FAFSA website glitch consistently showing 'unknown error' - too late for paper submission?

I've been dealing with the EXACT same error since early May! It's beyond frustrating. The verification page just crashes every single time. What worked for me (after weeks of trying) was using Microsoft Edge in incognito mode with all extensions disabled. For some weird reason, that finally got me past the verification screen. Worth trying before you resort to paper forms!

paper forms do exist bt the deadline for 24-25 FAFSA is actually june 30 NOT july 31st!!! u might be thinking of the state deadline which varies. and paper forms take like 3-4 weeks to process so id say ur cutting it rlly close. can u use someone elses computer maybe?

The verification error is a known issue with the new FAFSA system. I've helped dozens of students work through this as a college financial aid advisor. A few troubleshooting steps: 1. Clear ALL browser cookies and cache 2. Make sure your FSA ID was created more than 3 days ago 3. Try very early morning (4-6am) when server load is lower 4. Check that your name/DOB exactly matches your Social Security card Regarding paper forms: Yes, they exist for 2025-2026, but processing time is currently 6-8 weeks due to backlogs. With the June 30th federal deadline, paper submission is risky timing-wise. Your school's priority deadline is likely more important than the federal one though.

If it makes you feel better my daughter had the same error for TWO MONTHS and eventually just kept clicking submit over and over like 50 times in one sitting and somehow it randomly went through. The whole system is broken this year! Customer service is useless they just tell you to try again later 🙄

I work in financial aid at a community college. The June 30th deadline is for the 2024-2025 FAFSA (current cycle), but you mentioned you're working on the 2025-2026 form which just opened on May 1st. That deadline would be June 30, 2026 - so you have plenty of time for next year's funding. However, if you're trying to get aid for classes starting this Fall 2025, you absolutely need to get this resolved soon regardless of federal deadlines. Schools have their own priority deadlines for packaging aid. As for the technical error, we've seen this specific issue when students use auto-fill or password managers with the new FAFSA system. Try manually typing all information rather than using any auto-fill function.

Have you tried calling FSA at different times? I was having similar issues and couldn't get through to anyone helpful until I used Claimyr.com to connect with them. Saved me hours of hold time and I got connected to an actual tech support person instead of general customer service. They walked me through fixing the verification issue on my account. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Literally the only way I got my FAFSA fixed in time.

ok so did the edge browser thing work?? im invested now lol

Glad you got through! Make sure you save your confirmation page as a PDF when you finish. The new FAFSA system has been experiencing issues with confirmation emails not being sent properly. Also, watch your email for any verification requests - about 30% of applications are being selected for verification this cycle, which requires additional documentation.

Yes, absolutely contact your school's financial aid office directly. Explain the technical issues you experienced. Many schools are making accommodations for students who faced technical difficulties with the new FAFSA system. Bring documentation of your attempts (screenshots of errors, notes from when you called support, etc.). Also, once your FAFSA processes (usually 3-5 days), log back in to check your SAI (Student Aid Index) score. This replaces the old EFC and determines your aid eligibility. If it seems incorrect, you can submit corrections or appeal directly to your financial aid office with documentation of any special circumstances.

So glad to see you got through with Edge browser! I'm a college senior who went through similar FAFSA nightmares last year. Just wanted to add that if you run into any more technical issues, try using a different device entirely if possible - sometimes it's device-specific cache issues that cause problems even in incognito mode. Also, definitely keep checking your student aid email regularly over the next few weeks. The new system has been sending verification requests and updates at random times, and some schools are being more flexible with deadlines for students who can document technical difficulties. You've got this!