Does Selective Service registration affect FAFSA eligibility in California?

Yes, this is important! Males aged 18-25 must register with Selective Service to be eligible for federal student aid (including FAFSA). It's a requirement by law, and failing to register can make him ineligible for federal aid programs like Pell Grants, Work-Study, and federal student loans. It can also affect CalGrant eligibility. He can register online at sss.gov or through the FAFSA application itself (there's a question that allows you to register directly). Better to do it now than risk his financial aid package for next year.

my son had to do this too when he turned 18... its basically just signing up for the draft if there ever is one. takes like 2 min online and then your good forever. they wont actually draft anyone these days but you still gotta sign up

When my nephew didn't register, his entire financial aid package was FROZEN the next year. The financial aid office wouldn't process ANYTHING until he fixed it. Total nightmare!!! He had to do a special appeal process which took WEEKS and almost missed the tuition deadline. Don't risk it!!

To clarify some points: 1) Selective Service registration is required for male students 18-25 who are U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens 2) The FAFSA has a question that allows automatic registration (Question 22 on the 2025-2026 FAFSA) 3) If he's already submitted the FAFSA but didn't check this box, he should register at sss.gov directly 4) For California specifically, CalGrant and most state aid programs follow the same requirement 5) No need to update your current FAFSA after he registers separately Registration is required by federal law and definitely affects FAFSA eligibility. Even if you've already submitted for 2025-2026, he should register now to avoid complications with disbursement.

its all a scam tbh... why should my kid have to register for the military draft just to get financial aid?? the whole system is messed up. my son refused to sign up and we had to pay 100% out of pocket for his education. government cant force u to sign up for war just to get education...

I had a horrible time getting through to someone when we had this same issue last year. Kept trying to call the Selective Service System and the FSA Information Center for clarification, but spent hours on hold and got disconnected multiple times. Finally used the Claimyr service (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual FSA agent who helped sort things out. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Saved me hours of frustration and got my son's financial aid back on track once we understood exactly what needed to be done.

bruh just do it... takes like 2 minutes... my cousin didnt register n got denied for his pell grant n everything... not worth the hassle

One additional point - if your son is over 18 and you're just now getting the letter, make sure he registers ASAP. There's technically a penalty for not registering within 30 days of your 18th birthday, though it's rarely enforced. Once he's registered, you can always verify his registration status on the SSS website using his name, DOB, and SSN if you want peace of mind that everything is properly recorded in their system.

Just wanted to add that if your son is already at UC Davis, their financial aid office can also help with this process! I had a similar situation with my daughter at UCSB last year. The financial aid advisors are really knowledgeable about how Selective Service registration affects aid packages and can walk you through everything. They can even help verify that his registration went through properly and is linked to his FAFSA. It might be worth giving UC Davis financial aid a call - they deal with this all the time and can provide campus-specific guidance about deadlines and procedures.