application.
Student	Current	Marital	Status	(3)
This	is	marital	status	<as	of	today=	3	the	day	the	application	is	signed.	Marital	status	cannot	be	projected.	It	can	be
updated	in	limited	circumstances;	see	Chapter	4.
A	student	who	is	only	engaged	should	select	<single	(never	married)=	unless	they	wait	until	after	their	marriage	date	to
complete	the	FAFSA	form.	A	student	in	a	relationship	that	meets	the	criteria	for	common-law	marriage	in	their	state	of
legal	residence	should	select	<married=	and	will	be	considered	independent.	A	student	who	is	separated	from	their	spouse
should	select	<separated=	and	will	be	considered	a	dependent	student	for	FAFSA	purposes,	unless	they	meet	other	criteria
to	be	considered	an	independent	student.
Student	College	or	Career	School	Plans	(4)
Students	should	answer	this	question	based	on	the	degree	or	certificate	program	they	will	be	working	on	at	the	start	of