In the past, registering for federal student aid required you to sign up for an elective service system. However, as part of the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020, students’ eligibility for university aid will no longer be linked to their enrollment status with the elective service.
Will filling up FAFSA will you be drafted into the military?
Previously, people assigned men at birth. Fafsa If you wanted to qualify for federal student aid, you had to register with the elective service system. As of December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act (part of the Consolidated Budget Act 2021) and introduced several changes to the application process.
There are no questions regarding the selective service registration status in the FAFSA form, and completion of the FAFSA is independent of the registration of the selective service, where the individual form must be completed through another agency.
Should I register for an elective service for financial aid eligibility?
In short, no. Under the FAFSA Simplification Act above, students are not required to register with the elective service to receive federal financial aid, also known as Title IV Aid. That includes federal student loans, work research and Pell grants.
According to Selective Service Systems Websiteif registration fails, some states may become unqualified for state-funded financial aid.
Registering for the optional services is still mandatory for certain students within 30 days of their 18th birthday.
Who should register for the selective service?
Under federal law, almost all people are US citizens or immigrants at birth between the ages of 18 and 25, so they must register for elective services. Failure to register will not affect your eligibility for federal financial aid, but there may be other serious consequences. That could lead to felony charges, with fines of up to $25,000 and up to five years in prison.
However, no one needs to register for the selective service. The following groups do not need to be registered:
- People assigned women at birth.
- A man with an active position in the US military.
- Military officer procurement student at approved institutions (Texas A&M University Citadel, North Georgia University, Virginia Tech, State University).
- Midshipmen and cadets of the Coast Guard or approved service academy.
- Legal non-immigrants who hold current non-immigrant visas.
- Seasonal agricultural workers.
- A physically or mentally disabled individual who is trapped in a home, hospital, or facility.
- An individual currently in jail.
- Patients who have been hospitalized or institutionalized for medical reasons.
- A transgender individual who was born and turned their gender into men.
Registration does not automatically mean someone has an obligation to serve. Even if the required draft is implemented (the last time that occurred during the Vietnam War), future service members must pass the mental and physical fitness requirements. If someone does not meet these requirements, they may be repeated or exempt from the mandatory services.
Conclusion
FAFSA no longer requires eligible individuals to be drafted to receive federal financial aid, but federal law may require them to do so. Unless you qualify for the exemption, failure to register will result in a risk of fines, prison time and other long-term consequences.
