Can't navigate back to FAFSA demographics page - stuck in form loop
Is anyone else having trouble editing the demographics section on the new FAFSA form? I'm trying to go back and fix some info I entered incorrectly (my parent's street address has a typo), but when I click on the demographics category in the sidebar, it just collapses and reopens the current section I'm in. There's literally no button or option to edit the previous information. I've tried refreshing, logging out/in, and even switching browsers. Nothing works! The FSA website is so frustrating this year. Any ideas on how to navigate back to fix this info before I submit?
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Isabella Martin
omg yes!! been stuck on this for 2 days. every time i click demographics it just toggles open/closed. so annoying
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Ava Hernandez
•At least I'm not alone! Have you found any workaround? My submission deadline is coming up fast.
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Elijah Jackson
I encountered this same issue. What worked for me was clicking the "Save & Exit" button at the bottom of whatever page you're currently on, then when you log back in, you should see a different navigation menu that allows you to select specific form sections directly.
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Ava Hernandez
•Thanks, I'll try that right now! Do you know if it saves everything I've done so far? I don't want to lose all my work.
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Elijah Jackson
•Yes, it saves everything you've completed properly. Just make sure you see the confirmation message before closing the browser. When you log back in, you'll be able to resume and navigate to any section.
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Sophia Miller
this whole new FAFSA is a disaster!! took me 3 tries to even get logged in and then the parent contributor section kept crashing. they should have tested this better before releasing it
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Mason Davis
•Yep! And did you notice how the SAI calculations seem completely different this year? My expected contribution somehow went up by $3000 even though our family income actually decreased slightly. Makes no sense.
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Mia Rodriguez
The navigation issue you're experiencing is due to a known bug in the new FAFSA interface. Besides the Save & Exit method mentioned above, you can also try clicking on the progress bar at the top of the form (the little circles showing completed sections). That sometimes allows you to jump back to previous sections. If that doesn't work, try clicking on the "Student Demographics" text in the sidebar instead of the arrow/icon next to it. Some users reported that clicking the text itself works differently than clicking the expand/collapse controls.
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Ava Hernandez
•That worked! I had to click the actual text, not the arrow. Thank you so much for this tip. Fixing my address now.
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Jacob Lewis
If you're still having trouble getting this resolved, I'd recommend using Claimyr to connect with an actual FSA agent. I was stuck in verification hell last month and couldn't get through on the phone after trying for days. Used claimyr.com and got connected in like 20 minutes. They have a video showing how it works too: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent I talked to was able to reset something on my application that fixed the navigation issues. Apparently it's a common problem they're aware of.
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Isabella Martin
•does that really work? i've been calling FSA for 3 days straight and just get disconnected every time
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Jacob Lewis
•It worked for me! The key is that they hold your place in line so you don't have to stay on the phone for hours. I was skeptical too but was desperate to get my verification issues fixed.
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Amelia Martinez
Don't worry too much about small typos in the address. I spoke with a financial aid officer at my college and she said minor address errors won't affect your SAI calculation or eligibility. They mainly care about the financial information being accurate. Just make sure your contact info (email/phone) is correct so they can reach you if needed.
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Ava Hernandez
•That's reassuring, but my parent's address is pretty wrong (wrong apartment number). I worry mail might go to the wrong place if they need to send anything. Got it fixed now though!
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Sophia Miller
anyone else notice how SLOW the site is? takes like 10 seconds to load between pages sometimes
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Mason Davis
•Mine crashed completely during the tax info section and I had to start all over! Lost an hour of work. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool failed twice before finally working.
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Elijah Jackson
For future reference, here are some navigation tips for the 2025-2026 FAFSA form: 1. Use the Save & Exit method to refresh navigation 2. Click on the text labels in the sidebar instead of icons 3. Use the progress indicators at the top to jump between sections 4. Clear your browser cache if experiencing persistent issues 5. The mobile version sometimes works better for navigation than desktop 6. Take screenshots of completed sections as backup Also, once you've submitted, keep your confirmation number. If you need to make corrections later, you'll use the "Correct Your FAFSA" option, which is more straightforward than the initial application navigation.
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Ava Hernandez
•This is incredibly helpful, thank you! I've taken screenshots of everything now just in case. The form is finally complete and submitted with the correct address. What a relief!
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