FAFSA says "Processed" but also "Closed" - Confused about application status
So I'm totally confused with my daughter's FAFSA status. When I log into studentaid.gov and check the application status, it simultaneously says "processed" but also "closed" in another section. We definitely don't have any closed cases or applications that I'm aware of. Her SAI calculation shows up, but I'm worried something is wrong. Is this normal? Does this mean her info was sent to schools or is there a problem? Also, does my daughter need to log on and check something on her end too? This is our first time through this process and these contradicting statuses are really stressing me out.
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Grace Thomas
I had the same issue last week! From what I could figure out, "closed" just means they're done processing it, not that there's anything wrong. But yeah it's super confusing terminology. Did you get an email saying it was processed successfully?
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Justin Chang
•Thanks for responding! No, I didn't get any email about it being processed. That's part of why I'm worried. Shouldn't they send some kind of notification when it's complete?
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Hunter Brighton
" Processed means'they ve completed calculating your'daughter s Student Aid (Index) SAI "and" closed just means that particular processing stage is complete - not that anything is wrong. If you can see the SAI calculation,'that s a good sign! The data has likely been sent to the schools on her application. Two things to verify: 1. Check "the Professional" Judgment tab to ensure there are no requests for additional documentation 2. Have your daughter log in to confirm there are no action items on her dashboard The system often shows different notifications to the student versus the parent contributor, so'it s important for both of you to checkperiodically.
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Justin Chang
•Thank you! That makes so much more sense. I'll have her check her account tonight. I wish they'd use clearer terminology - "closed" sounds so negative!
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Dylan Baskin
my daughters fafsa said the same thing last yr and then we got an email 2 weeks later saying we needed to verify income. make sure u both check ur emails everyday cuz they give u like 30 days to respond to verification requests.
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Justin Chang
•Oh no, I'm worried about verification. Did they select you randomly or was there a specific reason? What kind of documentation did they ask for?
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Dylan Baskin
•they just picked us random i think. had to send copy of tax return and w2s. was annoying but not hard.
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Lauren Wood
The whole FAFSA system is deliberately confusing! They build it to be frustrating so fewer people complete it successfully. I've been through this THREE times with my kids and every year there's some new ridiculous status or requirement they don't explain properly. And just wait until you see the pathetic aid package they offer after all this trouble!! 😡
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Ellie Lopez
•While the system could definitely be more user-friendly, I think this specific case is just poor terminology rather than deliberate confusion. "Closed" in this context simply means the processing stage is complete, though I agree it's a particularly bad word choice since most people associate "closed" with rejection or problems.
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Chad Winthrope
When my application got stuck in this weird state last year, I spent THREE DAYS trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid. Kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) and they got me connected to an actual FSA agent in under 30 minutes. You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent explained that "closed" just means completed processing, but they also found a flag on my account that needed fixing. Definitely worth confirming everything is actually okay by speaking with someone directly.
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Justin Chang
•That's really helpful, thank you! I've been wondering if I should try calling. I'll look into this if we can't figure things out when my daughter checks her account.
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Dylan Baskin
•i tried this last yr when i couldn't get thru. worked great, agent was super helpful and fixed my daughters verification issue.
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Ellie Lopez
Financial aid counselor here. This is completely normal! "Processed" means the SAI calculation is complete, and "closed" simply indicates that particular processing stage is finished - not rejected or problematic. Here's what you should do: 1. Verify that the SAI number appears on the student dashboard - this confirms processing was successful 2. Check that all schools listed on the FAFSA appear in the "School Selection" section 3. Have your daughter log in to check for any action items on her dashboard (sometimes students see different notifications than parents) 4. Look for any communication in both your email AND the Message Center on studentaid.gov Schools typically receive the information within 3-5 business days after processing is complete. If you see an SAI number, the schools should receive it soon if they haven't already.
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Justin Chang
•Thank you so much for the detailed explanation! I'll check all these things tonight. One follow-up question - should we also contact each school's financial aid office directly to confirm they received her FAFSA information, or will they notify her?
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Ellie Lopez
•You don't need to contact each school proactively - they'll reach out if they need anything additional or when they prepare her aid package. However, if after 7-10 business days you want confirmation, there's no harm in sending a quick email to each financial aid office asking if they've received her FAFSA data. Just include her full name and date of birth in the email for reference.
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Paige Cantoni
You might also want to check if your daughter has a To-Do list on her school portals. My son's FAFSA showed processed/closed, but when he logged into his university portal, there were additional documents they wanted (CSS Profile and some verification forms) that weren't mentioned on the FAFSA site at all. Each school can request different additional items beyond just the FAFSA!
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Justin Chang
•That's a great suggestion I hadn't thought of! She's been accepted to three schools so far, I'll have her check each of their portals for any financial aid to-do items. I didn't realize they might require things beyond FAFSA.
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Paige Cantoni
•Exactly! FAFSA is just the first step. Many private colleges require the CSS Profile too (which isn't free, annoyingly). And almost every school has their own specific forms. My son had to submit 5 different supplemental forms to his top choice school beyond the FAFSA and CSS Profile. It's a paperwork nightmare!
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Dylan Baskin
btw did u save the confirmation # when u submitted? always keep that in case something goes wrong
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Justin Chang
•I think I did, but now I need to find where I wrote it down. Good reminder!
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Zainab Ibrahim
As someone who just went through this exact same situation with my son last month, I can confirm what others have said - "processed" and "closed" appearing together is totally normal! It's just really poor wording on their part. The key thing to look for is that SAI number showing up, which it sounds like you have. That means the calculation is complete and the schools should receive the data soon. We were stressed about the same thing, but his financial aid packages started coming in about 2 weeks later from his schools. One tip: create a simple spreadsheet to track each school's financial aid requirements and deadlines. Some wanted additional forms by specific dates that weren't mentioned anywhere on the FAFSA site. Having everything organized in one place really helped us stay on top of it all!
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