Glad to hear you got it resolved! For anyone else reading this in the future, I'd recommend following these steps before starting your FAFSA: 1. Create FSA IDs for student and parent(s) at least 3 days before starting application 2. Verify both email AND phone for each FSA ID 3. Use exactly the same name/SSN formatting on both FSA ID and FAFSA 4. Use Microsoft Edge with no extensions or Chrome in incognito mode 5. Complete the application during weekday business hours if possible Following these steps prevents most of the common submission problems.

As someone who just went through this nightmare with my own kid's FAFSA, I feel your pain! One thing that hasn't been mentioned yet - sometimes clearing your browser cache isn't enough. You might need to delete all stored FAFSA data and start the session fresh. Go to your browser settings and specifically delete cookies and site data for studentaid.gov. Then log back in and try the signature step again. Also, make sure you're not switching between browsers mid-application - the site sometimes gets confused about which session is active. The whole process is ridiculously buggy but once you figure out the right combination of settings it usually works. Hang in there!

One more piece of advice: BYU-Idaho likely has additional scholarship opportunities specifically for non-traditional or adult students returning to education. Once you complete your FAFSA, reach out to their financial aid office directly to ask about any institutional aid you might qualify for. Many schools have funds set aside specifically for students in your situation that aren't part of the federal aid system. Also, be prepared to provide documentation of your lack of income. Sometimes the financial aid office may request verification, which could include a simple statement explaining your financial situation since you haven't been employed.

Tami, you're going to do great! As someone who works in financial aid, I can confirm everything others have said - you're in an excellent position as an independent student with no income. One thing I'd add is to keep all your documentation organized in a folder (digital or physical) because you might need to reference it later during verification or when applying for aid renewal each year. Also, don't forget about work-study opportunities if you're interested! Even online students can sometimes find remote work-study positions that can provide some extra income while you're in school. BYU-Idaho should be able to tell you what's available for Pathways students. The fact that you're taking this step at 54 is inspiring - education is never too late and you'll bring such valuable life experience to your studies!

One final tip - once she decides on a program and completes her FAFSA, she should immediately contact the financial aid office at that school. Graduate departments and financial aid offices don't always communicate well, and you want to ensure all possible funding sources are considered. Also, the financial aid package initially offered isn't always final. There's often room for negotiation, especially if she receives better offers from competing programs. This is particularly true for highly sought-after students or those with unique qualifications. Good luck to your daughter in her graduate studies!

As someone who recently went through the grad school FAFSA process, I can confirm it's much simpler than undergrad! Your daughter will definitely need to complete it for federal loans, but the independent status makes it so much easier - no parent financial info needed. One thing I wish I had known earlier: even if she doesn't think she'll need the full $20,500 in unsubsidized loans, it's worth completing the FAFSA anyway. Many universities use FAFSA completion as a requirement for consideration for their own institutional grants and merit-based aid, even if you don't qualify for federal grants. Also, timing matters more than I expected. While the FAFSA deadline might be later, many grad programs have much earlier priority deadlines for their best funding packages. I'd recommend she complete it as soon as the 2025-26 form opens in December, especially if she's applying to competitive programs.

update - finally got my ppl approved after 27 days! no explanation for delay, just randomly got the email today. hang in there!

Glad to hear you got through and found the issue! The credit freeze thing is so sneaky - I bet a lot of people don't realize that can hold up their application. Definitely keeping my fingers crossed that they stick to the 3-day timeline they gave you. It's crazy that they're having such major backlogs this year. Makes me wonder how many other families are going through this same stress right now. Thanks for the update and hope your daughter gets everything sorted before her deadline!

After spending weeks trying to resolve a similar issue, I finally got through to a helpful FAFSA representative who explained that there are actually two separate problems happening: 1. The general FAFSA processing delays affecting everyone 2. Specific IRS-to-FAFSA data transfer delays affecting some applicants You're dealing with #2, which unfortunately takes longer to resolve. However, the rep confirmed that schools can absolutely process a provisional aid package based on tax transcripts while waiting for the official data transfer. They recommended submitting: - IRS Tax Return Transcript - W-2 forms - A signed statement explaining the situation Based on my experience, I'd strongly recommend not signing the current loan-only package without an explicit written agreement from the school about adjustment once the tax data transfers. Most financial aid offices understand this situation is not your fault.

I'm dealing with this exact same situation right now! My daughter's FAFSA has been stuck since February with the IRS data transfer issue. After reading all these responses, I wanted to share what finally worked for us yesterday. I called the financial aid office and specifically asked to speak with someone about "FAFSA processing delays due to IRS data transfer issues" - using those exact words seemed to get me transferred to someone who actually knew what they were talking about. They immediately offered to process a provisional package based on our tax transcript and said they've been doing this for dozens of families this cycle. The key was being very specific about the problem rather than just saying "my FAFSA is delayed." They also mentioned that the Department of Education has given schools specific guidance on handling these cases, so if your school isn't being helpful, you might want to escalate or reference that guidance directly. Don't give up!