FAFSA correction changed my SAI to -1800 - Should I qualify for maximum Pell Grant?

You're absolutely right that a negative SAI (Student Aid Index) should qualify you for the maximum Pell Grant amount. The 2025-2026 maximum Pell is $7,395, and eligibility is determined primarily by your SAI, not whether you're online or in-person. Your academic advisor is incorrect - online students have the same Pell eligibility as traditional students. The verification request is likely triggered by your corrections. When there's a significant change (like going from +2340 to -1800), the system often flags the application for verification to ensure the information is accurate. This is normal and not something to worry about. What you need to do: 1. Complete the verification paperwork ASAP with all required documentation 2. Request a specific appointment with a financial aid counselor (not just your academic advisor) 3. Get confirmation in writing that they've received your corrected FAFSA 4. Ask for a timeline of when your aid package will be adjusted Don't let them dismiss you - you have a right to the full aid amount you qualify for regardless of being an online student.

My brother went thru this EXACT same thing last fall!!! his SAI dropped to like -2200 after corrections and the school kept saying "we'll get to it when we get to it" for weeks!!! he was about to give up but finally got someone on the phone who actually knew what they were doing and fixed it. his pell went from like $1100 to the full amount. dont give up!!!!!

Your academic advisor is completely wrong about online students having lower Pell Grant eligibility. I've worked in financial aid for 8 years, and the Department of Education doesn't differentiate between online and on-campus students for Pell Grant calculations. A negative SAI (especially -1800) absolutely qualifies you for the maximum Pell Grant of $7,395 for full-time enrollment. The independent verification is standard procedure when there's a significant change to your FAFSA or if certain elements of your application are flagged by the system. About 30% of all FAFSA applications are selected for verification annually. Here's what's likely happening: Your school's financial aid office hasn't processed your correction yet. Until they process the corrected ISIR (Institutional Student Information Record), your award package won't change. Schools are required to process corrections, but unfortunately, many are understaffed and have significant backlogs. I recommend completing the verification process promptly and then formally requesting (in writing) a review of your financial aid package based on your corrected SAI. Be polite but persistent.

same thing happend to me last year!! the financial aid office was IMPOSSIBLE to get through to. i ended up using a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) to actually get them on the phone - they have this system that calls for you and notifies when someone picks up. saved me hours of waiting on hold. they have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ once i finally got someone on the phone, they fixed my pell grant amount within like 2 days. turns out they had my corrected fafsa the whole time but just hadnt processed it yet. the squeaky wheel gets the grease!

I don't think ur doing anything wrong. The financial aid offices are just IMPOSSIBLE to deal with!!! They act like the money comes from their personal bank accounts or something. Stand ur ground and keep bugging them until they fix it. My nephew had a negative SAI too and he def got the maximum Pell so ur advisor is dead wrong about that $924 limit. Sounds like the advisor is confusing Pell Grant with something else or just doesn't know what they're talking about. PS - being an online student DOES NOT CHANGE your Pell eligibility. The only thing that might reduce it is if you're not taking a full-time course load (less than 12 credits per semester).

Wait I'm confused, I thought the SAI replaced the old EFC? My financial aid office told me that a negative SAI is possible but that the Pell Grant is still capped at the maximum regardless of how negative your SAI is. Is that wrong?

Update: Finally got through to someone at financial aid this morning! They confirmed that my corrected FAFSA was received but said it's "in queue for processing" which could take 3-4 more weeks because they're backlogged. They also said I need to complete the verification before they'll adjust my awards, even though they already know my SAI is now negative. This seems like they're just creating extra hurdles. Is this normal procedure?

my SAI is -3400 and im getting the maximum pell grant so ur advisor is absolutely full of 💩 lol. doesnt matter if ur online or not. but yeah verification is normal, they made me do it too. super annoying but i just sent all my tax docs and they approved it pretty quick. the waiting is the worst part!!!

One thing to remember: ensure you're enrolled full-time (typically 12+ credit hours per term) to receive the maximum Pell Grant. If you're enrolled part-time, you'll receive a prorated amount: - Full-time (12+ credits): 100% of eligible Pell - Three-quarter time (9-11 credits): 75% of eligible Pell - Half-time (6-8 credits): 50% of eligible Pell - Less than half-time (1-5 credits): 25% of eligible Pell (in most cases) Since you mentioned being an online student, double-check that you're registered for enough credits to qualify for the full amount. Even with a negative SAI, your award will be reduced if you're taking fewer than 12 credits per term.