FAFSA form keeps rejecting my birthday and jumping to SSN field - anyone else?
I'm in the middle of completing my 2025-2026 FAFSA application and I'm stuck on this stupid birthday field. Every time I enter my date of birth (09/22/2006), the system immediately jumps to the social security number field and highlights it in red. I've tried different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, even Edge ugh), cleared my cache, and even tried using my phone instead. Nothing works! Has anyone else experienced this? I really need to get this submitted by next week for early consideration at my top schools. This is so frustrating!!
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Miguel Ramos
yep ive been seeing this too! what format are you using for the bday? i found that using the mm/dd/yyyy format without any dashes or spaces worked for me. also make sure your keyboard isnt auto-filling stuff from previous forms.
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Ava Thompson
•I've tried mm/dd/yyyy, mm-dd-yyyy, and even typing it out like September 22, 2006. Nothing seems to work! I disabled autofill too. Did you have to do anything special to get past it?
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Zainab Ibrahim
This is a known issue with the FAFSA site this month. Try entering ONLY the numbers without any slashes or dashes (like 09222006). That fixed it for me. If that doesn't work, the problem could be that your DOB doesn't match what's in the SSN database, which causes the system to flag your SSN for verification.
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StarSailor
•Wait really? I didnt know they cross check your bday with the SSN database that quickly. Is that new with the 2025-2026 FAFSA? Thats kinda creepy but also cool i guess
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Zainab Ibrahim
•Yes, it's part of the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. The system now does real-time verification against Social Security Administration records. It's actually meant to reduce errors and speed up processing, but it's causing some glitches during this transition period.
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Connor O'Brien
I had this exact problem last week. After trying everything, I realized my browser extensions were interfering with the form. Try turning off all extensions/add-ons and using incognito/private mode. Also, weirdly enough, the FAFSA form works better in the mobile app than on desktop sometimes. If you continue having problems, call Federal Student Aid directly at 1-800-433-3243. I've heard they can manually verify your information and help troubleshoot technical issues.
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Ava Thompson
•Thanks for the suggestions! I just tried incognito mode and still having the same issue. I'll try the mobile app next. Did you have to wait a long time when you called them? I've heard horror stories about being on hold for hours.
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Connor O'Brien
•Yeah, unfortunately the wait times are CRAZY right now - I was on hold for over 2 hours before finally giving up. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to a FAFSA agent without the wait. They basically hold your place in line and call you back when an agent is available. There's a quick video that explains how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. It saved me a ton of time and stress, especially since I was dealing with this same birthday/SSN glitch and needed it fixed ASAP for my scholarship deadlines.
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Yara Sabbagh
lol classic FAFSA being broken again 🙄 happens every single year i swear. the whole system is a joke. they expect us to trust them with all our financial info but cant even make a form that works properly???
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Keisha Johnson
•While I understand your frustration, this particular issue is likely related to the major FAFSA overhaul that started with the 2024-2025 form. The new verification process is actually more secure but has some implementation challenges. Your information is still being handled securely even if the interface has bugs.
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Paolo Rizzo
Try checking if you accidentally have any spaces before or after your birthday when you enter it. I had a similar issue and realized my phone was automatically adding a space after the date. Also, make sure your JavaScript is enabled in your browser settings, as the FAFSA form relies heavily on it for field validation. If all else fails, try a completely different device, like a library computer or a friend's laptop. Sometimes it's just an incompatibility with your specific setup.
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Ava Thompson
•I never thought about spaces! Just tried it really carefully with no spaces and still having the issue. But I'll check my JavaScript settings - that might be it. Thanks!
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Miguel Ramos
random question but is ur name hyphenated or have special characters? my cousin has a hyphenated last name and it totally messed up his application, had to call and get it fixed
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Ava Thompson
•No, my name is pretty simple - no hyphens or special characters. But that's interesting to know. I wonder if something else about my account is flagging it.
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QuantumQuest
When I was filling out FAFSA last year I had so many problems with every single field I swear. The birthday thing happened to me too but then I also had issues with my parents' tax information not matching up even though we put in exactly what was on their tax return. Ended up having to do verification and it delayed my financial aid package by almost two months. So frustrating! Hope you can get it resolved faster than I did.
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Keisha Johnson
I work in a financial aid office and we've seen this issue quite a bit recently. Here's what's happening: The 2025-2026 FAFSA uses an enhanced verification system that checks your DOB against your SSN in real-time. When the system jumps to the SSN field, it's actually indicating there's a mismatch between what you entered and what's in their database. Solutions to try: 1. Verify your SSN is correct in your FSA ID account first 2. Check if your official records (birth certificate, Social Security card) match what you're entering 3. Try logging out completely, clearing browser data, and starting fresh 4. If you're a dependent student, make sure you're using YOUR birthday, not your parent's If none of these work, it's likely a database mismatch that requires manual intervention from FSA. Call them directly and explain that you're experiencing the "birthday-SSN field jump issue" - they'll know what you mean.
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Ava Thompson
•Thank you SO much for explaining this! I never realized it was indicating a mismatch. I just double-checked my Social Security card and birth certificate, and they're definitely matching what I'm entering. I'll try to call FSA tomorrow and see if they can help. Really appreciate your help!
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StarSailor
have u tried a different time of day? sounds weird but sometimes the website is just overloaded when everybodys on it. i did mine at like 6am and had zero issues lol
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Zainab Ibrahim
Update on this issue: The Department of Education just released a statement acknowledging the birthday field bug affecting some users. They recommend trying these steps: 1. Clear your browser cache completely (not just cookies) 2. Use the FAFSA mobile app instead of the website 3. If using the website, try Microsoft Edge browser specifically 4. Ensure your FSA ID was created more than 3 days ago (there's a verification period) They're working on a fix that should be deployed within the next week. If you need this resolved immediately for financial aid deadlines, calling is unfortunately your best option.
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Ava Thompson
•Thank you for this update! I just downloaded the mobile app and I'm going to try that. My FSA ID is several months old, so that shouldn't be the issue. Fingers crossed this works!
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