When it comes to your federal financial aid, the Federal Student Aid dashboard puts you in the driver’s seat. This helpful tool helps keep track of your federal grant history, student loan debt, and student loan servicer details. The dashboard also provides helpful tips, checklists, and links if you are preparing for school, in school, or in repayment. It even has resources for your parents!
You can access your personal dashboard by logging in to studentaid.gov from your desktop computer or to the myStudentAid app with your smart device. You’ll need your Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID) and password (the same ID and password you used when you completed your FAFSA) in order to log in. Not sure what your FSA ID and password are? You can reset them by clicking on “forgot FSA ID” or “forgot password” from the login screen.
If you’re a new student who hasn’t received any student loans or federal grants yet, you won’t be able to see any loan debt, loan servicer details, or grant history. However, you will have access to other items in the hub, such as checklists and other centralized resources and links.
If you’re already a federal aid recipient, you’ll see your current grant history or student loan debt displayed in a graphic on the front page of your dashboard. Keep in mind that grants are a type of need-based aid that is gifted to you. They do not require repayment. However, your student loans are borrowed money that will need to be repaid.
If you qualified for the federal Pell Grant (a form of gift aid), for example, then you may be eligible to receive it for up to the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters. The dashboard will show the maximum eligibility as 600%. Remember that you must meet all of the renewal criteria, such as Satisfactory Academic Progress. Furthermore, you must continue to show need on each additional FAFSA that you complete. Qualifying for grants one year does not automatically guarantee you’ll qualify for grants another year. Your aid eligibility can change from one year to the next. For this reason, you need to complete a new FAFSA each year!
Once you’ve reached the equivalent of 12 full-time semesters (600%) — or if you finish a bachelor’s degree before you reach 600% — you’ll no longer be eligible for the federal Pell Grant. Use your dashboard to track of how much Pell you’ve received and how much you have left.
As an undergraduate student, there’s also a maximum amount of student loans that you can borrow. This maximum loan amount is called an aggregate loan limit. The aggregate loan limit for a dependent student is $31,000. The aggregate loan limit for an independent student is $57,500. Once you’ve reached your aggregate limit, you won’t be able to borrow any more federal student loans. The dashboard will help you to stay on top of your loan debt so you only borrow what you need.
When driving your federal financial aid car, it’s important to keep control of it and stay on the road. Like conventional cars, it has a dashboard, and that dashboard is a great place to keep track of your aid, as well as to find tips and useful next steps. If you need a hand, the Financial Aid Office is here to help — just think of us as roadside assistance!
- Your StudentAid.gov Dashboard - October 20, 2021
- Yes, You Can Use Your Financial Aid To Buy Books! - June 2, 2021
- Thinking About Borrowing a Federal Student Loan? - March 31, 2021
