FAFSA website glitches - need workarounds for 2025-2026 application this weekend

I just finished mine last week after several frustrating attempts. Here's what worked for me: 1. Use Firefox or Microsoft Edge - Chrome kept crashing for me during the SAI calculation sections 2. Fill out the FAFSA between 5-7am or after 10pm when server traffic is lowest 3. Save after EVERY page (don't trust the auto-save feature) 4. Have all your documents pre-organized in this order: W-2s, tax returns, bank statements, and investment info 5. If you get stuck on the contributor section, try logging out completely, clearing cookies, then logging back in 6. Take screenshots of completed pages in case you need to restart The new application is definitely more streamlined than previous years, but it still has bugs. Good luck!

use incgnito mode!!!! worked 4 me when nothing else did. the regular browser kept giving me that stupid error code when I tried 2 add my parents. and do it late night nobody on the site then

I'm going to offer a slightly different approach that saved me tons of headaches with the 2025-2026 FAFSA. Instead of trying to do it all at once, break it into smaller sessions: 1. First session: Just create account/login and enter your basic personal information 2. Second session: Add your contributor(s) information 3. Third session: Complete all financial sections 4. Final session: Review and submit This approach minimizes the risk of losing everything if the system crashes. Also, I found that using the mobile site on my phone was actually more stable than the desktop version for certain sections - especially the dependency questions. For the contribution section specifically, make sure you have your contributor(s) FSA ID ready before you start. The system times out quickly on that page.

AM I THE ONLY ONE WHO THINKS IT'S RIDICULOUS WE HAVE TO FIND "WORKAROUNDS" JUST TO APPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID?!? The system has been broken for YEARS and somehow gets WORSE with every "upgrade". I tried 8 TIMES to submit my application before it worked. EIGHT. TIMES. The most reliable workaround I found: don't trust the FAFSA system AT ALL. Have backup plans for everything: - Take screenshots of EVERY completed page - Write down your answers separately - Have multiple browsers ready - Prepare to call them when (not if) something breaks And speaking of calling - good luck getting through to a human being! I spent HOURS on hold just to be disconnected. The whole system is designed to fail.

try doing it at like 2am thats when i did mine and it worked first try. my roommate said the website kept crashing for her in the afternoon but was fine late night. also make sure u have ur tax stuff ready even if u think u dont need it they always ask for weird numbers from random forms

I was having so many issues trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid about my application errors. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and it was a game changer! They got me through to an actual FAFSA agent in about 10 minutes when I had been trying for days on my own. The agent helped me troubleshoot the exact contribution section issue you mentioned. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ For the website itself, I found that Safari worked better than other browsers, and filling out the financial information section in one sitting (with all documents ready) prevented most of the save errors others experienced.

One more important tip I forgot to mention: When entering financial information, don't use the back button! If you make a mistake, use the built-in correction feature within the FAFSA form. The back button often causes your session to invalidate, especially in the parental contribution sections. Also, the new SAI calculation is different from the old EFC formula. Don't be surprised if your expected contribution looks different from previous years - it's not necessarily an error in your application.

Also - DON'T TRUST THE SAVE FUNCTION! I lost SO MUCH data because it said it was saved but it WASN'T. The worst part is when you add contributor information and it looks like it saved but then you go back and POOF it's all gone. The most reliable method I found was completing each section fully before logging out. And if the site gives you ANY error messages, take screenshots immediately for documentation. You might need them later if financial aid claims you missed deadlines.

After helping several students with FAFSA applications, I've found that the most reliable approach is to prepare all your information in a separate document first, then transfer it to the FAFSA form in one efficient session. Here's a checklist of exactly what you'll need: - Your FSA ID login credentials - Social Security number - Driver's license number (if applicable) - Federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned - Bank statements and investment records - Records of untaxed income - If you're a dependent student: your parents' SSNs, income records, and their FSA IDs Also, the mobile app version has been more stable for many students than the website. If you encounter persistent issues with the browser version, try switching to the mobile app.

btw i got stuck on the signature page like 4 times and had to restart, what finally worked was creating a whole new fsa id and starting over, super annoying but it worked

Wow, thank you all SO much for these incredibly helpful tips! As someone who's been dreading this process, you've given me so much more confidence going into it this weekend. I'm definitely going to: - Use Firefox or Safari instead of Chrome - Do it late night/early morning (2-5am sounds perfect for my schedule) - Break it into multiple sessions like Avery suggested - Take screenshots of every completed page - Have all my documents organized beforehand - Use incognito mode if I run into issues The tip about not using the back button is huge - I would have definitely done that and probably lost everything! And knowing that the SAI calculation is different from EFC helps set expectations. One follow-up question for everyone: For those of you with complicated family situations (like separated parents), did you run into any specific issues in the contributor section that I should be prepared for? My parents are separated but not divorced, so I'm not sure how that will affect the application process. You've all been amazing - this community is exactly what first-gen students like me need! 🙏