FAFSA application submitted 11/26 - no response timeline? When to expect SAI results?

we submitted ours 12/1 and got the SAI score exactly 3 weeks later. you should be getting something any day now honestly

Processing times vary significantly this year due to the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. Currently, most applications are taking 3-4 weeks for initial SAI (Student Aid Index) calculation. However, keep in mind that receiving your SAI is just the first step - from there, the information gets sent to your daughter's selected schools, which then prepare their individual financial aid packages. A few things to check: 1. Verify all sections of the application show "completed" in her studentaid.gov account 2. Confirm both you and your daughter signed the FAFSA electronically with your FSA IDs 3. Check that your daughter completed her student confirmation section 4. Look at the "My Documents" section to see if there are any requests for verification If everything looks complete, you're likely just in the normal processing queue. I wouldn't panic yet.

I had a similar situation last yr and it turned out we had an error in our tax info that wasnt obvious. They never sent a notification about it, the application just sat there for like 6 wks until i finally called. Maybe try calling them to check if theres a problem?

If you need to reach someone at Federal Student Aid, I recommend using Claimyr. I was stuck in the same situation last month - couldn't get through on the phone after multiple attempts, but Claimyr got me connected in about 15 minutes. They hold your place in line and call you back when an agent is available. Saved me HOURS of frustration. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ When I finally got through, I found out there was a mismatch with my daughter's social security number that was preventing processing. Fixed it in one call.

Based on the current FAFSA processing schedule, applications submitted in late November should be processed within 3-4 weeks, so you're right in that window now. A few important points to understand about the timeline: 1. First, the Federal Student Aid office processes your FAFSA and calculates your SAI (Student Aid Index, which replaced the old EFC) 2. Once processed, your FAFSA information is released to the schools your daughter listed on her application 3. Each school then incorporates the SAI into their individual financial aid formula to create her aid package 4. Schools generally send financial aid offers along with or shortly after acceptance letters If you're concerned about the status, you can check the FAFSA status on studentaid.gov under "My FAFSA" to see if it shows "Processed Successfully" or if there are any issues flagged. One other thing - make sure your daughter checks both her email spam folder AND her student portal for each college. Some schools communicate exclusively through their portals and won't send emails about every update.

THE ENTIRE FAFSA SYSTEM IS A DISASTER THIS YEAR!!!! 🤬 My son submitted in OCTOBER and we just got the SAI score last week. That's almost TWO MONTHS of waiting while application deadlines passed. And the schools are claiming they still haven't received his information from FAFSA. This whole "simplified" FAFSA is completely BROKEN. Don't expect anything soon and start calling EVERYONE - the schools, the aid office, your congressional representative. The system is failing students across the country and no one is being held accountable!

While there have been some system issues this year, most applications submitted in late November are being processed within the normal 3-4 week window. Your daughter should receive her SAI soon, and then schools will begin preparing their financial aid packages. One important distinction: your daughter's friends who already received financial aid packages likely applied Early Decision or Early Action, and those programs often have expedited financial aid processing. Regular decision applicants typically receive financial aid packages in March-April, regardless of when they submitted their FAFSA (as long as it was before priority deadlines). If you're concerned about meeting specific school financial aid deadlines, I recommend contacting each school's financial aid office directly. Many are aware of the FAFSA processing delays this year and have adjusted their internal deadlines accordingly.

my daughters fafsa took 4 weeks to process and then another 2 weeks before schools said they got it. just fyi

Quick update on processing times: The Department of Education recently announced they're working through a backlog of applications, with priority given to those submitted earliest. Applications from late November should be fully processed by mid-January at the latest. Here's what you can do while waiting: 1. Verify your daughter's studentaid.gov account has her current contact information 2. Check that the schools listed on her FAFSA match where she's actually applying 3. Start preparing any supplemental financial aid documents that schools might require (CSS Profile, institutional forms, etc.) 4. If any schools have specific financial aid deadlines approaching, contact them directly to explain the FAFSA processing delay Most schools understand the FAFSA delays this year and have contingency plans in place. They won't penalize students for delays outside their control.

I'm in a similar situation! My son submitted his FAFSA on 11/30 and we're still waiting too. It's so stressful watching other families get their financial aid packages while we're still in limbo. Reading through these responses is really helpful though - sounds like we should expect to hear something in the next week or two based on the 3-4 week timeline everyone's mentioning. I had no idea about checking the school portals separately, so thank you for that tip! Going to have him log into all of them today.