FAFSA processing times for 2025-2026 application - taking forever?

It's taking forever this year! I submitted mine almost 5 weeks ago and just got my SAI calculation yesterday. The FSA website says 3-5 business days, but that's definitely not happening for most people. They're experiencing major backlogs because of all the changes to the system. As long as you have your confirmation number showing you submitted before your school's priority deadline, you should be fine. Schools know about the delays.

mine took 6 weeks lol good luck

The official processing time from the Department of Education is supposed to be 3-5 business days for digital applications and 7-10 business days for paper applications. However, as others have mentioned, the reality this year is much different. The average processing time right now is 4-6 weeks due to the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation and ongoing system adjustments. I recommend taking these steps: 1. Check your Student Aid account for any notifications or requests for additional information (sometimes applications are delayed because they're waiting on something from you) 2. Contact your school's financial aid office and explain the situation - they may be able to extend their priority deadline or place a hold on your file 3. Make sure all your parent/contributor information is complete and accurate Don't panic though - schools are aware of the widespread delays and many are adjusting their processes accordingly.

I called the Federal Student Aid hotline about this EXACT issue! They told me they're experiencing "unprecedented volume" and that I should just keep waiting. Then they HUNG UP ON ME after I'd been on hold for over an hour. The system is completely broken. I ended up having to contact my congressman's office to get them to help push my application through.

The whole FAFSA system is GARBAGE this year!!! I submitted mine in early January and it STILL took over a month to process. They completely botched the roll-out of the new "simplified" form and now everyone's suffering. And don't even get me started on the parent contribution part - my mom had to try EIGHT TIMES before the system would accept her information!!! I swear they do this on purpose to discourage people from getting financial aid. My SAI came back way higher than expected too even though our financial situation is worse than last year!!!

Update to my earlier comment - I contacted my school's financial aid office about the delay, and they said they're extending all their priority deadlines by 3 weeks because of the FAFSA processing issues. You might want to check if your school is doing something similar!

Just to clarify some misinformation I'm seeing in this thread: 1. The FAFSA processing delays are primarily due to the major overhaul of the system, including the switch from EFC to SAI calculations and the new contributor system. 2. While processing is taking longer than the official estimates, most applications are being completed within 4-6 weeks, not indefinitely. 3. Your application date (when you submitted) is what matters for most school deadlines, not when your SAI is calculated. 4. If you've submitted and have your confirmation number, you've met the technical requirements for priority deadlines at most institutions. I recommend everyone check their Student Aid account every few days and carefully review any emails from FSA, as they sometimes send requests for additional information that can further delay processing if not addressed promptly.

has anyone had their application go from "processing" to "action required" after waiting for weeks? mine just did this and idk what to do

UPDATE: I finally got my SAI calculation today - exactly 24 days after submitting. For anyone else waiting, hang in there! And big thanks to everyone who responded with advice and shared their experiences. It really helped keep me sane during the wait! For those still waiting: 1. Double check that you don't have any "action required" notifications in your account 2. Contact your school's financial aid office about deadline extensions 3. Keep your confirmation number handy as proof you submitted on time Good luck everyone!