Can't find student's SAI number on parentplus.gov - are parents blocked from viewing this?

Unfortunately, you're right - the SAI (Student Aid Index) is only displayed in the student's account. Parents can help complete the FAFSA and see contribution information, but the actual SAI number is only shown to the student after processing. It's one of those frustrating disconnects in the system. Your daughter will need to log in to her own studentaid.gov account, go to the FAFSA Submission page, and look for her processed application. The SAI appears on the confirmation page and in the Student Aid Report (SAR).

this happened 2 me last yr! had 2 wait for my son 2 send me a screenshot of his SAI. super annoying system!!

The SAI restriction is intentional due to privacy regulations under FERPA. Even though you're providing financial information as a parent, the SAI is considered part of the student's educational record. There are three potential solutions: 1. Have your daughter log into studentaid.gov and check her SAI (which you mentioned isn't practical right now) 2. Contact the financial aid office directly and explain the situation - they may have a process for verifying your identity as the parent and providing the SAI 3. If your daughter has set up the FAFSA permissions correctly, she may have granted you authorization to discuss her application, which might allow you to request the SAI from Federal Student Aid directly The SAI should appear on her Student Aid Report (SAR), which is typically available 3-5 days after submission if there were no errors.

The entire FAFSA system is DELIBERATELY DESIGNED to be difficult for parents!! I went through this exact nightmare last year - couldn't see the SAI, couldn't talk to anyone at FSA, and missed scholarship deadlines because of it. And don't even get me started on the CSS Profile which costs $$$$ for each school! The financial aid system is BROKEN.

I had a similar issue reaching Federal Student Aid to get my son's SAI number. After spending days trying to get through their regular phone line, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 10 minutes. They verified my identity since I was listed as an authorized parent on my son's FAFSA, and the agent was able to provide the SAI number over the phone. Saved me from missing his scholarship deadline! They have a video demo of how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Heyy there ~ not sure if this helps but have you checked the email address that was used for the FAFSA application? Both my son and I received an email with the SAI in it about a week after submitting! The email came from noreply@studentaid.gov with the subject "Your 2025-2026 FAFSA® Form Has Been Processed" and the SAI was listed right at the top of the email. Maybe check your spam folder too?

A quick update on the most recent FAFSA rules - if you haven't received an SAI email within 7-10 days of submission, there might be an issue with your application. The most common reasons are: 1. Signature problems (both student and parent need to sign) 2. Mismatched information that triggered a verification flag 3. Technical processing delays (which have been happening a lot this application cycle) You can check application status on studentaid.gov - even from your parent account, you should see if there's a "More Information Needed" status or if it still shows as "Processing.