FAFSA processed in 35 days! Just checked my account - no email notification sent

thx for the update! been waiting since jan 10th so hopefully mine is coming up soon in the queue. did ur son get his SAI score too or just the submission summary?

This is really helpful information - thank you for sharing! The 35-day processing time is actually faster than what many people are experiencing right now with the new FAFSA system. The FSA has been working through a significant backlog due to the delayed launch and system issues. Regarding the notification gap: you're absolutely right that they should be sending confirmation emails. This has been a common complaint with the 2025-2026 application cycle. Many students and parents are having to manually check their accounts every few days because the notification system isn't working consistently. Quick tip for others: You can check your processing status by logging into studentaid.gov and going to the "My FAFSA" section. The status should show as "Processed" once completed.

I submitted my daughter's FAFSA on January 5th and it was processed about 4 days ago. I also noticed there was no email notification, which seems like a major oversight in their system. What I did was set a calendar reminder to check the account every Monday and Thursday. One thing to double-check - after you get the SAI score, make sure all your schools received the information. You can see this on the FAFSA dashboard under the "Schools" section. Two of our schools didn't show as receiving the data even though the FAFSA was processed, and I had to manually confirm they were added correctly. The system definitely has room for improvement with these communication gaps!

Been waiting 52 DAYS and still nothing! This is ridiculous! How are some people getting processed in 35 days while others of us are still waiting after 7+ weeks? The inequality of the system is mind-blowing. No transparency about how they're processing the queue. Is it random? First-come-first-served? Based on household income? NO ONE KNOWS!

Does anyone know if we need to resubmit if it's taking too long? My daughter submitted Jan 2 and it's been 36 days with zero updates. I'm worried something went wrong but there's no way to tell! The whole system is so frustrating, and now I'm panicking about missing scholarship deadlines that require the SAI score.

I was stuck in the same situation - waiting over 6 weeks with no updates or communication. I finally managed to get through to a FAFSA agent by using Claimyr (claimyr.com). They helped me connect with an agent without waiting on hold forever, and the agent confirmed my application was actually stuck due to an issue with my son's SSN (one digit was incorrect). Once fixed, it processed within 3 days. If you're worried something's wrong, might be worth connecting with an actual person. Their video shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

my daughter got an email notification when hers processed lol. guess the system is just inconsistent? took 41 days for us (submitted jan 8, processed feb 18). weird how some get emails and others don't

For anyone still waiting, here's what I know from talking to my daughter's financial aid counselor: 1. Processing times are currently ranging from 3-8 weeks 2. Applications with special circumstances (dependency overrides, unusual financial situations) take longer 3. Applications with potential data mismatches between IRS and reported info get flagged for longer review 4. The system is processing roughly in chronological order, but with priority flags that can move certain applications up or down the queue If you've been waiting more than 8 weeks, definitely reach out to FSA directly as something might be stuck. And yes, the notification system is completely unreliable right now.

did anyone notice if the sai score is different from what the old efc would have been? trying to figure out if the new formula helps or hurts us

One important note for everyone: once your FAFSA is processed, make sure to check if you've been selected for verification. About 25% of FAFSA applicants get selected for this additional step, and it's not always immediately obvious in the portal. Look for a notification in your messages center or a verification flag on your SAI report. If selected, you'll need to submit additional documentation to each school you've applied to, and this can add several more weeks to the financial aid process. Don't wait for schools to contact you - be proactive and check your verification status as soon as your FAFSA is processed.