Embodiments of the invention are directed to a system, method, and a computer program product for a user authentication based on self-selected preferences. The system typically including a memory, a processor, and a module configured to receive a request to execute a user action from a user associated with an application, wherein the user action requires validation of one or more authentication credentials; access a user-selected preference indicating a level of authentication associated with a user-selected preference as desired by the user; determine authentication types from a plurality of authentication types associated with the level of authentication and the user-selected preference; request one or more authentication credentials corresponding to the determined one or more authentication types; receive one or more authentication credentials from the user; validate the one or more authentication credentials and in response to the successful validation of the one or more authentication credentials, execute the user action.