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Has anyone had success getting their SAI calculated with a missing parent signature? My husband is deployed overseas with limited internet access and can't easily sign. I feel like there should be exceptions for military families but I can't get a straight answer from anyone!
For military families with deployed parents, you can request a signature exception. Call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243 and specifically ask for a "signature exception due to military deployment." You'll need to provide documentation of the deployment. They should be able to process your FAFSA without that signature once verified.
just got our SAI number finally!!! took 11 business days after adding my mom's signature. hope this helps someone estimate their timeline!
WAIT - before you do anything else, check if your school has emergency grants available! My university had special COVID relief funds that carried over, and then they also have donor-funded emergency grants for students with sudden financial gaps. I was in almost this exact situation last year (needed about $5000 more) and was able to get $3500 in emergency grant money that I DIDN'T HAVE TO PAY BACK. Also, definitely try appealing your financial aid as someone else suggested. My friend's SAI (Student Aid Index) was recalculated after her mom lost her job, and she got a significant increase in her aid package. Personal loans are better than credit cards, but exhaust all your free money options first!!
Noticed nobody mentioned another option - if your parents have good credit, a Parent PLUS loan might be a better choice than either private student loans OR personal loans. The current fixed rate is 8.05% which isn't great but it's still better than most private loans, AND the interest IS tax-deductible because it's an official federal student loan. Just another option to consider!
when I filled out my FASFA last november it also showed a weird number before I finished everything but then changed completely when I submitted all the W-2 info so dont worry about it yet
UPDATE: Finally reached someone at FSA after trying for three days! They confirmed it's just a provisional calculation based on the minimal info we provided. The agent said to ignore it completely and that our real SAI will be calculated once we finish the application with our tax information. Thanks everyone for your help!
anyone else think its crazy how they completely redesigned FAFSA and somehow made it MORE broken than before? like how do they mess up something as basic as electronic signatures in 2025?
UPDATE: I just checked the FSA Twitter account, and they've acknowledged the signature issue. They're supposedly implementing a fix within the next 48 hours. In the meantime, they recommend contacting your college's financial aid office to notify them of the technical problem, as they're providing extensions for affected students.
Mikayla Davison
The whole FAFSA system is DELIBERATELY COMPLICATED to discourage people from getting aid!!! My daughter's cosmetology school told us one thing about her eligibility for grants and then the actual amount was HALF what they promised once the SAI came back. They kept saying "oh the federal formula changed" but they knew all along!!! Now she has loans she never wanted. Make sure you get EVERYTHING in writing from the school!!
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Max Reyes
•While I understand your frustration, the issue may not be deliberate deception. Cosmetology schools (and all schools) can only provide estimates before the FAFSA is processed. The 2025-2026 FAFSA uses the new SAI formula instead of the old EFC, which calculates aid eligibility differently. Many schools are still adjusting to these changes. That said, I absolutely agree with getting all financial aid promises in writing, and asking for a detailed breakdown of how aid is calculated for clock-hour programs specifically. The formulas are different than traditional semester-based programs.
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Savannah Glover
Update: We got everything sorted out! Found the manual entry option and added the school code. My son talked to the financial aid office at Bellamy today and they explained that because it's a clock-hour program, they calculate Pell Grants differently, but he should still qualify based on our financial situation. They're sending us a pre-award letter with estimates next week. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Felicity Bud
•That's great news! I'm glad you got it all sorted out. One final tip - make sure your son understands that for shorter programs like cosmetology, the disbursement schedule for aid might be different than what you'd see at a traditional college. Rather than getting aid at the beginning of each semester, funding is often tied to completing a certain number of clock hours. This can affect when funds are released for things like supplies and living expenses.
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