FAFSA 2024-2025 not showing student loan options like previous years?
I just finished submitting my 2024-2025 FAFSA application last week and noticed something weird. In previous years (2022-23 and 2023-24), I could see my estimated student loan offers right after getting my SAI score. This year, there's nothing about loans in my aid estimate at all. Just shows my Pell Grant eligibility. I'm freaking out because I NEED those loans to cover my tuition balance. Is this a new FAFSA thing with the changes or did something go wrong with my application? My EFC/SAI is pretty similar to last year so I should qualify for similar loans. Has anyone else noticed this difference?
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Chloe Zhang
The new 2024-25 FAFSA is completely different from previous years. What you're seeing is normal - the Federal Student Aid site now ONLY shows your SAI (Student Aid Index) and potential Pell Grant eligibility. Your actual loan offers now come directly from your school's financial aid office after they receive your FAFSA data. They'll put together your complete financial aid package including loans, work-study, etc. This is definitely confusing a lot of students this year!
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Sophia Carter
•Omg thank you! So I have to wait for my school to contact me? Do you know how long that usually takes? My tuition deposit is due in like 3 weeks and I'm stressing about whether I'll have enough money.
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Brandon Parker
same here! completed mine 2 weeks ago and was looking for the loan info. glad you asked bc i was about to call and sit on hold forever
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Adriana Cohn
This is actually part of the FAFSA simplification changes. Lots of students are confused this year because the process is different. You won't see any loan offers on studentaid.gov anymore - your school's financial aid office will send you an aid package with loans included. My daughter is a sophomore and we had the same confusion until we called her school's financial aid office.
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Sophia Carter
•Thanks for confirming! I'm calling my school tomorrow morning.
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Jace Caspullo
Financial aid advisor here. This is 100% normal with the new FAFSA. The Department of Education changed how aid information is provided. Now the FAFSA only calculates your SAI and Pell Grant eligibility. Schools receive your FAFSA data and then build your complete aid package including Direct Loans, PLUS loans, work study, and institutional aid. Most schools are sending out aid packages 3-4 weeks after receiving FAFSA data this year. If you're concerned about timing, I recommend calling your school's financial aid office directly to ask about their timeline.
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Melody Miles
•i tried calling my schools financial aid office and was on hold for TWO HOURS before getting disconnected!!! this new system is the WORST and no one can get answers!!!
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Nathaniel Mikhaylov
•I had the same problem trying to reach my school's financial aid office - constantly on hold or getting disconnected. I found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that helped me actually reach a person at the Federal Student Aid help center to explain the new process. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. It saved me hours of frustration and I finally got confirmation about when schools receive the FAFSA information.
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Eva St. Cyr
My niece had this same issue last month and was totally panicking. Its just the new system. Colleges get the info and then make the full aid package with loans. Her school took about 3 weeks to send the full package with the loans. Dont worry!
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Sophia Carter
Update: I finally got through to my school's financial aid office! They confirmed they're working on aid packages now and expect to send them out within 2 weeks. They said I can request an extension on my tuition deposit if needed. So relieved! Thanks everyone for the help!!
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Chloe Zhang
•Great news! This is definitely a transition year with all the FAFSA changes. For anyone else reading this - yes, it's completely normal not to see loan offers on studentaid.gov anymore!
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Eva St. Cyr
•told u! glad its working out!!
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Brandon Parker
wait so does this mean we don't have to accept loans on studentaid.gov anymore either? in past years I had to log in and electronically sign for the loans after my school sent the award letter
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Jace Caspullo
•Good question! You'll still need to complete entrance counseling and sign your Master Promissory Note (MPN) on studentaid.gov for any federal loans you accept. But the actual loan acceptance process now happens through your school's financial aid portal rather than on the federal site. Each school handles this slightly differently, so follow the instructions in your award letter carefully.
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Kristian Bishop
my brother jus went thru this whole mess. its so annoying they changed everything!! he had to wait 3 1/2 weeks to get his loans. the new fafsa is such a disaster this year smh
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Rachel Clark
I'm going through the exact same thing right now! Just submitted my FAFSA last week and was so confused when I only saw my SAI and Pell Grant info. I kept refreshing the page thinking it was a glitch. This thread is super helpful - at least now I know it's normal and not something wrong with my application. Going to call my school's financial aid office tomorrow to ask about their timeline. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!
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