FAFSA 2025-2026 parent login stuck with endless blue loading dot - any solutions?

same thing happening to me!!! been trying for 3 days straight. blue dot just spins and spins and spins. called the number and was on hold for 45 minutes before i had to hang up for work. this is ridiculous.

I had this exact issue two nights ago. After multiple attempts, I discovered that it was related to my internet connection. When I switched from WiFi to my phone's hotspot, the blue dot finally disappeared and the form loaded. Something about the stability of the connection seems to matter with the new FAFSA system. Not sure if that helps, but worth trying!

The blue dot issue is unfortunately common with the new FAFSA system, especially for parent contributors. A few technical points that might help: 1. The parent invitation expires after 14 days, so make sure you're within that window 2. Try accessing the site during off-peak hours (very early morning) 3. Make sure your FSA ID hasn't been locked due to too many login attempts 4. Check that your browser is allowing cookies from studentaid.gov 5. Try using incognito/private browsing mode If these steps don't work, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. They can verify if there's an issue with your specific account that's preventing access.

I had the same problem last week and almost lost my mind. None of the regular troubleshooting worked. What finally fixed it was using a completely different device - I ended up using my kid's laptop instead of mine. For some reason, the FAFSA site seems to have issues with certain device/OS combinations this year. Also, double-check that your parent FSA ID email exactly matches the email your student entered in their portion. Even small differences can cause the blue dot problem. The 2025-2026 FAFSA is especially picky about this.

After spending FOUR HOURS on the phone trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid last week for this EXACT SAME PROBLEM, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an agent in less than 10 minutes. They confirmed it was a known issue affecting certain parent accounts and had to do something on their end to fix it. Watch their demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ to see how it works. Seriously saved my sanity and got our FAFSA submitted before the priority deadline!

This is my 3rd year doing FAFSA and I swear each year gets worse!! 🤬 Last year we had the whole SAI calculation mess and now this blue dot nightmare. I'm convinced they deliberately make it difficult so people give up and don't get financial aid. The whole system is rigged against middle class families anyway. My son has a 3.8 GPA and we still barely get anything because on paper we make "too much" even though we're drowning in mortgage payments and medical bills. Sorry for the rant but I'm so DONE with this broken system.

UPDATE: The Department of Education just posted on their social media that they're aware of the parent contributor blue dot issue and are implementing a fix within the next 24-48 hours. In the meantime, they recommend: 1. Make sure both the student and parent are using the latest version of their respective browsers 2. Try logging in with a mobile device 3. Verify that you're using the correct FSA ID login credentials If you're approaching a school's priority deadline, they suggest contacting your school's financial aid office directly to request an extension due to the technical issues. Most schools are aware of the problems and are being flexible with deadlines.

Hey everyone! Just wanted to let you know I FINALLY got past the blue dot after trying so many different things. What worked: logging in from my phone (not the app, just the website on my phone browser), and toggling airplane mode on/off right before clicking the login button. Sounds weird but it worked! Completed my parent portion last night and got the confirmation email this morning. SAI score was 15460, which is about what we expected based on our income.

Just joining this thread as someone who went through the exact same nightmare last month! The blue dot issue seems to be affecting a lot of parent contributors this year. A few additional tips that helped me after trying everything mentioned here: 1. Clear your browser's SSL cache (not just cookies/history) - this was the game changer for me 2. Try logging in during lunch hours (11am-2pm) when traffic seems lighter 3. If you're using a VPN, turn it off completely 4. Make sure your antivirus isn't blocking the site's scripts Also wanted to add that if you do get locked out of your FSA ID from too many attempts, you have to wait 24 hours before trying again - learned that the hard way! The phone method that @Talia Klein mentioned is brilliant though. Sometimes the mobile version of the site handles the authentication differently than desktop. Hang in there everyone - the system is definitely broken but there are workarounds!