FAFSA 2025-2026 results delay - has anyone received SAI scores for their dependent yet?

This waiting game is killing me!! I submitted my son's FAFSA application on Oct 15th and still nothing. The studentaid.gov dashboard just says "processing" with no estimated completion date. Has anyone actually gotten their SAI score or financial aid package back yet for the 2025-2026 year? My son's college has a Feb 28 priority deadline for institutional aid and I'm starting to panic. Is everyone else still waiting too or is something wrong with our application?

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16 comments

Isabella Martin

•9M

We got our SAI score last week, but we submitted on October 1st (the first day it opened). The processing times this year are much longer than previous application cycles. From what I've seen on other forums, people are waiting 4-6 weeks minimum right now. If you submitted mid-October, I'd expect to see results in the next week or so. Don't panic about the February deadline - colleges understand the FAFSA delays this cycle and many have extended their priority deadlines accordingly. I'd recommend checking your son's college financial aid website to see if they've announced any changes to deadlines.

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Mason Davis

•9M

I understand your frustration - the wait times this year have been exceptionally long. If you're struggling to reach someone at Federal Student Aid, I recently discovered a service called Claimyr that helped me get through to an agent within minutes instead of hours. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ It really saved me when I was dealing with a verification issue on my daughter's application. Just sharing in case it helps you get some answers about your application status.

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Jacob Lewis

•9M

I work in financial aid at a community college, and I can tell you that processing times are significantly delayed this year. Many families are experiencing 5-6 week wait times, and there's a bottleneck in the verification process. The good news is that most colleges are aware of these delays and are adjusting their internal deadlines accordingly. However, I recommend contacting your son's specific college financial aid office directly to confirm how they're handling the FAFSA delays this year. A few tips that might help: 1. Make sure you check the email associated with your FSA ID regularly (including spam folders) 2. Log into studentaid.gov at least weekly to check status 3. If your application gets selected for verification, respond with documentation immediately 4. Don't submit corrections unless absolutely necessary, as this resets your place in line Hope this helps!

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Isabella Martin

•9M

Yes, they completely changed the formula this year! The FAFSA Simplification Act eliminated many of the previous deductions and changed how they calculate the Student Aid Index (formerly EFC). Some of the biggest changes include: 1. They no longer subtract state and local tax allowances 2. They changed how they treat multiple students in college 3. They adjusted the income protection allowance 4. They eliminated the small business/farm asset protection Most middle-income families are seeing higher SAI calculations, unfortunately. It's worth appealing directly to your college's financial aid office if the new SAI doesn't reflect your actual ability to pay.

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