How to access your Student Aid Index (SAI) after FAFSA submission
I submitted my FAFSA about 3 weeks ago and got an email saying it was processed, but now I can't figure out how to see my Student Aid Index (SAI). I thought it would just appear on my dashboard but it's not there? I need to know what it is because I'm trying to estimate which schools I can actually afford before accepting any offers. When I log into studentaid.gov, I can see my application was processed but I don't see the SAI number anywhere. Am I missing something obvious? Where exactly on the website can you view your SAI after everything's been processed?
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Peyton Clarke
Its on ur confirmation page right after u submit but u probably missed it. Try clicking on ur processed application and look for the number that way
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•I already tried clicking on the processed application but it just shows a summary of what I submitted. There's no specific section labeled SAI or anything like that. Are you sure it's supposed to be there?
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Vince Eh
I went through this EXACT same thing last month!!! The SAI isn't actually displayed prominently on your dashboard like you'd expect. You have to go to your processed FAFSA, then click on 'View Student Aid Report (SAR)' - it's a PDF document and your SAI should be listed on the first or second page. The system is SO STUPID for not just showing it clearly on the main page when that's literally the most important number!!!!!
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thank you! I'll try finding the SAR right now. I agree it's ridiculous they don't just show it clearly somewhere obvious.
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Sophia Gabriel
To clarify what others have mentioned, here's exactly how to locate your Student Aid Index (SAI): 1. Log into studentaid.gov with your FSA ID 2. Go to "My FAFSA" or "View my FAFSA" 3. Select your processed 2025-2026 application 4. Look for "View SAR" (Student Aid Report) or "View Processed FAFSA" 5. Download the PDF document 6. Your SAI will be on the first page, usually in the top section If you don't see the SAR option, it might mean your application is still being processed despite the email. Processing can sometimes take 3-5 business days after you receive the "processed" notification, especially during peak periods.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•This is super helpful, thank you! You're right - I don't actually see a "View SAR" option yet, so maybe it's still finalizing even though I got that email. I'll check again in a few days.
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Tobias Lancaster
Everyone keeps tellin u to check the SAR but my sisters SAI wasn't on her SAR at all this year, it was actually on her colleges financial aid portals after they got her FAFSA info. Different schools might show it different places too.
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Sophia Gabriel
•That's partly correct. The SAI should appear on your SAR, but you're right that colleges also receive and may display your SAI in their financial aid portals. However, waiting for colleges to process your FAFSA information could take weeks, which is why checking the SAR is usually faster. The 2025-2026 FAFSA redesign did change some display locations, so it's possible your sister's experience was during this transition period.
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Ezra Beard
I had the same issue and spent forever trying to find my SAI. I even called the Federal Student Aid number multiple times but kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to a real person in like 20 minutes who helped me find my SAI. They have a demo video too: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. The agent told me sometimes there's a glitch where the SAI doesn't show up on the SAR right away even though the FAFSA is processed.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
•Thanks for the suggestion! I might try that if I still can't find it after checking for the SAR again in a few days. Did the agent tell you how long it typically takes for the SAI to appear after processing?
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Ezra Beard
•The agent said it normally should appear within 3-5 business days after processing, but during high volume periods it can take up to 7-10 days. If you still don't see it after that, definitely call because there might be an issue with your application they need to fix manually.
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Statiia Aarssizan
I notice there's some confusion in this thread about viewing your SAI. Let me explain what's actually happening this year: With the 2025-2026 FAFSA simplification, the Department of Education changed how the SAI is displayed. Your SAI is now prominently featured on your Student Aid Report (SAR), but you need to ensure you're looking at the most recent version. In some cases, the initial "processed" email goes out before the final SAI calculation is complete. If you log in and don't see your SAI on the SAR, it means one of two things: 1. Your FAFSA is still in the final stages of processing despite the email 2. There might be a verification flag or information issue requiring resolution If it's been more than 10 days since receiving your "processed" email and you still don't see your SAI, you should contact Federal Student Aid directly as there may be an unresolved issue with your application.
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Reginald Blackwell
•Question - my daughter's SAI eventually showed up, but it was WAY higher than we expected based on our income. Is there any way to see how they calculated it? We make about $68,000 combined but her SAI came back at 15,420 which seems way too high considering we also have 2 other kids in college. Could there be a mistake?
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Statiia Aarssizan
•Yes, you can see how they calculated it. On the SAR, look for the section called "FAFSA Summary" or "Financial Information Summary" which should show the figures used in the calculation. Common reasons for unexpectedly high SAIs include: 1. Reporting retirement assets that should have been excluded 2. Not properly indicating multiple family members in college 3. Incorrectly reporting home equity (which should NOT be included) 4. One-time income events that artificially inflated your AGI If you believe there's an error, you can submit a correction to your FAFSA or contact the financial aid offices at your daughter's schools to request a professional judgment review, especially if your current year income is lower than what was reported.
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Misterclamation Skyblue
Update: I finally found my SAI! I waited a few more days and checked again. When I logged in this time, there was a "View SAR" option that wasn't there before. My SAI was right on the first page of the PDF, just like you all said. It's 6,842, which is pretty much what I expected based on our family income. Thanks everyone for your help!
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Vince Eh
•Glad you found it! 6,842 is actually not bad - you should qualify for decent aid at most schools. Make sure you still fill out any CSS Profile forms if your schools require those too, they sometimes offer more institutional aid beyond what FAFSA shows. The whole system is unnecessarily complicated!!!
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Sophia Gabriel
•Great to hear you found it! With an SAI of 6,842, you're likely eligible for significant financial aid at many institutions. Remember that this number is sent to all the schools you listed on your FAFSA, and each school will use it to create their own financial aid package based on their available resources and funding formulas. Be sure to watch for those financial aid offers and compare them carefully before making your final decision.
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Royal_GM_Mark
Congratulations on finding your SAI! For anyone else still struggling with this, I want to add that sometimes clearing your browser cache and cookies can help if the "View SAR" option isn't appearing even after waiting the appropriate time. I had this issue last year and the federal student aid website was showing an older cached version of my dashboard. After clearing everything and logging back in, the SAR link was there. Also, if you're using a mobile device, try switching to a desktop computer - the mobile version of studentaid.gov doesn't always display all the options properly.
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Caleb Stone
•That's a really helpful tip about clearing browser cache! I've run into similar issues with other government websites not updating properly. It's frustrating how these technical glitches can make an already stressful process even more complicated. Thanks for sharing the mobile vs desktop tip too - I always forget that government sites often work better on desktop browsers.
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Caesar Grant
Just wanted to add another tip for anyone still having trouble - if you submitted your FAFSA using a parent's FSA ID, make sure you're logging in with the STUDENT'S FSA ID to view the SAR, not the parent's. I made this mistake initially and couldn't figure out why I couldn't see my processed application. The parent FSA ID lets you help fill out the form, but the student needs to use their own login to access their personal SAR and SAI information. This caught me off guard since my mom helped me submit everything using her account initially.
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Oscar Murphy
•That's such an important distinction! I didn't realize there could be confusion about which FSA ID to use for viewing the SAR. This is really helpful for anyone whose parents helped them submit their FAFSA initially. It makes sense that the student would need their own login to access their personal financial aid information, but it's not immediately obvious when you're new to the process. Thanks for pointing this out - it could save people a lot of frustration!
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Ava Hernandez
This thread has been so helpful! I'm a first-time college applicant and had no idea about any of this SAI stuff. I submitted my FAFSA last week and was wondering what happens next. Reading through all these responses, it sounds like I need to wait a bit longer and then look for the "View SAR" option to see my Student Aid Index. I'm glad I found this post before panicking about not seeing it right away! Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and tips - especially the browser cache clearing suggestion and the reminder about using the student's FSA ID instead of the parent's. This whole financial aid process is overwhelming but at least now I know what to expect with finding my SAI.
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Max Knight
•Welcome to the FAFSA process! You're definitely being smart by researching this ahead of time. One week is still pretty early - most people in this thread had to wait 2-3 weeks before their SAR became available. Just to add to all the great advice here, once you do get your SAI, don't stress too much if it seems higher than expected at first glance. The schools you applied to will use that number along with their own institutional aid to create your actual financial aid package, which could be much more generous than what the SAI alone suggests. Good luck with your applications!
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Ethan Clark
I'm so glad I found this thread! I just submitted my FAFSA yesterday and was already getting anxious about not seeing my SAI anywhere. Reading through everyone's experiences here has been incredibly reassuring - it sounds like I just need to be patient and wait for the SAR to become available in a couple weeks. The tip about using the student's FSA ID rather than the parent's is especially helpful since my dad helped me submit the application. I'll definitely bookmark this thread to refer back to when I'm checking for my SAI. Thanks to everyone who shared their step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips - this community is amazing for helping navigate such a confusing process!
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Carmen Flores
•You're absolutely right to feel reassured after reading through everyone's experiences! As someone who just went through this process myself, I can confirm that the waiting period is totally normal and you shouldn't worry if nothing shows up for the first week or two. One thing I'd add is to make sure you save or bookmark your FSA ID login information somewhere safe - you'll be using it a lot over the next few months to check financial aid updates from different schools. Also, once your SAI does appear, take a screenshot or write it down because you might need to reference that number when talking to financial aid offices at your schools. The whole process gets much less stressful once you have that number in hand!
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Natalie Wang
This whole thread is incredibly helpful! I'm a parent helping my child navigate this process for the first time, and I had no idea it could take weeks for the SAI to appear even after getting the "processed" email. We submitted our FAFSA about 10 days ago and I was starting to worry something went wrong since we couldn't find the SAI anywhere. Reading through everyone's experiences here has put my mind at ease - it sounds like we just need to wait a bit longer for the "View SAR" option to appear. I really appreciate all the detailed step-by-step instructions and troubleshooting tips. The reminder about making sure my child uses their own FSA ID to check for the SAR (rather than mine) is especially valuable since I helped with the initial submission. This community is such a great resource for parents and students dealing with the complexity of financial aid applications!
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