I'm so glad I found this thread! I was literally about to call my school's financial aid office in a panic because I thought something went wrong with my application. I've been filing the FAFSA for 3 years now for my grad program and always relied on seeing that loan eligibility confirmation at the end. It's honestly pretty poor user experience design to remove information that students have come to expect and rely on, especially without any clear communication about the change. Thanks everyone for confirming this is just a display issue and not an actual eligibility problem!

Just adding my voice to confirm this is happening to everyone! I submitted my FAFSA for 2025-2026 two weeks ago and had the exact same experience - no loan eligibility amount shown on the confirmation screen, which definitely freaked me out initially. I'm a second-year PhD student and have been relying on those Direct Unsubsidized loans, so seeing nothing about loans was alarming. After reading this thread and calling my university's financial aid office, they confirmed it's just a system display change and my $20,500 annual loan eligibility is still intact. Really wish the Department of Education had communicated this change better - would have saved a lot of students unnecessary stress! For anyone still worried, definitely reach out to your school's financial aid office for peace of mind.

Don't give up hope! I went through this exact situation with my son two years ago. SAI of 8500, no Pell Grant, but he ended up with a great aid package. Here's what worked for us: 1) Applied to multiple schools (in-state publics were most generous), 2) Immediately contacted financial aid offices after getting packages to explain our SNAP/free lunch situation, 3) Most importantly - filled out every single scholarship application we could find, both through schools and external organizations. My son ended up with enough aid to cover most of his costs. The SAI is just the starting point, not the end of your story!

I'm in a similar boat with my daughter! We got an SAI of 7800 and no Pell Grant either, even though we're on SNAP and WIC. It's so confusing how these different programs don't align. Reading through all these responses is really helpful though - sounds like there's still hope for decent aid packages from individual schools. I'm definitely going to look into state grants and plan to appeal to schools with documentation of our benefits. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences, this thread is a goldmine of information!

UPDATE: I finally got through to FSA after using that Claimyr service someone recommended. The agent was super helpful and explained that I can start the FAFSA without my mom's information and then document the special circumstances. She also suggested I gather evidence that I don't live with or receive support from my mom (like my current address documentation, utility bills in my name, etc.). I've also scheduled a meeting with my school's financial aid office next week. They said they might be able to help with a professional judgment review once my FAFSA is submitted. Thank you all for the advice - I'm still stressed but at least I have a plan now!

That's such a relief to hear you found a path forward! I'm dealing with a similar situation with my dad who moved across the country. The documentation tip is really helpful - I hadn't thought about gathering utility bills and address proof. Good luck with your financial aid meeting, and thanks for sharing the update. It gives me hope that there are actual solutions even when the system feels impossible to navigate!

Thank you all so much for the advice. I'm going to: 1. Include my stepdad's disability income on the FAFSA as required 2. Immediately prepare special circumstances documentation for each school 3. Try that Claimyr service to get official clarification from FSA 4. Apply to a few more schools that might have better institutional aid It's frustrating that we have to report income that's basically consumed by medical expenses, but at least now I have a plan. I'll update if I get anywhere with the special circumstances appeals.

I went through something similar last year! My stepdad's disability income really hurt our financial aid prospects too. One thing that helped was reaching out to the financial aid offices BEFORE submitting the FAFSA to ask about their professional judgment policies. Some schools were way more helpful than others in explaining what documentation they'd need for medical expense appeals. Also, don't just focus on the big state schools - some smaller private colleges have way more flexibility with institutional aid and are more willing to work with families dealing with medical expenses. I ended up getting a much better aid package from a school I almost didn't apply to because I thought it would be too expensive. Keep pushing on those appeals even if the first response isn't great. Sometimes it takes multiple conversations to get to someone who really understands the situation.

Great news! This is exactly why in-person visits can be so helpful. One small tip for future reference - keep a folder with all your financial aid documents including verification forms, tax transcripts, SAR, etc. This will make the process much smoother next year, as many of the same documents are often needed again. Glad you got it resolved before the priority deadline!

As someone who just went through this nightmare last semester, I feel your pain! The verification process is so stressful when you're already worried about financial aid deadlines. One thing that saved me was setting up an IRS online account for my parents - if they can verify their identity online, they can get the tax transcript immediately rather than waiting 10 days for mail. You need their Social Security number, filing status, and some info from their previous year's return, but it's way faster than the mail option. Also, definitely keep copies of everything you submit! I learned the hard way that documents sometimes get "lost" in the system and you'll need to resubmit. Take photos of everything before you hand it over or upload it. Hope you get everything sorted before your deadline - sounds like you're on the right track now that you found those hidden forms!