FAFSA SSN correction forced new application - current processing times?

My daughter's application took about 3 weeks to process when we submitted in January. She got her SAI calculation pretty much exactly 21 days after submission. But I've heard they're getting more backed up as the deadline approaches. Did the agent give you any timeline estimate?

No, the agent just said to submit a new application and that was it. No timeline or anything helpful. I'm worried because my son's school specifically said they need the SAI by March 15th for merit scholarships, and that's less than a month away!

we made the same mistake with my daughters ssn last year lol. took like 32 days to get her sai after resubmitting. the whole system is a joke tbh

32 days??? Oh no, that would put us past the March 15th deadline. Did you do anything to try to speed it up?

The current processing time for FAFSA applications is approximately 2-4 weeks, though it can vary based on volume. Since you've already corrected the issue by submitting a new application, the good news is that your son's application should be processed in the regular timeframe from the new submission date. \n\nFor the March 15th deadline, I recommend two things:\n1. Contact your son's college financial aid office immediately and explain the situation. Most schools have protocols for pending FAFSA applications due to corrections.\n2. Ask the financial aid office if they'll accept a screenshot of your new submission confirmation as a placeholder until the SAI is calculated.\n\nThis happens more frequently than you might think, and most institutions have procedures to accommodate these situations.

Thank you! I'll call the financial aid office tomorrow morning. Hopefully they'll be understanding about the situation. Do you think I should try calling FSA again to see if they can expedite the processing?

THE ENTIRE FAFSA SYSTEM IS BROKEN THIS YEAR!! My daughter submitted in December and didn't get her SAI until February 2nd!! That's almost TWO MONTHS of processing time! And don't even get me started on trying to reach someone at FSA - I spent HOURS on hold just to get disconnected. The new

Same experience here. The rollout of the new system has been a disaster. My twins both applied in January and one got processed in 3 weeks, the other is still processing after 5 weeks. Makes no sense.

I had to help my nephew with an SSN correction in January. Here's what worked for us to speed things up:\n\n1. Call your son's school financial aid office ASAP. Explain the situation and ask if they can make a note in his file about the SSN correction causing the delay.\n\n2. Most schools will grant extensions for scholarship consideration if you can document that you're actively working to resolve a FAFSA issue.\n\n3. I was able to reach FSA by using Claimyr (claimyr.com) - they helped me skip the hold time and get to an agent in about 10 minutes. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ\n\n4. When you get through to FSA, specifically ask if they can flag the application for priority processing due to the scholarship deadline. Sometimes they can expedite in these situations.\n\nFrom what I've observed, current processing is about 2-3 weeks for most new applications, but it's getting slower as more people apply before priority deadlines.

Thank you for the detailed advice! I've never heard of Claimyr before, but I'll check it out. Waiting on hold for hours only to get disconnected was so frustrating. I'll definitely contact the financial aid office tomorrow and explain everything.

Are u sure u had to submit a whole new application? When my wife messed up our daughters ssn we just had to submit a correction form. Maybe call again and see if u get a different answer from another agent?

That's a great point. For the 2025-2026 FAFSA, SSN corrections require a new application if the error is discovered before processing is complete. However, if the application has already been processed, you can submit a correction. Since the original application in this case had an incorrect SSN, a new application was indeed required under the new rules.

btw did ur son do the CSS profile too? some schools require both and the css has different deadlines

Oh! I didn't even think about that. I'll have to check if his school requires the CSS Profile too. This whole financial aid process is so confusing!

I've been tracking FAFSA processing times across several student groups I manage, and here's what I'm seeing for February submissions:\n\n- Applications with no issues: 14-21 days\n- Applications with corrections: 21-30 days\n- Applications with verification requirements: 30-45 days\n\nSince you've submitted a completely new application rather than a correction, you'll likely fall into the first category. However, I strongly recommend contacting your son's financial aid office immediately. Most schools have internal procedures for these situations and can place a hold on scholarship deadlines when there are documented FAFSA issues.

Those times are WAY too optimistic based on what I've seen! My daughter's application took 8 WEEKS with no issues! And my niece is still waiting after 5 weeks!

I'm seeing the longer processing times primarily with applications submitted in December and January when the system was first rolled out. February applications seem to be moving faster as they've worked through some of the initial technical issues. But you're right that there's significant variation - I've seen some take much longer than others with no clear explanation why.

good luck getting any help from fafsa! they lost my daughters info 3 times!!!! 😡

Update: I called my son's financial aid office this morning. They were actually really understanding! They said they can make a note in his file about the SSN correction and will still consider him for scholarships as long as we get the SAI by March 25th (they gave us a 10-day extension). I'm also going to try reaching FSA again to see if they can expedite things. Thanks everyone for your advice!

That's great news! The extension should give you enough time based on current processing speeds. If you need to follow up with FSA, definitely try doing it sooner rather than later, as call volumes tend to increase dramatically in March.

So glad they were understanding! Most schools are pretty flexible if you explain the situation.