SSN Changes | Office of the Registrar | SIU

SSN Changes

Why am I asked for my Social Security Number?

Your Social Security Number (SSN) is requested pursuant to Public Law 93-579 for the University's system of student records, as well as for compliance with federal and state reporting requirements.  Your SSN is not required for admission to the University.

Your SSN is required if you are applying for financial aid, especially for financial aid that includes Title IV loans and grants tracked through the National Student Loan Data System (NSLDS).  As part of completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, you must supply your SSN.

Your SSN is also required if you wish to receive from the University a Form 1098-T "Tuition Payments Statement."  (These are produced annually by the Bursar's Office in late January.)  You may be able to use the 1098-T to claim certain education-related tax credits that will reduce your annual federal income tax (see here for more info).  The University also reports information from the 1098-T directly to the IRS based on your SSN.

How do I correct my SSN that I previously submitted?

SSN changes can not be done within SalukiNet Self-Service.  SSN changes can not be done via a phone call either.

If you need to verify and/or correct the SSN that is already on file with the University, you may come to the Registrar's Office to do so, on the second floor of the Student Services Building.  You will need to bring a copy of your Social Security card to show to an appropriate staff member.  Alternatively, you can do so while at the Financial Aid Office or the Bursar's Office (both of which are also on the second floor of the Student Services Building).

If you unable to come to the Student Services Building to submit and/or correct your SSN, you will need to provide proper proof of your SSN in a different way.  Please do not send via e-mail any documentation that has your SSN on it, since e-mail is normally an insecure method of transport.  Instead, you should send copies of the front and back of your Social Security card via US mail to the postal address noted under the Contact Us section on the left side of this web page.

As another option, the Bursar's Office web site has a W-9S form that can be completed, signed, and submitted to us.  You would also send this via US mail to the postal address noted on this web page.  But the preferred documentation to mail to us would be a copy of your Social Security card.

If you have any questions or concerns about how to get SSN documentation to us safely and securely, please call or e-mail us using the contact information noted under Contact Us (but do not e-mail your SSN).

How do I submit my SSN for the first time?

If you did not submit your SSN to the University when you applied for admission, you may come to the Registrar's Office to do so, as noted in the previous section.

Do a lot of people at the University have access to my SSN?

In case you are concerned about the security of your SSN, please understand that only a small number of University offices are permitted to access a student's SSN.

The Registrar's Office, the Financial Aid Office, and the Bursar's Office are three of the primary offices that have such access (but even within those three offices, not all staff have access to your SSN).  The interactions of those three offices with federal entities that deal with post-secondary student education require them to utilize the student SSN, but most other University offices do not need to deal with the student SSN (like they may have needed to years ago when the SSN was the student ID), and thus do not have access to it.

I also work for the University.  Is there anything else I need to do?

The SSN change process described on this page will affect only your SIU student records.  If you are also an employee or a graduate assistant, you will need to contact Human Resources (Payroll) to update your SSN within their system.  If you are a student worker, you should contact Student Employment Services.