FAFSA submitted in December but no financial aid packages yet - normal timeline?

This is totally normal timing, so try not to stress too much! Most schools don't release their financial aid packages until February-March, even if you've been accepted much earlier. The financial aid offices have to wait until they receive all the FAFSA data from the Department of Education, process it, and then create individualized packages based on their institution's budget. This year has been especially delayed with all the changes to the new FAFSA. You should start seeing aid offers coming in the next few weeks.

you can check on the studentaid.gov website to see if your FAFSA was processed successfully. just log in with your FSA ID and look at the status. if it says 'processed' then the schools should have access to it. but yeah even when they have it, colleges take their sweet time putting together the aid packages. my son last year didn't get some of his until March even though he applied in October!!

I'm in the exact same boat!! My son got into 4 schools early decision (he's so smart lol) and we did the FAFSA right away in December. Nothing from any of the schools yet about money. The waiting is KILLING ME. We really need that aid to make a decision!!!

Financial aid counselor here. This timing is completely normal, especially this year with the FAFSA delay and new SAI formula replacing the old EFC calculation. Most institutions are running several weeks behind their usual schedules. Here's what you should know: - Schools typically send financial aid packages 4-8 weeks after acceptance OR after they receive your FAFSA data, whichever is later - This year, even though the FAFSA opened in December, many schools didn't start receiving complete data until January due to processing delays - Different schools work at different paces - some prioritize certain applicant pools first - If your FAFSA shows as 'processed' on studentaid.gov, you're in good shape If you're concerned about making a decision before seeing aid packages, contact the financial aid offices directly. Most schools understand this year's unique challenges and may offer deadline extensions for deposits if financial aid information is delayed.

Honestly, this new FAFSA is a NIGHTMARE. We submitted in December too and it's been crickets. When I called my daughter's top choice school last week, they said they STILL haven't received all the FAFSA data from the Dept of Education! How is this acceptable?? We're supposed to make life-changing financial decisions with no information?! I spent an hour on hold with Federal Student Aid trying to figure out what's happening only to get disconnected. TWICE. The whole system is broken.

Wait a minnit, did you check that your FAFSA was acutally sent to those schools?? Theres a part in the FAFSA where you select which schools get your info. I know people who forgot to select all their schools and had to go back in and add them later. mightbe why you havent heard anything??

One more thing I wanted to add - at the college where I work, we're sending out aid packages in batches this year due to the FAFSA delays. We're prioritizing students who need to make decisions soon (like those admitted early decision) and those marked as high financial need based on their SAI scores. So even within the same school, some students might get packages earlier than others. If your deposit deadline is approaching and you still don't have financial information, definitely call the financial aid office directly - many schools are extending deposit deadlines this year for exactly this reason.

@confused_applicant: A lower SAI (Student Aid Index) is better for financial aid purposes. The SAI replaced the old EFC (Expected Family Contribution) in the 2024-2025 FAFSA. The lower your SAI number, the higher your demonstrated financial need, which typically qualifies you for more aid. An SAI of 0 demonstrates maximum financial need, while higher numbers (potentially into the thousands) indicate less financial need according to the formula.

A high SAI doesn't necessarily mean you won't qualify for any need-based aid - it depends on the cost of attendance at the specific schools. Need-based eligibility is calculated as: Cost of Attendance - SAI = Financial Need So even with a higher SAI, if the school has a high cost of attendance, you may still demonstrate some financial need. Additionally, many schools offer merit-based scholarships that aren't tied to your SAI at all, but rather to academic achievement, special talents, etc. Don't lose hope until you see the actual packages!