FAFSA still showing 'processed' after 3 weeks - when will we know about subsidized loan eligibility?

its super slow this year w/ the changes. our took like 5.5 weeks to move from 'processed' to getting the SAI score. then another week before his school updated his fin aid package. my daughters took 7 weeks last year so definitely taking longer now

Thanks for sharing your experience! 5.5 weeks sounds like forever when we're trying to make decisions. Did you have to do anything during that waiting period, or just keep checking the portal?

We're in the exact same boat! Submitted March 29 and still sitting at

It is SO frustrating! Let me know if yours updates soon - maybe we'll be on a similar timeline since we submitted around the same time.

The FAFSA processing is just the first step. Here's what actually happens:\n\n1. FAFSA gets processed by Federal Student Aid and generates an SAI (Student Aid Index)\n2. That information gets sent to your son's schools\n3. Each school then creates a financial aid package based on their costs and your son's SAI\n4. Schools send award letters with subsidized loan offers\n\nThis new FAFSA rollout has been problematic - many schools are 6-8 weeks behind their normal timeline. You should contact your son's specific school's financial aid office to ask about their timeline for sending award letters for incoming students. Each school has different processing schedules.

Thank you for breaking it down! I didn't realize there were so many steps after the FAFSA processing. I'll definitely reach out to the school's financial aid office tomorrow.

I spent THREE HOURS trying to call Federal Student Aid yesterday to check on our application status. Kept getting disconnected or put on eternal hold. This whole system is a disaster this year!! The subsidized loan limits are $5,500 for first-year dependent students anyway, so we're looking at private loans to cover the rest. This whole process is unnecessarily complicated and the waiting is killing us.

Try using Claimyr! It held my place in line when I was calling about verification issues last month. Worth every penny not to sit on hold forever. Their site is claimyr.com and they have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Basically calls for you and calls you back when an agent picks up. Saved me literally hours of frustration.

Have you checked if the SAI score is available on studentaid.gov even though it still says \

I just checked and don't see an SAI score yet. Just says processed with a date from April 5th. I'll keep checking that specific section though - thanks for the tip!

Financial aid counselor here. The \

Thank you so much for this detailed explanation! It's extremely helpful to understand what's actually happening. I'll definitely contact the school about a possible deposit extension or getting an estimated package. Really appreciate your expertise!

Any updates on your son's application? Ours finally moved to \

Nothing yet for us! Still stuck on \

found out from my sons advisor that alot of people who filed in april are gettin delayed bc of some system update they did? if u filed around april 1-10 u might be in that group. we were told just keep waiting... so helpful right lol

Ugh, of course there's another technical issue. Just our luck to file during that window! Thanks for sharing that info - at least it explains the delay somewhat.

One important thing to remember: subsidized loans don't accrue interest while your son is in school and during deferment periods. Unsubsidized loans start accruing interest immediately. If you end up with a mix of both in the financial aid package, always accept the subsidized portion first before taking unsubsidized loans. \n\nThe current interest rate for undergraduate subsidized and unsubsidized federal loans is 5.5%, which will add up significantly over four years if taking unsubsidized options.

That's a really good point about prioritizing subsidized loans first. I'll make sure we do that when the package finally comes through. The interest difference really adds up over time!