Can I submit my FAFSA before my parent finishes their part?

You cant submit partially. The whole thing has to be complete before its officially submitted. Your dad needs to hurry up or your missing that scholarship deadliine.

The previous comment isn't entirely correct. You can start your section of the FAFSA and save your progress, but you cannot fully submit the application until all required information is provided - including your parent's information (if you're a dependent student). What you can do right now is: 1. Complete your student section entirely 2. Save your progress 3. Your parent can log in with their own FSA ID to complete their section later For your scholarship deadline - many schools will accept proof that you've started the FAFSA. Print the confirmation page showing you've completed your portion, and explain the situation. You might also get a confirmation email when you save your progress that you could forward to them.

i had the same issue last yr with my mom!!! she took FOREVER to do her part and i nearly lost my housing grant. ended up having to physically sit with her and make her fill it out while i watched lol. maybe try that??

To clarify a key point: The FAFSA is designed to work in sections, and while you absolutely cannot submit the full application until all required sections are complete, you can certainly complete your portion and save it. Here's what the process actually looks like: 1. You create your FSA ID and start the application 2. You complete your student information section 3. You save your progress (important!) 4. You can then provide your parent with the save key OR they can access it with their own FSA ID 5. They complete their portion 6. Then final submission can occur For your scholarship requirement specifically: Many scholarship programs that require "FAFSA submission" will accept proof that you've initiated the process if the delay is due to parent completion. Contact your scholarship coordinator directly, explain the situation, and provide documentation showing you've completed your portion. Most will work with you as this is a common issue. If your father is struggling with finding tax documents, remind him that the FAFSA now uses prior-prior year tax information, so he'll need his 2023 tax return for the 2025-2026 FAFSA cycle.

Just wanted to add that if your dad is really being difficult, you might consider looking into whether you qualify for a dependency override. If there are special circumstances that make it unreasonable to get your parent's information. But it's pretty hard to qualify for this - basically you need to be estranged or have other serious situations. Probably not relevant in your case but thought I'd mention it.

FAFSA is THE WORST about these parent deadlines!!! My mom waited till the last min last yr and I lost out on like $5000 in grants because we submitted late. The early money DOES run out despite what anyone says!!! The whole system is rigged against students with disorganized parents and it makes me FURIOUS. Why should MY financial aid depend on MY PARENTS getting their act together?? I'm an adult!!! Sorry for the rant but this triggered me lol

When I was trying to complete my FAFSA last year, I had to call the Federal Student Aid hotline because my dad and I kept getting confused about how to link his section with mine. I kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Someone recommended Claimyr.com to me and it was actually super helpful - they got me connected to a real person at FSA without the endless waiting. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Might be worth trying if you need to talk to someone at FSA directly about your situation.

just go to the financial aid office at your school. they can usually give you an extension on the fafsa deadline if you explain whats going on. worked for me.

One more thing to consider: Starting with the 2024-2025 application (and continuing for 2025-2026), the FAFSA has been significantly redesigned. The parent section is now called the "contributor" section, and the process is a bit different than in previous years. Your parent will need to be added as a contributor to your FAFSA, and they'll receive an email invitation to complete their section. This is a change from the old system, so if you or your father are referencing how things worked in the past, be aware the process has changed. Also, make sure you're using the official studentaid.gov site to complete your FAFSA. There are many look-alike sites that charge fees for what should be a free application.

Hey Connor! I went through this exact same situation last year and it was SO stressful. Here's what I learned: you definitely can't submit until everything is complete, but there are a few things you can do right now to help your situation. First, complete your entire student section tonight and save your progress - this will give you some documentation to show your scholarship committee that you've started the process. Second, try sitting down with your dad this weekend with a laptop and just power through his section together. Bring snacks and make it a "FAFSA party" - I know it sounds cheesy but it worked with my mom! For the scholarship deadline, email them NOW explaining the situation. Most committees understand that parent delays are common and will give you a short extension if you show proof you've completed your part. Don't wait until the last minute to reach out to them. Also, remind your dad that he needs his 2023 tax return for this cycle, not 2024. That might help him find the right documents faster. You've got this!