Ugh FAFSA is GARBAGE this year!! I had the same problem and tried EVERYTHING - even called them 3 times and got 3 different answers. What finally worked was the stupidest thing: I completely deleted my school list, saved it with NO schools, then went back and added them again. For whatever reason this reset something in the system and my continue button finally appeared. No idea why this works but it did for me and two friends. This new FAFSA is a complete disaster!!

UPDATE: IT WORKED!!! After trying literally everything suggested here, what finally worked was doing these three things together: 1. Removed all schools and re-added them (thanks @profile5!) 2. Cleared cache and cookies 3. Zoomed out to 75% on Firefox The continue button magically appeared! My application is now showing "Processed" instead of "In Progress" and I got my confirmation email with my SAI score. THANK YOU ALL SO MUCH for your help - you saved me from losing out on thousands in financial aid!

Update for everyone following this thread: The Department of Education recently acknowledged the signature notification issues with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. They've directed state agencies (including California Student Aid Commission) to accept appeals with documentation showing application attempts prior to deadlines. Specifically for Cal Grants, they're reviewing applications that were started before May 2nd even if the signature wasn't completed until later. OP should definitely proceed with the appeal process, as there's now official guidance to accommodate these system-related issues.

I'm so glad you found that March 15th email - that's going to be crucial for your appeal! As someone who went through a similar situation last year, I'd also recommend checking your college's financial aid portal to see if there's any record of them receiving your FAFSA data in March. Sometimes schools get the information even when the federal system shows incomplete status. Also, when you meet with your financial aid office tomorrow, ask them to check if your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) was calculated back in March - if it was, that's another piece of evidence that your FAFSA was substantially complete before the deadline. Many schools are being very understanding about these technical glitches this year, especially since the Department of Education has acknowledged the problems. Keep us posted on how your appeal goes - your story could really help other students dealing with the same issue!

One more thing to consider - if you're denied the PLUS loan due to adverse credit history, your daughter becomes eligible for the additional unsubsidized loan amount, but you could also find someone else (like a grandparent or other relative with good credit) to endorse your PLUS loan application. This is similar to having a co-signer and could allow you to still get the PLUS loan with the federal protections and generally lower interest rates.

I went through something very similar when my husband had a heart attack and we fell behind on bills. Here's what I learned: definitely start with the PLUS appeal first - medical hardship is one of the strongest grounds for reversal. When you call FSA, have all your medical documentation ready (hospital records, disability paperwork, etc.) and a timeline showing how the medical issues directly caused the late payments. If the appeal fails, your daughter automatically gets about $4,000 more in federal unsubsidized loans, which should cover a good chunk of what you need. Only consider Sallie Mae or other private loans for whatever gap remains after maxing out all federal options. The interest rates and lack of protections on private loans are brutal - my neighbor's son is still paying 12% interest on his Sallie Mae loan from 2018! Also check if your daughter's current employers offer any tuition assistance - even small amounts help reduce how much you need to borrow.

Oh, also!!! Make sure your daughter fills out the CSS Profile too if any of her schools require it! Some private schools use that IN ADDITION TO the FAFSA and it sometimes gives you more opportunity to explain special circumstances. We actually found the CSS Profile schools were more flexible with our income change than the FAFSA-only schools.

I'm going through something very similar right now! My spouse lost their job in early 2024 and we're terrified about how our 2023 income will affect our daughter's aid eligibility. Reading through all these responses has been incredibly helpful - I had no idea about professional judgment requests. It sounds like the key is to be proactive and contact each school's financial aid office immediately after submitting the FAFSA rather than waiting. One question for those who've been through this process: did any of you find that certain types of schools (public vs private, large vs small) were more receptive to these appeals? I'm wondering if we should adjust our application strategy based on which schools might be more flexible with special circumstances. Thank you all for sharing your experiences - it's giving me hope that we have options!

Anyone know if they automatically notify you when there's a problem?? Or do they just leave your application sitting there forever? I feel like mine is just lost in some digital black hole and no one will ever look at it...

Just wanted to share our experience to help ease some anxiety - we submitted our daughter's FAFSA on January 15th and got the SAI back yesterday (January 27th), so exactly 12 days including weekends. No verification issues, thankfully! I was really stressed about her February 1st deadline at her top choice school, but I called their financial aid office last week and they said they're used to FAFSA delays and won't penalize students as long as the application was submitted before the deadline. They even mentioned they've extended their internal processing timeline this year specifically because of the volume delays everyone's experiencing. For anyone still waiting - hang in there! The schools really do seem to understand what's happening with processing times right now.