Frequently Asked Questions

To what sex does the FAFSA application refer?

When FAFSA asks you for your sex/gender, they are wanting to know your sex assigned at birth. This question is asked to determine if you are required to register for Selective Services. 

• Ex: If you are non-binary and assigned male at birth the Federal Government is requesting you select M as the sex on your aid applications. 

I have legally changed my gender marker, what should I select on my FAFSA application? 

Unfortunately, even if you have legally changed your gender marker via a Court Order the FAFSA application still wants to know your Sex Assigned At Birth.

What is Selective Service? 

It is a registration used to keep an updated database of potential service members in case a draft were to be reintroduced.

• People who were ASSIGNED MALE AT BIRTH ARE REQUIRED to register with the Selective Service within thirty days of their eighteenth birthday. This includes those who may have transitioned before 18 or after the age of 18. Unfortunately, you still need to register even if you have legally changed your gender marker to Female. Note this is no longer a requirement effective for federal aid applicants with the 2021-2022 FAFSA.
• People who were ASSIGNED FEMALE AT BIRTH ARE NOT REQUIRED to register with Selective Service regardless of their current gender or transition status. 
• Until laws change, federal student aid may be delayed if the chosen sex does not correspond to birth certificate records. If the student was assigned female at birth and selected MALE as their SEX when applying for federal financial aid, grants, and loans, )in order to receive federal financial aid) they can either: 
  • 1. Go back and edit their FAFSA or Dream Act form to Female
  • 2. If they have legally updated their federal and state identification documents, they will need to request an exempt document from Selective Services.
• You can read more here.