FAFSA application disappeared after submission - can't reach customer service for 3 days
I submitted my FAFSA application last week and now it's completely disappeared from my account! When I log in to studentaid.gov, there's no record of my application, but I KNOW I completed it because I got the confirmation email (which doesn't have any useful info in it). I've been trying to call Federal Student Aid for THREE DAYS now - literally hours on hold each day until their office closes and I get disconnected. My college's priority deadline is next week and I'm seriously panicking. Has anyone else had their FAFSA mysteriously vanish? Is there some secret way to actually speak to a human at FSA?
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Logan Chiang
Same thing happened to me last month! My application disappeared after I submitted it, and the confirmation number in my email didn't work when I tried to look it up. Try checking your spam folder for emails from studentaid.gov - they sent me a "verification needed" email that got filtered, and apparently my application was put on hold until I submitted more documents.
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Abigail Spencer
•Just checked all my folders - nothing in spam or trash from them. The only email I have is the initial "thank you for submitting" one. No verification requests or anything else. Did your application eventually reappear in your account?
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Isla Fischer
This is actually a common glitch in the new FAFSA system. There are two things you should try: 1. Clear your browser cache and cookies, then log out and back in 2. Try accessing your account from a different browser altogether If neither works, your application is probably stuck in processing. The system sometimes temporarily removes applications from your dashboard while they're being processed in the background.
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Abigail Spencer
•Thanks, I'll try both of those right now. Did clearing cache work for you? And if my application is "stuck in processing" how long does that usually take to resolve?
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Miles Hammonds
my fafsa disappeared 2x this yr. SO FRUSTRATING!! both times it came back after like 5 days. just keep checking ur account. the whole system is a mess rn with all the changes
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Ruby Blake
•The new FAFSA rollout has been HORRIBLE! My daughter's application vanished too but then randomly reappeared a week later with an "incomplete" status even though we definitely finished every section. The SAI calculation was completely wrong too.
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Micah Franklin
Financial aid counselor here. This is unfortunately common with the new FAFSA system. A few additional things to try: 1. Check if you're logging in with the exact same FSA ID you used to create the application 2. Look under both "In Progress" and "Completed" tabs - sometimes applications get miscategorized 3. If you have your confirmation number, take screenshots of that email If you still can't find it by Friday, contact your school's financial aid office directly. We have special access channels and can often verify if your FAFSA was received in our system even when it's not visible in yours.
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Abigail Spencer
•Thank you so much for these suggestions! I definitely used the same FSA ID, and I've checked both tabs multiple times. I'll call my school's financial aid office tomorrow if I can't resolve it. Do you know if they'll still consider my application "on time" for priority deadlines if this is a system error?
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Micah Franklin
•Yes, most schools will honor the original submission date if you can provide the confirmation email as proof. Document everything and explain the situation clearly to your financial aid office. They deal with these issues regularly and have protocols for handling them.
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Ella Harper
I've been dealing with the exact same issue! After 4 days of trying to call FSA with no luck, I finally got through using Claimyr.com. It's a service that holds your place in the phone queue and calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of waiting on hold. Their video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) shows how it works. The agent told me my application was flagged for "manual review" which is why it disappeared from my dashboard. Apparently that's happening to tons of people with the new system.
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Abigail Spencer
•Thank you!! I'm going to try this right now. Did they actually resolve your issue when you got through? And how long did it take with Claimyr before you got a callback?
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Ella Harper
•It took about 40 minutes for the callback (way better than the 3+ hours I was waiting before). The agent found my application in their system and confirmed it was under review. They couldn't immediately fix it, but they added notes to my file and told me it should reappear within 7-10 days. At least I know it's not completely lost now!
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Ruby Blake
THE FAFSA SYSTEM IS COMPLETELY BROKEN!!! My son's application disappeared TWICE, and when we finally got through to someone after DAYS of calling, they told us it was because we answered a question about our retirement accounts incorrectly. BUT THEY NEVER NOTIFIED US! Just silently removed the application with no email, no explanation, nothing. We had to start all over from scratch. This whole redesign is a disaster.
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PrinceJoe
•omg same thing happened to my daughter! we spent hours redoing the whole application only to have it vanish again. now we're past her school's priority deadline and they're saying she might not get the full aid package. so unfair when it's their system that's broken!!
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Isla Fischer
•If your school's deadline has passed due to FAFSA system issues, you should file an appeal with the financial aid office. Most schools are being flexible this year because of all the well-documented problems with the new system. Be sure to document everything - screenshots, emails, dates you tried calling, etc.
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Logan Chiang
Hey just wondering - did any of those solutions work for you? My FAFSA is still missing after trying everything suggested here. Getting really worried about my school deadlines too.
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Abigail Spencer
•Update: I got through using that Claimyr service and the agent confirmed my application is in the system but flagged for "additional verification" - that's why it disappeared from my dashboard. They said I should receive an email in 3-5 business days with instructions on what additional documents they need. The agent also put a note in my file to expedite the review since my deadline is approaching. So relieved it's not completely lost!
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Micah Franklin
Just a note for everyone dealing with missing applications: The Department of Education announced yesterday that they're aware of the dashboard display issues and are working on a fix. They're prioritizing processing applications even when they don't display correctly in accounts. If you have a confirmation email, your application IS in their system, even if you can't see it. They're adding a new status tracking feature next week that should help with visibility.
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Ruby Blake
•Too little too late! This rollout has been a complete disaster. My daughter might lose thousands in aid because of their technical problems. Is the DOE going to compensate students who miss out on aid because of THEIR errors?
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Micah Franklin
•I understand your frustration. While I can't speak for the DOE, most colleges are being extremely flexible this year with deadlines and requirements because we all recognize the challenges with the new system. I strongly encourage everyone affected to document everything and communicate directly with their school's financial aid office. Many schools have set up special exception processes specifically for these FAFSA technical issues.
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