FAFSA invitation link keeps redirecting to 2024-2025 form instead of 2025-2026
I'm trying to complete my FAFSA for the upcoming academic year but I'm having the weirdest technical issue. I received an email invitation with a link to complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA, but every time I click 'Get Started' it keeps redirecting me to last year's 2024-2025 form that I already completed! I've tried clearing my browser cache, using different browsers, even switching from my laptop to my phone but it's the same result every time. Has anyone else encountered this problem? I'm worried about missing the priority deadline at my college if I can't access the correct application. Any solutions would be really appreciated!
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Ella Lewis
same issue here! been trying for 3 days and i keep getting sent to last year's form. so frustrating!! tried calling the fafsa number but was on hold for 45 mins before i gave up. let me know if u figure it out
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Hunter Edmunds
•Glad I'm not the only one! Did you try using a different email address? I'm wondering if there's something wrong with how the system is linking our accounts to the forms.
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Andrew Pinnock
This is actually a known issue with the FAFSA portal right now. When you're trying to access the new application, you need to completely log out of your studentaid.gov account first, clear your browser history/cookies, and then access the invitation link directly without being logged in already. The system will prompt you to log in and should then direct you to the correct 2025-2026 form. If that doesn't work, try using the direct application URL: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa/2025 instead of the email link.
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Brianna Schmidt
•i tried what u suggested but im STILL getting redirected to last years form!! this is crazy frustrating, my schools priority deadline is in 2 weeks!!!
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Andrew Pinnock
•In that case, you might have a deeper account linking issue. Try these additional steps: 1. Create a new FSA ID (if possible) 2. Access the application through a private/incognito browser window 3. Try accessing at a different time of day (system may be updating) If none of these work, you'll need to contact FSA directly to have them manually reset your application access.
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Alexis Renard
this happened to me last week! turned out my schools financial aid office sent the wrong invitation link in the email. double check that the email is actually from studentaid.gov and not from your school - might be they sent an outdated link
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Hunter Edmunds
•That's a good point! I just checked and the email is from noreply@studentaid.gov so I don't think that's the issue in my case. Did you end up getting it resolved?
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Camila Jordan
This is a fairly common issue that happens during the transition period between application years. Here's what's likely happening: your FSA ID has a saved state in the system that's directing you to the most recently accessed form. Try this specific sequence: 1. Log out completely from studentaid.gov 2. Clear ALL browser data (not just cache - cookies are important too) 3. Restart your browser completely 4. Go directly to studentaid.gov (not through any email link) 5. Log in with your FSA ID 6. From the dashboard, look for "Apply for Aid" and select "2025-2026" If you're still having issues after following these specific steps, there might be a technical flag on your account that needs to be reset by FSA.
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Hunter Edmunds
•Thank you for the detailed instructions! I'll try these exact steps tonight and report back if it works. Fingers crossed this solves it!
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Tyler Lefleur
UGHHH the whole FAFSA system is such a mess this year!! i had this EXACT problem and wasted 3 days trying to fix it myself. ended up having to CALL them and apparently they had to "reset something on the back end" for my account. seriously took FOREVER to get through to someone.
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Madeline Blaze
•I had the same issue and finally got through to a FAFSA agent using Claimyr.com - saved me hours of waiting on hold. They have this video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) showing how it works. The agent was able to fix the redirect issue on my account in minutes once I actually got to talk to someone. Totally worth it since I was about to miss my school's priority deadline.
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Hunter Edmunds
•Thank you for mentioning this! If the steps from the other commenters don't work, I'll definitely look into that service. My school's priority deadline is coming up fast and I can't afford to wait on hold for hours.
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Tyler Lefleur
•yeah i WISH i had known about that before i spent literally my entire afternoon on hold lol. def check if the other steps work first but good to have backup
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Brianna Schmidt
have u tried using a completley different computer?? i had a similar issue and it turned out it was only happening on my laptop but when i used my roommates computer it worked fine for some reason
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Hunter Edmunds
•I haven't tried a completely different computer yet, just different browsers and my phone. That's a good suggestion though, I'll see if I can use my parent's computer tonight!
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Andrew Pinnock
UPDATE: Just checked the FSA Twitter account and they've acknowledged this is a widespread issue affecting some users trying to access the 2025-2026 form. They're working on a fix, but in the meantime, they recommend contacting your school's financial aid office to document that you've been attempting to complete the application. Most schools will work with you regarding priority deadlines if you can prove you've been trying to submit.
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Hunter Edmunds
•That's really helpful info, thank you! I'll email my financial aid office right away to document my attempts. Hopefully they'll be understanding about the deadline.
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Alexis Renard
i bet its bcuz the govt shutdown stuff thats happening, everything gets messed up when that happens lol
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Ella Lewis
•omg u might be right!! i didnt even think about that but the timing makes sense
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Camila Jordan
I just wanted to add - make sure you're using the CORRECT FSA ID. If you're a dependent student and you're accidentally using your parent's FSA ID (or vice versa), the system might be redirecting you to the form that account was previously working on. It's a simple mistake that happens more often than you'd think, especially if you have multiple FSA IDs saved in your browser.
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Hunter Edmunds
•That's actually a really good point I hadn't considered! My mom did help with last year's application so I should double-check which FSA ID I'm using. Thank you!
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Eleanor Foster
I'm dealing with this exact same issue! Been trying for days and it's so frustrating. I followed @Camila Jordan's detailed steps from earlier - completely logged out, cleared ALL browser data including cookies, restarted browser, went directly to studentaid.gov and logged in fresh. That actually worked for me! I was finally able to access the 2025-2026 form instead of getting redirected to last year's. Definitely worth trying those specific steps before calling - saved me hours of waiting on hold. Good luck everyone!
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