How To File the FAFSA if Your Parents Are Undocumented

If you’re a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen with undocumented parents, you can still submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Your parents’ immigration status does not affect your eligibility for federal financial aid. However, you may need to take a few extra steps when reporting your parents’ information.

Here’s what you need to know about filling out the FAFSA if one or both of your parents are undocumented.

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Can you complete the FAFSA if your parents are undocumented?

You can complete the FAFSA if your parents are undocumented, as long as you are a U.S. citizen or eligible noncitizen.

“A student who is a U.S. citizen is eligible for federal student aid even if their parents are undocumented,” explains Mark Kantrowitz, financial aid expert and author of “How To Appeal for More College Financial Aid,” “That's regardless of the citizenship status of their parents.”

Still, some families may hesitate to submit the FAFSA because they’re worried about sharing personal information.

“Some undocumented parents are worried that providing their information on the FAFSA will 'out' them as undocumented,” says Kantrowitz. “But the information parents provide on the FAFSA is no different from the information they have already provided to the IRS.”

Will FAFSA information affect undocumented parents?

FAFSA information is protected by federal privacy laws. Schools and the Department of Education are only authorized to use it to determine financial aid eligibility. However, some families may still worry about whether that data could be used differently in the future.

According to the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), there are no known plans to use FAFSA data for immigration enforcement. NASFAA also says it is not aware of any cases where a parent or FAFSA contributor faced immigration enforcement because a student submitted the FAFSA.

If you or someone in your family has completed the FAFSA before, submitting it again likely does not add new risk. That’s because your information, or your family member’s information, has already been shared with the Department of Education.`

What to do if your parent doesn't have a Social Security number

If your parent doesn't have a Social Security number, you'll need to check the corresponding box under the SSN field in the form and leave the Social Security number field blank.

Do not enter your parent's Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN) in the spot where the FAFSA asks for the parent's Social Security number. The ITIN is the identification number undocumented taxpayers use to file their income tax return without a Social Security number, but the FAFSA requires you to indicate that the individual doesn't have a Social Security number. You'll need to provide your parents' ITIN elsewhere on the FAFSA.

Tips for submitting income and tax information

Many FAFSA filers will take advantage of the automatic transfer of tax information using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. However, if your parents are undocumented, they generally can't use this tool. In that case, your parents must provide their tax return information manually. The specific information needed will vary depending on your answers to the form questions. The full list of required information and where the information is located on IRS Form 1040 can be found on the Federal Student Aid (FSA) website.

But what if your parents didn't file taxes in 2024?

“If a contributor was required to file a tax return and pay taxes, but didn't, the student is ineligible for federal student aid,” Kantrowitz says. “No taxes, no aid.”

If that's the case, Kantrowitz suggests that your parents could obtain an ITIN and pay their 2023 taxes to ensure you're eligible for financial aid.

But if your parents' income was below the IRS filing threshold, you're still eligible for federal student aid.

“Your parents may need to obtain an IRS Verification of Non-Filing Letter by filing IRS Form 4506-T to prove their income fell below the filing threshold,” Kantrowitz says.

Check Out: FAFSA Income Limits and Eligibility

How to sign and submit the FAFSA

When it's time to sign and submit the FAFSA, you'll be able to use your FSA ID to sign the form electronically.

In the past, undocumented parents without a Social Security number had to print out the FAFSA, sign it manually, and send in the signature page via U.S. mail. However, as of 2024, undocumented parents without an SSN can create an FSA ID and use it to fill out their portion of the FAFSA, including signing and submitting the form.

Financial aid options for students with undocumented parents

There are several financial aid options for students with undocumented parents. These options include:

• Federal student aid: As long as the student is a U.S. citizen or an eligible noncitizen, they can access federal financial aid options for higher education.
• State financial aid: While the specific requirements and rules vary by state, students with undocumented parents may be eligible for state funds for higher education.
• Institutional aid: Many colleges and universities offer financial aid directly to students based on need or merit, and parents' immigration status is typically unrelated to institutional aid eligibility.
• Private scholarships and grants: Businesses, organizations, and community groups may offer scholarships and grants to students based on need or merit and set their own eligibility criteria.
• Private student loans: Students with undocumented parents may consider taking out private student loans to pay for any education costs not covered by federal student aid, scholarships, or other funding. Eligibility requirements vary by lender.

Further Reading: How To Apply For a Student Loan