Students and families who apply for federal financial aid to pay for college must submit personal information, including their Social Security number, through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). This bill requires the Secretary of Education, working with the Social Security Administration, to verify both an applicant's Social Security number and their citizenship status before that person can receive federal student aid such as Pell Grants or student loans. The verification requirement would apply notwithstanding any other law that might otherwise limit or change how that check is done. Supporters say this closes gaps that let ineligible applicants slip through; it could also mean added verification steps for some students during the financial aid process.
Average Household Impact
- SSN and citizenship verification requirement — Required before federal student aid is provided
Congressional Summary
FAFSA Verification Efficiency ActThis bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to verify the Social Security number (SSN) and citizenship status of any individual who is required to provide information to ED for federal student aid. Currently, ED must work with the Social Security Administration (SSA) to verify the SSN of a student who is applying for federal student aid. This bill expands the requirement so that ED must work with the SSA to verify the SSN and citizenship status of any individual who is required to provide information to ED on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, including contributors. A contributor refers to anyone (the student, the student’s spouse, the student's biological or adoptive parent, or a parent’s spouse) who is required to provide information on the FAFSA form.
Details
- Congress
- 119th
- Chamber
- Senate
- Status
- summarized
- Action
- Introduced in Senate
- Action Date
- 2026-04-21
- Date Added
- 2026-07-16
- Source
- Congress.gov →
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