FAFSA paper form delays threatening UCI admission - Can I pay tuition upfront and get reimbursed?

Omg I'm going through the EXACT same thing with my son's application!! Had to file paper forms bc of a similar situation (he has a green card but system kept giving errors). We mailed in February and still NOTHING in the system. Called FSA 9 times (not exaggerating) and can't get through to anyone. My son's heading to Cal State Fullerton and I'm freaking out. Following this thread for advice!!

Financial aid advisor here. Unfortunately, this is a common issue this year with the rollout of the new FAFSA system. Paper forms are taking 12-16 weeks to process (sometimes longer). A few points that might help: 1. No, FAFSA/federal aid won't "reimburse" you for payments made before your aid is processed. The aid gets applied to your student account and remaining balances/refunds are handled by the school. 2. UC schools typically have contingency plans for FAFSA delays. Contact UCSD's financial aid office and ask about their "Pending Financial Aid" status option. Many schools will place a hold on payment deadlines if you can prove you've submitted FAFSA. 3. You should request a processing confirmation from FSA immediately. Call 1-800-433-3243 and request confirmation that your paper form was received. Get a case number. 4. UCSD may have emergency short-term loans available to cover the first quarter while your FAFSA is processing. The most important thing is communication with UCSD's financial aid office. They can't help if they don't know about your situation.

Have you tried using Claimyr to reach someone at Federal Student Aid? I was stuck in the same situation with my paper FAFSA (had to file paper due to a name mismatch issue), and after weeks of trying to get through the regular phone line, I used Claimyr and got connected to an agent in about 15 minutes. They confirmed my form was received and gave me an estimated processing date. Totally worth checking out their site at claimyr.com - they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent was able to escalate my case once I finally got through to them. Still took time to process but at least I had confirmation and a case number.

THE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I submitted paper forms in DECEMBER and didn't get processed until APRIL!! This year's FAFSA is a complete disaster and nobody in govt is taking responsibility. My daughter almost lost her spot at UCLA because of these delays. When I finally got through to someone they said they had a backlog of 300,000+ paper forms. ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS!! My advice: HOUND that financial aid office at UCSD every single day. They CAN make exceptions but they won't unless you make enough noise. We had to get the dept chair involved at UCLA to finally get them to hold my daughter's spot without payment. Don't take no for an answer!!

have u tryed checkin the fafsa website? my paper form didnt get no email but when i checked my accont online it showed as recieved after like 6 weeks. might be there already

I work in a university financial aid office (not at UCSD). Contact your daughter's financial aid office immediately. Explain the situation. Most schools have procedures for FAFSA delays, especially this year with all the new system problems. Ask specifically about: 1. Conditional financial aid packages (some schools will create an estimated package based on last year's FAFSA) 2. Payment plan options with no or low fees 3. Institutional emergency grants 4. Documentation that your FAFSA is in process (submitting proof of mailing) DO NOT pay the full amount out of pocket if you can avoid it! Once you make a payment, it's much harder to get aid applied retroactively. Instead, try to work with the school on a partial payment or hold. Paper forms are extremely delayed this year, but UC schools are very aware of the issue and should have workarounds in place. If the first person you speak with isn't helpful, ask to speak with a financial aid counselor or supervisor.

my brother had 2 mail a paper form for his SAI calculation cause he got some weird error code online too. took foreverrrrr but UCSD actually gave him an extension on his deposit deadline once he showed proof he mailed the FAFSA (the certified mail receipt). worth asking about!!

Quick update on processing times: FSA just released information that paper FAFSA forms submitted before April 1st should all be processed by June 15th. If you submitted in February/March, you should see movement soon. They're processing January forms now. Also, a clarification on my earlier comment: While federal aid won't directly reimburse you, if your aid package exceeds your outstanding charges once processed, UCSD will issue you a refund. So if you do end up paying out of pocket, you might get some money back - it just comes from the school, not directly from FSA.

just wondering why your son is 13 and going to UCI? that seems really young for college, is he some kind of genius?

I went through something very similar last year with my nephew's FAFSA! He had to file paper forms due to tax complications and we were panicking about missing deadlines too. Here's what worked for us: 1. Document EVERYTHING - keep copies of all your mailings, certified mail receipts, any communication attempts with FSA. This becomes crucial when advocating with the school. 2. Contact your congressional representative's office! I know it sounds dramatic, but they have staff specifically for federal agency issues like this. They can often get FSA to expedite your case or at least confirm receipt. We got a response within 48 hours after months of radio silence. 3. UCSD's financial aid office is actually pretty reasonable about FAFSA delays (based on what I've heard from other UC families). Ask about their "promise to pay" option - it's different from paying upfront because it acknowledges pending aid. 4. If you do end up paying anything out of pocket, pay the minimum possible (maybe just the enrollment deposit) rather than full tuition. This keeps your spot secure while preserving your cash flow. The system is absolutely broken this year, but don't lose hope! Your daughter earned that UCSD spot and there are ways to make it work. Keep pushing and don't let bureaucracy steal her opportunity!