July 17, 2026
The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) appreciates the support from institutions to safeguard the integrity of the Title IV, Higher Education Act (HEA) programs. The Department is committed to being a good partner to schools and to minimizing administrative burden while protecting taxpayers, states, and institutions from bad actors seeking to misuse federal funds.
For more information on the real-time Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) fraud detection process, please see Electronic Announcement APP-26-03. Identity Confirmation Methods and Standards Question1.1. When student applicants are presented with the identity confirmation process within the FAFSA form, can they use a laptop or desktop with an enabled camera to complete the process?A: No. At this time, the student applicant is required to complete the process on a mobile device. However, the applicant can use any mobile device available to them at the time they are completing the FAFSA form, such as a parent’s mobile phone or a counselor’s tablet. The applicant does not need to personally own the mobile device used to complete the process.