after u get thru to fsa ask them to check if ur application is in error status. sometimes it gets stuck but doesnt show that to u. they have to reset something on there end to fix it

Good news - I just spoke with an FSA representative about a similar issue today. They said they're aware of a system-wide delay in the federal approval process affecting applications submitted in the last month. They're working on a fix that should process all backlogged applications by the end of this week. In the meantime, definitely contact your daughter's schools. Most financial aid offices are well aware of these FAFSA delays and have processes in place to work with students affected by them. Some are offering provisional financial aid packages based on previous year information while waiting for the official SAI calculation.

anyone else notice that every single year theres some kind of fafsa drama? but this year is like extra special terrible lol

UPDATE: The Department of Education just sent out an email to financial aid administrators confirming that correction access is now planned for July 17th, with a phased rollout. They've also announced they're adding additional support resources for institutions, including extended support hours and a dedicated hotline for processing questions. For those working with individual student issues, they've emphasized that students should still submit correction requests through studentaid.gov if possible, even though some corrections require institutional review. They've also officially acknowledged that the August 9th batch processing target date is still their goal, but with the caveat that it's dependent on the successful implementation of the correction access phase.

The whole deadline system is a JOKE and deliberately confusing!!! My cousin filed by the "deadline" (the federal June 30 one) last year and ended up with ZERO grants because all the school and state money was gone. These different deadlines are just a way to trick students who don't have parents who understand the system. It's financial aid gatekeeping and it's GROSS.

To directly answer your question about where to find all the different deadlines: 1. Federal deadline: Always June 30 at the end of the academic year (so June 30, 2026 for 2025-2026 aid) 2. State deadlines: You can find these at: https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines (they update this page each year) 3. School deadlines: You need to check each school's financial aid website or contact their financial aid office directly This is why we always recommend submitting the FAFSA as soon as possible after October 1. It's the only way to ensure you don't miss any deadlines.

THIS IS WHY I HATE FAFSA!!! They make these stupid mistakes and then make it IMPOSSIBLE to reach them to fix it. The whole system needs to be completely redesigned. It shouldn't be this difficult just to apply for financial aid that we QUALIFY for!

After trying all the suggestions here, please update us on what ended up working! It would really help other parents dealing with the same issue. Good luck!

Returning to the original question: for the "stuck in Review" issue, it will eventually complete processing, but if you need to make changes quickly (especially if your college deadlines are approaching), I recommend contacting Federal Student Aid directly. After the Review period ends, you'll have an opportunity to make corrections by clicking "Make FAFSA Corrections" after logging in. This allows you to update any information before your schools process your application. Just remember that any corrections will require signatures again from both you and your son.

btw if you do need to fix stuff after it processes remember your son will need to sign AGAIN after you make the changes. my daughter didnt realize she had to sign again after i fixed some tax info and we lost another week waiting 🙄