FAFSA Parent Contribution stuck on 'Currently Active' page - help!

Ugh, same exact thing happened to me last week with my daughter's FAFSA! The 'Currently Active' thing is super misleading. You actually need to look for a small button that says 'Start' or 'Continue' somewhere on that page - it's really easy to miss. For me it was in the upper right corner but kinda grayed out so I didn't notice it at first. The new FAFSA portal is honestly terrible compared to the old system.

Thanks for responding! I looked everywhere on the page and don't see any 'Start' or 'Continue' button anywhere, not even grayed out. I'm wondering if I'm even on the right page? The email invitation link takes me straight to studentaid.gov but then I just get stuck.

chck ur email again? maybe u need 2 create FSA ID first before u can access the parent contribution part. thats what i had 2 do

I already created my FSA ID about a month ago when my son first started his application. I used that to log in when I clicked the link he sent.

There are several common issues that could be causing this problem:\n\n1. Your FSA ID might not be properly linked to your student's FAFSA application. When your son sent the invitation, did he use the exact email address associated with your FSA ID?\n\n2. There's a known bug in the current FAFSA system where the parent contribution page sometimes doesn't load properly if you're using certain browsers or have specific privacy settings enabled. Try using Chrome in incognito mode with cookies enabled.\n\n3. The parent dashboard view is different from the student view. Look for a section called \

Thank you for these suggestions! I just checked with my son and he definitely used the right email. I'll try Chrome incognito mode now. Do you know if there's a way to request a new invitation link if this one isn't working?

This is a common issue with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The system was redesigned and there are quite a few bugs still being worked out. One thing that worked for several parents I've helped: try logging out completely, clearing your browser cache, then going directly to studentaid.gov (NOT through the email link). Log in with your FSA ID, and look for a section called \

The new FAFSA is SUCH a disaster!!! My daughter's application has been stuck in processing for 5 weeks because of these technical issues and her college is asking for it!! How did they make something WORSE than before??

I actually just went through this exact issue with my son's application. The \

Thank you! I just asked my son to check his account and you're right - it shows my invitation as

@OP don't panic, you still have plenty of time to submit the FAFSA! The October 1 date is just when it opens, not the deadline. Most schools' priority deadlines aren't until January-March. That said, definitely get this technical issue fixed ASAP so you're not stressing at the last minute.\n\nOne thing nobody mentioned - check if your student correctly identified you as a contributor. Sometimes students accidentally list the wrong parent or enter incorrect contact info, which can cause exactly the symptoms you're describing.

Oh, that's a relief about the October date! I thought that was a hard deadline. I'll double-check with my son about the contributor info. He's pretty careful but it's possible he made a typo in my info.

Any update? Were you able to get in? I'm curious because my sister is about to go through this with my niece's FAFSA and I want to warn her about potential issues.

Yes! We got it working! My son had to send a new invitation, and I had to click the link in the new email while using Chrome incognito mode like someone suggested. The page looked completely different this time and I could see the

That's great news that you got it working! For anyone else running into this same issue, it sounds like the key steps are: 1) Have your student send a fresh invitation link, 2) Use Chrome in incognito mode to access it, and 3) Make sure to click the new email link rather than bookmarking the old one. The FAFSA system definitely has some quirks this year but at least there are workarounds. Thanks for updating us on what worked - this will help other parents who get stuck on that same "Currently Active" page!