FAFSA status shows 'processed' for me but 'in progress' on my son's account - SAI only showing for him?

this happens alot. the system is buggy af this year. my daughter had the same thing where it looked different depending on which account we logged into. it fixed itself after like 3 days

Is it possible you filed two applications? I accidentally did that this year. One showed processed and one showed in progress. Had to call and get them to delete the duplicate.

This is actually a common synchronization issue in the Federal Student Aid system. When you and your son are linked applications (since you're a contributor on his FAFSA), there can be a delay in status updates between accounts. The most accurate status is usually the one in YOUR account for YOUR application. Since your account shows your application as processed, that's likely correct. The "in progress" status in your son's account is probably just a display lag. This usually resolves itself within 3-5 business days as the system completes all its synchronization processes. If your son has his SAI number, that's the most important part - it means his application is complete enough for schools to calculate his aid package.

That's correct. The SAI (Student Aid Index) is the key number schools use to determine aid eligibility. If your son can see his SAI number, then his application is effectively complete from the school's perspective. They can access all the information they need through the federal system, even if there are some status display inconsistencies in your accounts.

My daughter and I went through something similar last month!!!! It was super annoying. Kept checking both accounts like 10 times a day and kept seeing different statuses. It drove me crazy for a whole week before it finally synced up. The whole system is a MESS this year with all the new changes.

I had this exact issue and waited on hold with Federal Student Aid for over 2 hours trying to get it resolved. After multiple disconnected calls, I found Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual FAFSA agent in about 10 minutes. They confirmed it was just a display issue on their end and everything was actually processed correctly. Saved me days of stress! You can see how it works in their video demo: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Financial aid counselor here. This is completely normal and nothing to worry about. The FSA system can take up to 5 business days to fully synchronize status updates between linked accounts (parent and student). As long as your son has his SAI number, his application is complete from a processing standpoint. Schools can access his complete application information regardless of any status display issues in the parent portal. The most important things to verify are: 1. Your son can see his SAI number 2. Your application shows as processed when YOU log in 3. You both received confirmation emails If all three are true, you're absolutely fine. No need to call or take any further action.

The FAFSA system is GARBAGE this year!!! They completely botched the rollout of the "simplified" form. My daughter ended up missing out on $12,000 in institutional aid because of delays and glitches in the system. Call them IMMEDIATELY and don't trust anything you see online. The schools are getting incomplete information half the time.

Update: Thanks everyone for the advice! I ended up using Claimyr to get through to someone at FSA quickly (that service is amazing btw). The agent confirmed everything is fine and both applications are fully processed in their system. The discrepancy in status was just a display issue that would resolve itself in a few days. She said schools can see all the correct information regardless of what we see in our accounts. My son's school also confirmed they received everything they need. Such a relief!