FAFSA loan amount less than expected for sophomore transfer - how to accept?

The $5,500 vs $6,500 question is about dependent vs independent status. For dependent sophomores (which most students are unless they meet specific criteria), the max Direct loan is indeed $5,500 with $4,500 of that being subsidized. Independent sophomores get $6,500. As for accepting loans, that's actually done through your son's school financial aid portal, not the FAFSA site. Each school handles this differently, but typically there's an "accept/decline" option in the financial aid section of his student account.

When my daughter transfered last yr, we had the same issue!! The new skool portal is totly different from her old one. Try clicking on Financial Aid or Awards section, not the billing section. Thats where we found it. The billing section just wanted $ lol

Transfer students often face unique challenges with financial aid. The loan amount is correct - dependent sophomores receive $5,500 (with up to $4,500 subsidized). Regarding acceptance, this varies by institution. Some schools automatically package and accept federal loans, requiring you to actively decline them if unwanted. Others require explicit acceptance. If you're only seeing payment options, I recommend: 1. Check for a specific "Financial Aid" tab separate from billing 2. Look for "Award Letter" or "Award Package" sections 3. Contact the financial aid office directly - transfer student packages are often processed differently Most schools have a loan acceptance deadline approximately 2-3 weeks before disbursement.

I HATE how every school does this differently!!! Last year my son's school had a clear ACCEPT button, this year they switched systems and it took us FOREVER to figure out. And don't get me started on how bad the communication is. Just because we've done FAFSA before doesn't mean we understand YOUR specific school's weird system! 😤

have you tried clicking on the make payment button? sometimes it actually takes you to another screen where you can see more options. my daughter's school portal was super confusing last year too, we thought we were accepting the loan but were actually just seeing the bill lol. financial aid websites are the worst!!

Try calling your son's school financial aid office directly. I spent hours trying to figure out my daughter's portal after she transferred last semester and finally just called them. Turns out they had an entirely separate system for accepting loans that wasn't even linked from the main portal. When I called the main Federal Student Aid hotline, I was on hold forever. I eventually used a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that held my place in line and called me back when an agent was available. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Finally got through and they helped me understand the whole transfer situation. Transfers often get processed differently even though the loan amounts remain the same.

One more thing to consider - sometimes the financial aid disbursement for transfer students gets delayed or processed in phases. Your son's award might not be fully processed yet. When did he complete his transfer? If it was recent, the system might still be updating. Also, double-check if his entry status is correctly listed as 'Sophomore' in the system.

Have u tried cliking on "aid year"?? Some schools have a dropdown where u can select the current aid year (like 2025-2026) and THEN you see the acept/decline buttons. It took me forever to find this on my sons account!!!!

Based on what you've shared, I suspect this may be a case where the school automatically accepts Direct Loans unless you decline them. This is increasingly common practice. When you see "pay this amount," it's likely showing your remaining balance after all aid (including the already-accepted loans) has been applied. To confirm this is the case: 1. Look for a detailed breakdown of charges vs. aid applied 2. Check for a line item showing "Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loan" with the $5,500 amount 3. Request a copy of his full financial aid award letter from the financial aid office If loans are indeed automatically accepted, you'll still need to complete entrance counseling and a Master Promissory Note (MPN) if not done previously.

If he already completed entrance counseling and signed an MPN at his previous school, he typically wouldn't need to redo them. The MPN is usually good for 10 years of continuous education. However, some schools do request a new entrance counseling session specific to their institution. I'd suggest checking his studentaid.gov account - it will show the status of his MPN and entrance counseling.

As a newcomer to this community, I'm finding this conversation incredibly helpful! I'm going through a similar situation with my daughter who's also a transfer student. The confusion around different school portals is so real - it's like every institution has their own secret language for financial aid. One thing that worked for us was actually going to the financial aid office in person if possible. Sometimes the staff can walk you through their specific system much faster than trying to figure it out online. Also, if your son's school has a student success center or academic advising, they often know the ins and outs of the financial aid portal too and might be less busy than the main financial aid office. Thanks to everyone who's shared their experiences here - it's reassuring to know we're not the only ones struggling with these systems!