FAFSA parent section glitch - birthday input jumps to SSN field automatically

same thing happened to me last week!! so annoying lol. try using edge browser instead of chrome, that fixed it for me

Thanks for the suggestion! Just tried Edge and still having the same problem unfortunately. Wonder if it's something with my computer settings?

This is a known issue with certain browser/operating system combinations when completing the FAFSA parent section. A few technical solutions to try:\n\n1. Clear your browser cache and cookies completely\n2. Try using Firefox specifically (not Edge or Chrome)\n3. Disable any browser extensions/add-ons temporarily\n4. Use the mobile app instead if possible - it handles the data fields differently\n\nAlso, check if your Tab key is working properly. Sometimes what looks like an automatic field jump is actually your Tab key being stuck or having keyboard settings that auto-advance fields.

Thank you so much for these detailed suggestions! I'll try Firefox and turning off extensions right now. I didn't even know there was a mobile app option - will check that out too if these don't work.

the mobile app is actually really good! thats what i ended up using for my sons application when the website kept freezing on me

Honestly I've given up on the FAFSA website most years. Every single application cycle they have some new technical problem that makes it impossible to complete sections correctly. Last year it was the income verification portal that wouldn't accept PDF uploads, now it's the parent information fields. The whole system is broken and needs to be completely rebuilt.\n\nI finally just called the Federal Student Aid Information Center but was on hold for ALMOST THREE HOURS before someone picked up! And then they just told me to \

Three hours on hold?? That's insane. I've tried calling twice and gave up after 45 minutes each time. Did they at least resolve your issue after that ridiculous wait?

Nope! Just the usual scripted responses. \

I work in our college's financial aid office and we've been seeing this exact issue frequently this application cycle. It's related to the form validation scripts on the new FAFSA simplification update. Here's what I recommend:\n\n1. Use an incognito/private browsing window\n2. Enter the date in MM/DD/YYYY format even though it shows as separate fields\n3. If it still happens, try a different device entirely\n\nIf all else fails, there's actually a workaround where you can save the application, log out completely, wait 30 minutes, then log back in - sometimes this resets the form validation issues.\n\nDon't panic about the deadline yet - if you can document that you've been attempting to complete the form but experiencing technical difficulties, many schools will grant extensions.

Thank you for these insider tips! Just tried incognito mode with Firefox and that actually worked! I was able to complete the entire parent section. Such a relief. Do you think I should still document these issues somehow in case there are problems with the submission?

Great to hear it worked! Yes, I would recommend taking screenshots of your completion confirmation page and the submission confirmation email. Store these safely as documentation. Also, after submission, log back in after 3-5 days to verify your application shows as

I had this EXACT problem last week trying to complete my son's FAFSA! After wasting hours trying different browsers and devices, I discovered a service called Claimyr that let me skip the hold times and actually talk to a Federal Student Aid agent in under 5 minutes. The agent walked me through a specific workaround for the birthday field glitch - turns out there's a bug they know about but haven't fixed yet.\n\nIf you want to see how it works, there's a video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and the site is claimyr.com. Definitely saved me from missing our school's priority deadline!

sounds like an ad tbh

Not an ad, just grateful I didn't have to spend 3+ hours on hold like others here mentioned. The agent actually helped solve the problem by having me try a specific input sequence.

Thanks for suggesting this. I actually managed to fix it with the incognito mode suggestion, but I'll keep this in mind for future issues - those hold times are brutal when you're on a deadline.

Has anyone noticed how the FAFSA form this year keeps having these weird glitches? I was trying to fill out my daughter's form and kept having problems with the parent contribution section. The SAI calculation seemed way off no matter what I did. I think they rushed the simplified FAFSA rollout without proper testing. I ended up having to fill out a CSS Profile too because the school didn't trust the FAFSA results. Double the work!!! Ugh

The CSS Profile and FAFSA serve different purposes. CSS Profile is used by private institutions to collect additional information not captured on the FAFSA, while the FAFSA determines federal aid eligibility through the SAI calculation. Many schools require both forms regardless of FAFSA functionality, especially for need-based institutional scholarships.

oh really? i thought they were alternatives to each other. my daughters school said we needed to do both because there were so many problems with FAFSA this year... maybe i misunderstood what they told me

UPDATE: For anyone finding this thread later with the same problem - the incognito mode + Firefox combination worked perfectly! I was able to complete all parent information including the tricky birthdate fields. \n\nAfter submission, I called my daughter's school financial aid office directly to let them know about the technical issues. They were super understanding and said they've been hearing about similar problems from lots of families. They made a note on her file so there won't be issues if anything looks odd in our submission.\n\nThanks everyone for your help!

That's excellent news! Contacting the school directly was a smart move - most financial aid offices are very understanding about the technical issues this application cycle. Remember to check back in 3-5 business days to confirm your application status has moved from

yay! glad it worked out for you!!

I had this exact same issue last month! The cursor jumping between fields drove me absolutely crazy. What finally worked for me was using Safari on my Mac instead of any Windows browser - something about how Safari handles the form validation made it much more stable. Also, I found that typing very slowly (like waiting a full second between each character) helped prevent the automatic field jumping. It's ridiculous that we have to work around these bugs, but at least there are solutions. Hope this helps if the Firefox/incognito combo doesn't work for everyone!