FAFSA form processed but SAI calculation completely blank - anyone else?
I'm freaking out a little. Just checked my FAFSA application status and it says it's 'fully processed' but when I go to view my SAI calculation, there's absolutely NOTHING there. Just a blank space where the number should be. The system is telling me to 'proceed to next steps' but doesn't flag anything for correction. Has anyone experienced this? I'm a first-gen college student and my financial aid package depends on this. Should I submit a correction even though nothing is flagged? Or is this some weird glitch in the system? My college's priority deadline is in 2 weeks!
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Cole Roush
same thing with me!!! blank SAI but says processed. so confuzzed
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Jasmine Hancock
•How long has yours been like this? Did you call anyone about it yet?
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Scarlett Forster
This happened to me last cycle. The issue is usually that there's a processing delay between when they mark it as 'processed' and when they actually calculate your SAI. This isn't a glitch exactly, but poor system design. The FAFSA system runs the SAI calculation as a separate batch process that sometimes lags 2-3 days behind the initial processing. Check back in 48-72 hours and it should populate. If not, then you should be concerned.
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Jasmine Hancock
•Thank you so much! That's a relief. I'll give it a couple more days before panicking then. Do I need to do anything on my end for the calculation to run properly?
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Scarlett Forster
•No, you don't need to do anything else. The system will run the calculation automatically. However, if you're concerned about your college's priority deadline, you might want to email their financial aid office and explain the situation. Most schools understand these FAFSA system issues and will work with you if you're proactive about communicating with them.
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Arnav Bengali
The blank SAI thing is happening to TONS of people this year. My son's stayed blank for 16 days!! We tried everything - resubmitting, checking for errors, nothing worked. FINALLY got through to someone at Federal Student Aid after calling for hours every day for a week. They fixed it manually on their end. Don't just wait or you might miss your deadlines like we almost did!!!
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Sayid Hassan
•I've seen this issue a lot with the new FAFSA system. The processing lag between submission and SAI calculation has been particularly bad this cycle. If you're approaching a priority deadline, I'd recommend using Claimyr to get through to FSA directly. I was facing the same blank SAI issue and spent days trying to get through the regular FSA phone system with no luck. Used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 10 minutes who manually processed my SAI calculation. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Definitely worth it when you're facing a deadline and need to talk to an actual human at FSA.
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Rachel Tao
lol classic fafsa. broke last year, broke this year, will be broke next year too. good luck getting your money
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Jasmine Hancock
•Yeah, it's frustrating. But I really need this financial aid to attend college so I'm trying everything I can.
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Derek Olson
Financial aid counselor here. The blank SAI issue is indeed a known problem with the new FAFSA system. Here's what you should do: 1. Wait 3 days from the "processed" notification to see if the SAI populates automatically 2. If still blank after 3 days, contact your school's financial aid office IMMEDIATELY and inform them of the issue 3. Contact Federal Student Aid directly (yes, it's difficult to reach them, but necessary) 4. Document all your attempts to resolve this issue (screenshot the blank SAI page with dates visible) Most importantly, don't submit corrections unless specifically advised to by FSA - this can sometimes restart the entire processing cycle and cause further delays. Schools are aware of these issues and many have adjusted their internal processes to accommodate FAFSA delays this year.
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Jasmine Hancock
•Thank you so much for this detailed advice! I'll follow these steps exactly. Should I also send the screenshots to my college's financial aid office as proof that I'm not just procrastinating on completing my FAFSA?
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Derek Olson
•Yes, absolutely send the screenshots to your financial aid office. Also email them your FAFSA confirmation number and the date you initially submitted your application. Ask them to make a note in your file that your FAFSA is submitted but experiencing the "blank SAI calculation" technical issue. Most schools have protocols in place for these situations and can mark your file as "FAFSA pending - technical issue" to prevent you from missing priority consideration.
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Cole Roush
update: mine fixed itself after 4 days!!! just randomly checked and SAI was there. maybe urs will 2
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Jasmine Hancock
•That's great to hear! Thanks for the update, gives me hope!
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Jasmine Hancock
UPDATE: My SAI finally appeared! It took exactly 72 hours from when I first noticed the blank calculation. For anyone else experiencing this, here's what worked for me: 1. I waited the 3 days as suggested 2. I emailed my college's financial aid office with screenshots showing the issue and my confirmation number 3. I did NOT submit any corrections or new information The financial aid office was super understanding and told me they're seeing this issue with many applicants. They put a note on my account so I won't miss the priority deadline. Thanks everyone for your help and advice!
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Arnav Bengali
•So glad it worked out! Is your SAI what you expected or completely different? My daughter's was WAY off what we calculated ourselves...
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Derek Olson
•Thanks for the update! This is the typical resolution timeline we're seeing. For anyone else reading this thread - this is why documentation and proactive communication with your school is so important. Glad to hear your financial aid office was understanding.
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Emily Nguyen-Smith
Thanks for sharing this thread - it's so helpful to see the resolution! I'm currently dealing with the same blank SAI issue (day 2 for me) and was starting to panic about my upcoming deadlines. Reading that it resolved itself in 72 hours for you and that most financial aid offices are understanding about this gives me so much relief. I'm going to follow the same steps you outlined - wait the full 3 days and reach out to my school's financial aid office proactively with documentation. This community is amazing for first-gen students like us who don't have parents who've been through this process before!
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CosmosCaptain
•I'm so glad this thread helped you too! Being a first-gen student definitely makes this whole process feel more overwhelming when these technical issues pop up. You're absolutely right about this community being amazing - I learned so much from everyone's experiences here. Definitely document everything with screenshots and dates like the financial aid counselor suggested. It really helped when I contacted my school's office. Hang in there, and hopefully your SAI will populate in the next day or two! Feel free to update us on how it goes.
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Ava Martinez
This is such a helpful thread! I'm in a similar situation - my FAFSA shows "processed" but blank SAI for the past 5 days now. I've been so stressed thinking I did something wrong since I'm also first-gen and navigating this alone. Reading everyone's experiences here is reassuring that it's a system issue, not something I messed up. I already contacted my school's financial aid office with screenshots like Derek suggested, and they were super understanding - they said they've had dozens of students with the same issue this year. Going to give it one more day before trying to call FSA directly. Thanks for sharing your journey and resolution, it gives me hope mine will sort itself out soon too!
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