FAFSA submission error prevents application - missed June 30 deadline, will I get aid?

The same thing happened to me! Except I was getting a different error about my parents' tax information not validating properly. I spent WEEKS trying to fix it and couldn't reach anyone either. Finally got through to someone yesterday who told me there's a grace period for technical errors - call FSA and explain the situation was out of your control due to system errors. Document EVERYTHING - screenshots of errors, dates you called, etc. They can sometimes do manual overrides for system errors that prevented submission.

you should b fine. financial aid deadlines arent always hard cutoffs especially if its a system error. my roommate had similar probs last yr & still got her pell grant even tho she submitted like 3 wks late. just keep trying

This is unfortunately a common issue with the 2024-2025 FAFSA rollout. The "new" FAFSA has been plagued with technical problems since its launch. Here's what you need to know: 1. Federal deadlines for FAFSA are actually June 30, 2025 (end of the academic year), but state and institutional deadlines are earlier and vary widely. 2. Many schools understand the technical difficulties and are being flexible with deadlines this year specifically because of the FAFSA modernization issues. 3. You should immediately: - Contact your school's financial aid office directly and explain the situation - Ask if they have institutional forms you can complete in the meantime - Request information about their process for handling FAFSA technical issues - Find out if they have a priority consideration deadline vs. absolute deadline 4. Document all your attempts to submit (screenshots with dates/times) 5. The Department of Education has acknowledged the issues and many schools are making accommodations Don't give up! Many students are in the same situation this year.

THE WHOLE SYSTEM IS BROKEN!!! I work in college advising and we've seen HUNDREDS of students with these exact issues. The "Better FAFSA" is a DISASTER. Students who managed to submit are waiting 6+ WEEKS for processing instead of the usual 3-5 days. It's CRIMINAL how badly they've botched this rollout. Call your school's financial aid office RIGHT NOW. Most colleges know about these issues and have contingency plans. They might have emergency funds or can help with a direct appeal process. DO NOT WAIT and hope this resolves itself!!!

I had this exact problem and finally got it resolved last week. Have you tried completing your form between 2am-5am? Sounds crazy, but the system has fewer users then and sometimes works better during off-hours. Also, try clearing your cache completely or using an entirely different device if possible. Regarding deadlines - while June 30 is your state deadline, many schools have their own institutional deadlines that may be different. Contact your school's financial aid office ASAP to explain the situation. Most schools are aware of the FAFSA system issues this year and may have alternate processes in place. One thing that worked for me was using the FAFSA mobile app instead of the website - sometimes it processes differently.

If you're still having trouble reaching someone at FSA, I had success using Claimyr when I was dealing with FAFSA verification issues. It helped me skip the wait time and connect directly with an agent. I watched their demo video (https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ) and decided to try it after spending weeks trying to get through on my own. The agent I spoke with was able to see the submission errors in my account and manually override them. Worth checking out their website at claimyr.com if you're desperate to get this resolved before the semester starts.

Hi there. I'm a financial aid counselor at a community college. I want to reassure you that your situation is fixable! First, the REAL federal deadline for 2024-2025 FAFSA is June 30, 2025 (not 2024). The state deadlines are for state-specific grants, but you can still qualify for federal aid. Second, most colleges are VERY aware of the FAFSA modernization issues this year and have procedures in place. Here's what to do: 1) Email your financial aid office immediately explaining the technical issues 2) Include screenshots of the errors 3) Ask for their institutional verification form or any emergency paperwork they can process while your FAFSA issues are being resolved 4) Request information about their appeals process for deadline exceptions I've personally helped dozens of students in your exact situation this year. Almost every college has some form of contingency plan for these FAFSA technical errors because they've been so widespread.

u might wanna check ur browser settings too. my FAFSA kept doing weird stuff until i turned off all my extensions and ad blockers js

UPDATE: I wanted to thank everyone for their advice! I tried submitting at 3am last night after disabling all browser extensions and IT ACTUALLY WORKED!! The form finally went through without errors. I also emailed my school's financial aid office with all the screenshots of my previous error messages, and they responded saying they'll flag my application for priority processing once it comes through. They said many students are having similar issues and assured me I won't lose my aid eligibility due to these technical problems. Such a relief! Now I just need to wait for my SAI calculation and aid package. Thanks again for all your help - I was seriously panicking!

That's such great news! I'm so glad the late-night submission trick worked for you. It's really encouraging to hear a success story after all the frustration you went through. Your experience is going to help so many other students who are dealing with the same issues - the combination of disabling browser extensions and trying during off-peak hours seems to be a winning strategy. Thanks for coming back to update us with what worked! Best of luck with your aid package when it comes through.

I'm going through the exact same nightmare right now! Been getting that same "Unable to complete this action" error for weeks and it's driving me insane. Reading through all these responses gives me so much hope though - I had no idea this was such a widespread issue with the new FAFSA system. I'm definitely going to try the 3am submission trick tonight with all my browser extensions disabled, and I'll also reach out to my school's financial aid office tomorrow morning to explain the situation. It's such a relief to know that schools are being understanding about these technical problems and that there are workarounds that actually work. Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences and solutions - this community is a lifesaver!

I'm just starting my FAFSA journey as an incoming freshman and this thread is both terrifying and reassuring at the same time! It's scary to see how widespread these technical issues are, but it's also comforting to know that schools are being understanding about the situation and there are actual solutions that work. I'm definitely bookmarking all these tips - the 3am submission trick, disabling browser extensions, trying the mobile app, and most importantly documenting everything with screenshots. It sounds like having that paper trail is crucial when working with financial aid offices. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences, especially Sofia for coming back with the successful update! This gives me a game plan if (when) I run into similar issues. One question - for those who had success with the mobile app, did you find it worked better than the website even during normal hours, or was it mainly helpful as an alternative when the website was completely broken?