A FAFSA contributor is an individual — usually a parent or spouse — who is required to provide their personal and financial details for a student’s college financial aid application. This person is not necessarily responsible for funding the student’s education.
If you are a student, there are two main reasons why you might need a FAFSA contributor:
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You are classified as a dependent on the FAFSA.
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You are married and file taxes separately from your spouse.
Contributors must have a unique login, known as an FSA ID, to access the student’s FAFSA. Each contributor must complete, sign, and submit their own section of the student’s FAFSA.
Required contributors must also authorize the IRS to transfer their tax and income information to the form. Failure to assist with the student’s FAFSA or provide IRS consent will make the student ineligible for most federal student aid programs, including need-based grants, work-study, and some scholarships.
FAFSA contributors were introduced on the 2024-25 form by the Education Department as a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act. Prior to this, students and parents or spouses had to complete the form together.
Independent vs. dependent students on the FAFSA
Dependent students require FAFSA contributors; independent students typically do not. For the 2025-26 financial aid award year, you are considered an independent student if any of the following criteria apply to you:
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You are at least 24 years old (born before Jan. 1, 2002 for the 2025-26 FAFSA).
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You are a graduate or professional student.
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You are a veteran or member of the armed forces.
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You are an orphan or a ward of the court.
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You have legal dependents other than a spouse.
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You are a legally emancipated minor.
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You are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
If you are an independent student, you will complete and submit the FAFSA with your own details.
How to determine which parent is a FAFSA contributor
Your biological or adoptive parent(s) must be FAFSA contributors if you are a dependent student. Legal guardians, foster parents, grandparents, or other relatives you live with do not qualify as FAFSA contributors.
You are classified as a dependent student on the FAFSA if you do not meet any of the independent student criteria mentioned above.
If you are a dependent student, here is how to determine which parent is a FAFSA contributor:
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Biological or adoptive parent status |
Who is a FAFSA contributor? |
|---|---|
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Married and file taxes jointly. |
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Married and file taxes separately. |
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Not married to each other (divorced, separated or never married), but live together. |
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Divorced, separated or never married AND don’t live together. |
Only one parent (the one who contributed the most financial support to you over the past 12 months). If both parents contribute equal financial support, then the parent with greater income and assets is the contributor. |
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Divorced and remarried; the parent who supports you the most financially and files taxes separately from their new spouse. |
This parent and their new spouse are both contributors. |
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Divorced and remarried; the parent who supports you the most financially and files joint taxes with their new spouse. |
This parent is the only contributor. Their new spouse is not a contributor. |
FAFSA contributors for married students
Married students are considered “independent” students on the FAFSA, so their parents will not be contributors even if they provide financial support.
However, depending on the tax filing status of a married student, their spouse may need to be a FAFSA contributor:
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If you are married and file taxes jointly. Your spouse is not a FAFSA contributor.
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If you are married and file taxes separately. Your spouse must be a FAFSA contributor.
All contributors need to request their own FSA IDs
Each contributor must request their own FSA ID, which is the unique username and password they will use to log into the FAFSA. Parents cannot create an FSA ID for their child, and vice versa — everyone must complete this process individually.
Request your FSA ID on studentaid.gov. You will need to provide your Social Security number, physical address, email address, and date of birth. It usually takes one to three days to receive your FSA ID after requesting it. You cannot sign and submit the FAFSA without an FSA ID.
How to invite a FAFSA contributor
If you are a student, you will be asked to invite contributors while completing your section of the FAFSA. You will need to provide the following details for each contributor:
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