How to Update Your Address on the FAFSA

Update your address directly in your FAFSA account online

You can change your address on the FAFSA through your Federal Student Aid (FSA) account at studentaid.gov. Log in with your FSA ID, go to your submitted FAFSA, and edit the address fields under your personal information. The change takes effect when ready in the system, though it may take a few days to appear in your school's records.

If you submitted your FAFSA on paper or by phone, you cannot edit it online yourself. Instead, contact your school's financial aid office directly and ask them to update your address in their system. They can often do this without requiring you to resubmit the entire form.

Updating your address matters because your school uses it to mail financial aid documents, loan paperwork, and tax forms like the 1098-T. If your address is wrong, you may miss important important date or not receive documents you need for taxes or loan repayment.

Key Takeaways

Log into studentaid.gov with your FSA ID to edit your address in a submitted FAFSA within minutes.
Changes made online take effect when ready in the federal system but may take several days to reach your school.
If you filed on paper or by phone, contact your school's financial aid office to request the address change instead.
Your school uses your FAFSA address to mail loan documents, aid letters, and tax forms, so keeping it current prevents missed important date.

Steps to change your address online

Start by going to studentaid.gov and selecting "Sign In" in the top right corner. Choose "Sign in with FSA ID" and enter your username and password. If you do not have an FSA ID yet, you will need to create one using your Social Security number and a valid email address—this takes about 10 minutes.

Once you are logged in, look for "My FAFSA" or "Submitted FAFSAs" depending on the year. Click on the FAFSA you need to update. Find the section labeled "Personal Information" or "Contact Information" and locate the address fields. Delete the old address and type in your new street address, city, state, and ZIP code. Make sure the spelling and numbers are correct, as errors can delay mail delivery.

Click "Save" or "Update" at the bottom of that section. The system will confirm the change was saved. You do not need to resubmit the entire FAFSA—just saving the address change is enough. Write down the date you made the change in case you need to reference it later.

What happens after you change your address

The federal student aid system updates your address right away, but your individual school's financial aid office may not see the change for two to five business days. During this time, mail sent by the federal government goes to your new address, but mail from your school might still go to the old one.

To speed things up, contact your school's financial aid office by phone or email and tell them you updated your address on the FAFSA. Provide both your old and new addresses so they can find your file quickly. Many schools can manually update their records on the same day you call.

If you are expecting a specific document—such as a loan promissory note, aid letter, or 1098-T tax form—mention that when you call. The financial aid office can confirm whether they have already mailed it to your old address and may be able to remail it to your new one.

Changing your address if you filed on paper or by phone

Paper FAFSAs and phone-filed FAFSAs cannot be edited online. Instead, call your school's financial aid office during business hours and ask to speak with someone who can update your address. Have your FAFSA confirmation number ready—you received this when you submitted the form—along with your Social Security number and date of birth.

The financial aid office will verify your identity and then update your address in their system. This usually takes just a few minutes. Ask them to confirm the new address out loud before you hang up to make sure there are no typos.

If you no longer know which school you filed with, or if you filed with multiple schools, you can look up your FAFSA submission history at studentaid.gov by logging in with your FSA ID. The system shows which schools received your FAFSA and when.

Common mistakes to avoid when updating your address

The most common error is typing the address in the wrong format or misspelling the street name or city. The FAFSA system accepts standard U.S. Postal Service formatting, so use the full street name (not abbreviations like "St." for Street unless that is how the post office lists it) and the correct city spelling. If you are unsure, check your lease, utility bill, or a recent piece of mail to see exactly how your address appears.

Another mistake is forgetting to include an apartment, suite, or unit number if you live in a multi-unit building. Mail carriers need this information to deliver to the right place. If your address has changed but you are still at the same school, do not assume the school already knows—contact them anyway, because they may have already printed and mailed documents to your old address.

Do not wait until you are expecting a document to update your address. Change it as soon as you move, so that all future mail goes to the right place from the start. If you moved mid-year and your school has already mailed something to your old address, the post office may forward it, but forwarding is not may provide and can add weeks to delivery time.

If you cannot access your FSA account

If you forgot your FSA ID username or password, go to studentaid.gov and click "Forgot Username or Password?" on the login page. You will be asked to verify your identity using your Social Security number, email address, and date of birth. A reset link will be sent to your email within a few minutes.

If you never created an FSA ID, you can set one up at the same login page by clicking "Create an FSA ID." The process takes about 10 minutes and requires your Social Security number, date of birth, and a valid email address you can access right away. Once your FSA ID is created, you can log in and edit your FAFSA address when ready.

If you are still unable to log in after trying these steps, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-4-FED-AID (1-800-433-3243). They are open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Eastern time. Have your Social Security number and date of birth ready when you call.

Updating your address for multiple years or multiple schools

If you have submitted FAFSAs for more than one school year, you may need to update your address on each one separately. Log into studentaid.gov and look for "My FAFSA" or "Submitted FAFSAs." The system will show all your submitted FAFSAs by year. Click on each one and update the address using the same steps described above.

If you are enrolled at more than one school at the same time—for example, a community college and a university—both schools received your FAFSA. Update your address on the FAFSA itself at studentaid.gov, then contact the financial aid office at each school to confirm they have received the change. Some schools update automatically within a few days; others need a phone call to sync their records.

Keep a list of which schools you contacted and when, in case you need to follow up. If one school has not updated their records after five business days, call them again and ask them to manually update your file.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does it take for my school to see my address change?

The federal system updates when ready, but your school's financial aid office typically sees the change within two to five business days. To speed this up, call your school's financial aid office and tell them you updated your address on the FAFSA. They can often update their records the same day.

Will my address change affect my financial aid amount?

No. Your address is used only for mailing documents and does not change how much aid you receive. The amount of aid depends on your income, family size, cost of attendance, and other factors listed on the FAFSA itself.

What if I moved but do not have a permanent address yet?

You can use a temporary address, such as a friend's or family member's address, or a shelter address if you are experiencing homelessness. Your school needs a mailing address to send documents. You can update it again once you have a permanent address.

Can I change my address by phone instead of online?

You cannot change your address by calling the Federal Student Aid Information Center. You must update it online at studentaid.gov, or contact your school's financial aid office and ask them to update it in their system.

What if I changed my address but mail is still going to my old address?

Mail that was already printed and mailed before you updated your address will still go to the old address. Contact your school's financial aid office and ask them to remail any documents to your new address. You can also file a change-of-address form with the U.S. Postal Service to forward mail for up to 12 months.

This guide is for general information only and is not medical, financial, legal, or other professional advice. For decisions specific to your situation, consult a qualified professional. See our Editorial Policy.