 TITLE: Does the FAFSA Affect Your Credit Scores? CONTENT: Does FAFSA Require a Credit Check?\n----------------------------------\nIf you'd like to receive federal student loans, your first step should be making sure you meet the eligibility requirements. Your second step should be filling out the FAFSA, which will ask questions about your—and, if you're a dependent, your parents'—income and savings.\nThe one thing it won't ask for? Your credit scores.\nThat's because, with the exception of parent PLUS loans, most federal student loans don't require a credit check. They are available to prospective students without regard to creditworthiness, and come with a fixed interest rate. (That's why they're the best student loans for bad credit.)\nCompleting the FAFSA, therefore, won't result in a hard inquiry on your credit report or affect your credit scores in any way.\nPrivate student loans are a different story, as your approval and terms are based on your credit history. So when you apply for a private student loan, lenders will run a hard credit check, which can cause a small, temporary dip in your scores. Read more about private student loans. END