FAFSA processed but state aid link not working - normal procedure?

Yes, this is correct information. Most state financial aid offices have direct data sharing agreements with Federal Student Aid and will automatically receive your daughter's FAFSA information. The broken link is unfortunately a common technical issue this year with the new FAFSA rollout. The timing of when states receive the data varies by state, but typically happens within 2-4 weeks of FAFSA processing. Some states may require additional forms beyond FAFSA (like California with their Cal Grant verification or New York with TAP), but if your state rep said nothing else is needed, you should be fine. Just make sure you're aware of any state-specific deadlines, as some states distribute aid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds are depleted.

The same thing happened to me!! The stupid link doesn't work and I tried calling my state office and was on hold for 45 mins before giving up. I hate this new FAFSA system so much. Everything is broken and nobody knows what's going on.

The information you received is correct, but I would still recommend you take ONE additional step. Go to your state's higher education or financial aid website directly (not through the FAFSA portal) and check if they have a way to create an account or verify your daughter's information has been received. For example, in my state (Illinois), we have the ISAC Student Portal where students can check if their FAFSA data was successfully transferred and see their state grant eligibility status. Many states have similar systems. Better to be proactive than to find out months later that something went wrong with the data transfer!

my son had same problem last month but we didnt do anything and his state grant showed up in his financial aid package from his school. i think it does happen automatically so dont worry

I WOULDN'T TRUST WHAT THEY TOLD YOU!!! The financial aid system is COMPLETELY BROKEN this year and they are giving everyone different information. My daughter almost missed out on $4500 in state grants because we believed the same thing and waited. It wasn't until we talked to her school's financial aid office that we found out we needed to fill out a separate form for our state (Texas) despite what the state aid office told us!! DON'T WAIT - call your daughter's college financial aid office directly and ask them what needs to be done for state aid. They know better than anyone else what's actually required.

this happens all the time with fafsa. i remember back when i was in college in 2018 the same exact thing happened to me lol. the websites are always broken

I work in a university financial aid office, and yes, state aid offices do receive FAFSA data automatically through electronic data transfers. However, the timing and requirements vary significantly by state: 1. Some states require an additional application (NY, CA, PA for example) 2. Others only require FAFSA and nothing else (many midwestern states) 3. Some states have very strict deadlines that are different from FAFSA deadlines I recommend checking your state's specific higher education/financial aid website for exact requirements. Also, have your daughter log into her college's student portal to see if there are any state aid applications showing as incomplete in her financial aid section. The broken link is a known issue with the new FAFSA system that Federal Student Aid is supposedly working on fixing.

One more thing - while the state will likely receive the FAFSA data automatically, many states have specific scholarship programs that DO require separate applications. Make sure you check not just for the basic state grants, but also for state-specific merit scholarships, field-of-study grants, and other specialized programs that might require additional steps.

UPDATE: I called my daughter's college financial aid office this morning. They confirmed that for Michigan residents, the state aid office DOES automatically receive FAFSA data and no additional application is needed for the Michigan Competitive Scholarship or Michigan Tuition Grant. However, they mentioned that students still need to create an account on the MiSSG (Michigan Student Scholarships & Grants) website to view their award status and accept the funds. So I'm having my daughter do that today. Thank you everyone for your help! It's reassuring to know we're on the right track despite all the technical issues.

As someone who just went through this process with my own kid, I can confirm that the broken state aid link is unfortunately very common this year. The new FAFSA system has been plagued with technical issues, but the actual data transfer to states does happen behind the scenes. What helped me feel more confident was creating a simple spreadsheet tracking all the important dates and requirements for our state. I listed the FAFSA submission date, state aid priority deadlines, and any additional forms needed. It made me feel more in control during this chaotic process. Also, don't forget to check if your daughter's high school guidance counselor has any state-specific resources or contacts. Mine had a direct line to someone at our state aid office who could verify receipt of FAFSA data much faster than the general helpline.