FAFSA college notification timeframe - still waiting after 3 weeks

The timeline varies SIGNIFICANTLY between colleges. Some schools process aid packages within 2-3 weeks after receiving your FAFSA info, while others can take 6-8 weeks or longer. Many schools don't finalize packages until after their admissions decisions go out. Also, this is a busy time of year for financial aid offices since the FAFSA opened in December. If you applied to selective colleges, they're likely processing thousands of applications right now.

i waited almost 2 months last year for my top choice to send an aid package!! most schools prioritize packages for accepted students first, so if ur still waiting on admission decision that could be why

I work in college financial aid. Here's what's happening: colleges can see your FAFSA data immediately after you receive your SAI, but most have an internal review process before sending official aid packages. They need to: 1. Verify your FAFSA information is complete 2. Determine if you need to submit additional documentation 3. Calculate your institutional aid (which differs from federal calculations) 4. Package all sources of aid together Some students are selected for verification, which can add 3-4 weeks to the process. You can absolutely call each financial aid office to check your status - they can tell you if you're missing documents or if you've been selected for verification.

ugh the waiting is THE WORST!! my sister got selected for verification last year and it took FOREVER 😫 apparently they randomly pick people even if ur info is correct

If you're selected for verification, don't panic - about 30% of FAFSA filers get selected, often randomly. You'll typically need to submit: - Verification worksheets (provided by the school) - Tax return transcripts or use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool - W-2 forms - Documentation of untaxed income (if applicable) The fastest way to handle verification is to respond immediately with all requested documents. Some schools won't even begin preparing your aid package until verification is complete.

Have you tried calling Federal Student Aid directly to see if there are any issues with your FAFSA submission? I was in a similar situation last year and discovered there was a flag on my application that schools could see but I couldn't. I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at FSA until I found Claimyr (claimyr.com). Their service connected me with an actual FSA agent in about 20 minutes instead of waiting on hold for hours. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Turns out there was a small discrepancy in my parents' reported income that needed fixing. After that, my aid packages came through within days.

The colleges can be super slow! My daughter waited 2 1/2 months last year and was freaking out the whole time! turned out fine in the end tho her top choice ended up giving her a decent package.

Update: I called my top 2 schools today. First one said they received my FAFSA but I was selected for random verification 😭 and they need tax transcripts from my parents. Second school said they're still processing aid packages and should send mine out next week. I also used that Claimyr service to reach FSA and the agent confirmed my FAFSA is complete and properly processed on their end - the delay is just on the college side. Guess I need to get those verification documents together ASAP. Thanks everyone for your help!

Glad you got some answers! For the verification, here's a tip: use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool if possible instead of sending tax transcripts. It's faster and automatically verifies the information. If that's not an option, request the tax transcripts directly from IRS.gov rather than sending copies of returns - schools prefer official transcripts. And don't be afraid to follow up with the financial aid offices weekly. It keeps your file on their radar, especially during busy season.