Federal Student Aid Authentication

specification: API Commons Authentication
specificationVersion: '0.1'
provider: Federal Student Aid
providerId: federal-student-aid
generated: '2026-09-09'
method: searched
source: https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/
docs: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/api-documentation/
modified: '2026-09-09'
description: >-
  Authentication profile for the one publicly callable API surface on this record,
  the College Scorecard API. It is fronted by api.data.gov, the shared federal API
  gateway, so the authentication model is the gateway's: a single API key, no OAuth,
  no scopes, no user identity. Federal Student Aid's own partner systems
  (FSA Partner Connect, COD, NSLDS, SAIG) authenticate through enrolled-organization
  credentials that are not documented publicly and are out of scope here.
schemes:
  - id: api_key_query
    type: apiKey
    in: query
    name: api_key
    applies_to: College Scorecard API
    required: true
    description: >-
      "To use the College Scorecard API you must have an API key... it is required
      for all API requests." Appended as ?api_key=YOUR_API_KEY.
    evidence: https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/data/api-documentation/
  - id: api_key_header
    type: apiKey
    in: header
    name: X-Api-Key
    applies_to: College Scorecard API
    required: false
    description: >-
      api.data.gov accepts the same key in an HTTP header instead of the query
      string. Preferred over the query parameter because the key does not then
      appear in access logs, referrers or browser history.
    evidence: https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/
  - id: api_key_basic
    type: http
    scheme: basic
    applies_to: College Scorecard API
    required: false
    description: >-
      api.data.gov also accepts the API key as the HTTP Basic Auth username with an
      empty password.
    evidence: https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/
oauth2: false
openid_connect: false
mutual_tls: false
scopes: none
scopes_note: >-
  No OAuth surface exists, so there is no scope model and no scopes/ artifact.
  A key is either valid or it is not; there is no per-resource authorization.
key_issuance:
  self_service: true
  signup_url: https://api.data.gov/signup/
  delivery: emailed
  approval: automatic
  cost: free
  note: >-
    Registration is a form plus a security challenge; the key is emailed. No
    contract, no billing relationship, no sales gate.
test_credentials:
  demo_key: DEMO_KEY
  demo_key_note: >-
    api.data.gov publishes a shared DEMO_KEY for exploration, rate limited to
    30 requests per IP per hour and 50 per IP per day. Verified live 2026-09-09
    against /ed/collegescorecard/v1/schools (HTTP 200).
  evidence: https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/
transport:
  https_required: true
  https_error: HTTPS_REQUIRED (HTTP 400)
  evidence: https://api.data.gov/docs/developer-manual/
failure_modes:
  - code: API_KEY_MISSING
    http_status: 403
    observed: true
    observed_note: >-
      Probed 2026-09-09 — GET https://api.data.gov/ed/collegescorecard/v1/schools
      with no key returned 403 with body {"error":{"code":"API_KEY_MISSING", ...}}.
  - code: API_KEY_INVALID
    http_status: 403
    observed: false
  - code: API_KEY_DISABLED
    http_status: 403
    observed: false
  - code: API_KEY_UNAUTHORIZED
    http_status: 403
    observed: false
  - code: API_KEY_UNVERIFIED
    http_status: 403
    observed: false
gated_surfaces:
  - name: FSA Partner Connect / SAIG
    url: https://fsapartners.ed.gov/help-center/access-to-fsa-systems
    model: enrolled-organization credentials
    public_contract: false
    note: >-
      Schools, servicers and vendors exchange data with FSA through the Student Aid
      Internet Gateway using enrollment-issued credentials and batch software
      (EDconnect / TDClient). No public authentication documentation, no public
      contract.