FAFSA form shows 'processed' but red mark by 'next steps' - can't submit?

same thing happened 2 me last month. the red mark means theres something missing but the stupid site doesn't tell u what. check if u uploaded ur tax info correctly, thats usually it

I'm pretty certain I know what's happening here. When the form shows as 'processed' but you still have a red mark by 'Next Steps', it typically means you haven't completed the final submission confirmation step. The system processes your information for preliminary review, but you need to go to the 'Submission' tab and click the final 'Confirm and Submit' button. Many applicants miss this step because the interface is poorly designed. The red mark indicates there's an action required from you, not necessarily an error in your information.

I had this exact issue when applying for my daughter's aid package! It turned out that even though all my information was entered and 'processed', I hadn't actually finalized the submission. There's an additional step after they process your information where you need to review your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation (what used to be called EFC) and then officially submit. The 'Next Steps' section remains red until you complete this final submission, which sends your processed FAFSA to your selected schools. Check for a button that says something like 'Review and Submit' or 'Send to Schools' - it might be on a different tab than you expect. If you don't complete this step, your schools won't receive your information despite it showing as 'processed' in the system.

I work in a university financial aid office, and this is one of our most common issues with FAFSA applications. What's happening is that the Federal Student Aid system has PROCESSED your information, but you haven't completed the final submission step that releases your information to your selected schools. Here's exactly what to do: 1. Log back in to studentaid.gov 2. Go to your FAFSA application 3. Click on the 'Submission' tab (it's sometimes hidden behind a menu) 4. Review your information summary 5. Check that your school list is correct 6. Click 'Submit FAFSA' button 7. Confirm with your FSA ID password Until you complete these steps, your FAFSA information is just sitting on their servers and hasn't been transmitted to any schools. This is why you can see it's 'processed' (they've calculated your aid eligibility) but not completed (you haven't released the information).

OMG the FAFSA website is THE WORST!!! i had the SAME PROBLEM and called them 12 times before i got through!!! kept getting disconnected or waiting FOREVER!!! so annoying!!! when i finally talked to someone they said my application was sitting there for THREE WEEKS just needing one final click that wasn't obvious AT ALL!!!

Have you tried using Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent? I was having a similar issue with my submission showing as processed but not complete, and I couldn't get through on the phone for days. Someone recommended Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to a real agent in about 20 minutes. They have a video demo (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) that shows how it works. The agent was able to tell me exactly which submission step I was missing and walked me through fixing it right on the call. Saved me so much stress with application deadlines coming up.

One more thing to check - sometimes that red mark appears because you haven't completed the signature page. Even if you signed earlier in the process, there's a final signature required to complete submission. Check if both you AND your parents (if you're a dependent student) have signed the final submission page. This is a very common issue that causes that red mark to appear.

UPDATE: Thank you all so much for your help! I followed the steps that were suggested, and it turns out I DID miss the final submission step. Even though my information was processed and I could see my SAI, I never clicked the final 'Submit to Schools' button on the submission tab. Once I did that and entered my FSA ID password again, the red mark disappeared and I got a confirmation email that my FAFSA was officially submitted! Such a relief. The interface really is confusing - they should make that final step more obvious!

Congratulations Natalie! This thread is going to be so helpful for other students who run into the same issue. I went through this exact same confusion last year and it's such a relief when you finally get that confirmation email. The FAFSA system really needs better user interface design - so many people get stuck at that final submission step because it's not intuitive at all. Thanks to everyone who contributed such detailed and helpful advice here!