How long until I get my FAFSA confirmation number? Still waiting after 3 days
I submitted my FAFSA application online last Wednesday night and still haven't received my confirmation number. The website just says "processing" but nothing else. My friend who applied the same day already got her confirmation # on Friday morning! Is this normal? How long does it typically take to get your confirmation number after submitting? Should I be worried or is the system just backed up right now? This is my first time applying and I'm really anxious about missing deadlines for my school's priority aid.
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Lena Müller
Don't panic! It's totally normal for FAFSA confirmation numbers to arrive at different times. The system can be backed up, especially during peak application seasons. Most students get their confirmation # within 3-5 business days, but it can sometimes take up to 7-10 days if there are technical issues or high volume. You'll receive an email with your Student Aid Index (SAI) once processing is complete. Just make sure you check the email account you listed on your application.
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Raj Gupta
•Thanks! That makes me feel better. I'll give it a few more days before freaking out. Will the confirmation email come from studentaid.gov or some other address? I want to make sure it doesn't end up in my spam folder.
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Lena Müller
•It'll come from noreply@studentaid.gov - definitely worth checking your spam/junk folders too just in case. If you don't see anything by the 10-day mark, you should try to contact FSA directly.
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TechNinja
mine took like 2 weeks last year lol... the whole system is random af sometimes
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Raj Gupta
•2 WEEKS?? omg that's so long! Did you have to do anything special to finally get it or did it just randomly show up eventually?
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TechNinja
•nope just showed up in my email one day. honestly forgot id even applied by then lol
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Keisha Thompson
This actually happened to me last month. You might have an error in your application that's causing the delay. I had accidentally put my dad's income in the wrong box and that held everything up. When I finally got through to someone at FSA, they told me the application was flagged for verification. Try logging back into your studentaid.gov account and see if there are any alerts or messages about verification or missing information. Sometimes they don't email you about these issues.
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Raj Gupta
•Oh crap, I didn't think of that. I just checked my account again and don't see any alerts, but maybe they just haven't posted one yet? Now I'm really nervous I messed something up with our tax information. My parents just got divorced and I wasn't 100% sure how to report everything.
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Keisha Thompson
•Recent divorce definitely complicates FAFSA filing! Double-check that you used the correct parent's tax information (usually whoever you lived with more during the past 12 months). If there's an issue, you'll eventually see an alert in your account or get an email asking for verification documents. Just keep checking both places regularly.
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Paolo Bianchi
THE WHOLE FAFSA SYSTEM IS BROKEN THIS YEAR!!! I've been trying for TWO MONTHS to get my confirmation and when I finally did, my SAI was completely wrong because they calculated my parents' assets incorrectly. Then I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone to fix it. The phone lines are constantly busy and when you do get through, they put you on hold for 2+ hours and then the call drops. INFURIATING!!!!
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Yara Assad
•I had the same frustrating experience trying to reach FSA by phone! What finally worked for me was using Claimyr.com - it's a service that waits on hold with FSA for you and then calls you when an agent is about to pick up. Saved me hours of waiting. They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ showing how it works. I was super skeptical at first but it actually worked when I needed to fix an issue with my SAI calculation.
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Olivia Clark
Financial aid advisor here. The timeframe for receiving your FAFSA confirmation number typically ranges from 3-7 business days for most applicants. Here's what affects processing time: 1. Application volume - January-February is peak season with longer waits 2. Data verification issues - The system cross-checks with IRS data 3. Technical glitches - Sometimes on FSA's end 4. Complex financial situations - Divorce, multiple income sources, etc. If it's been more than 7 business days, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. They can check your application status directly and tell you if there are any issues requiring attention. Pro tip: Call early in the morning (right when they open) for shortest wait times.
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Raj Gupta
•Thank you so much for this detailed info! Tomorrow will be business day 5, so I'll give it until Friday before calling. Do you know if having a parent who just filed for bankruptcy would cause delays? My dad filed Chapter 7 about 3 months ago, but I didn't see anywhere to note that on the FAFSA.
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Olivia Clark
•Great question about bankruptcy. Recent bankruptcy doesn't directly delay FAFSA processing, but it can create discrepancies between current financial situation and the tax return data being used. This sometimes triggers a verification flag. If that happens, you'll likely need to submit additional documentation through your school's financial aid office (not directly to FAFSA). Also, once you receive your SAI, consider submitting a special circumstances appeal to your school's financial aid office since bankruptcy represents a significant change from the tax year being evaluated.
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Javier Morales
My daughter is going thru the exact same thing right now!!! She submitted last week and her roommate already got the confirmation but she's still waiting. Makes no sense how they process these things. The financial aid world is so confusing for us parents. When I went to college we didn't have all this complicated SAI stuff. Just simpler times I guess.
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TechNinja
•ok but SAI is literally just the new name for EFC (expected family contribution)... its the same thing they've had for decades lol
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Lena Müller
Just checking back - did you ever get your confirmation number? If not, you should definitely call FSA directly at this point.
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Raj Gupta
•Yes! Finally got it this morning - took exactly 7 business days. My SAI is higher than I expected though, so now I'm worried about how much aid I'll actually get. Might need to start a new thread about that... But thanks everyone for the help with this issue!
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