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Maya Diaz

NJFAMS/HESAA 2025-2026 not showing after FAFSA processing - missing step?

I'm so confused about the NJ state aid process! We completed our FAFSA for 2025-2026 about three weeks ago, got confirmation it was processed, but when I log into NJFAMS/HESAA there's absolutely nothing showing up for 2025-2026. We were told the FAFSA information would automatically transfer to HESAA once we created an account (which we did). My daughter already received her financial aid package from one university showing her tuition award but no state grants. Her SAI came back quite high (around 15k), so I'm wondering if we just don't qualify for NJ state aid and that's why nothing is appearing in NJFAMS? Did we miss some critical step in the process? Has anyone else experienced this disconnect between FAFSA and NJFAMS? I want to make sure we're not leaving money on the table before we make any final decisions.

Tami Morgan

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same thing happened to me! NJFAMS is always behind FAFSA, sometimes by like 4-6 weeks. just keep checking and eventually it'll show up

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Maya Diaz

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Thanks for the reassurance! Did your information eventually just appear without you doing anything additional?

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Rami Samuels

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With an SAI of 15k youre probably not gonna qualify for NJ TAG anyway. They cut off around 10k last year for most state colleges. The school already knows this thats why they didnt include any state grants in ur package

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Haley Bennett

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Thats not entirely accurate. The TAG cutoff varies by school type. Community colleges have different thresholds than 4-yr public or private institutions. Also depends if full-time or part-time student.

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This is a common issue with NJFAMS that I see every year. The FAFSA-to-HESAA transfer isn't actually automatic - there's a processing delay. Here's what you should know: 1. NJFAMS typically takes 3-6 weeks after FAFSA processing to show your application 2. For 2025-2026, HESAA is experiencing longer delays due to the FAFSA simplification changes 3. Your FAFSA data WILL transfer, but you should verify by mid-May 4. If nothing appears by June 1, you should contact HESAA directly As for qualifying, TAG eligibility is primarily based on your SAI, total cost of attendance, and enrollment status. With an SAI of 15k, you may be above the threshold for full TAG, but could potentially qualify for partial awards depending on the specific institution.

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Maya Diaz

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Thank you for the detailed explanation! The June 1 deadline is helpful to know. I'll definitely keep an eye on the NJFAMS portal until then. Do you know if there are any other NJ-specific grants we should be looking into beyond TAG?

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Nina Chan

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i spent HOURS trying to reach HESAA last year to fix an issue with missing info on NJFAMS...kept getting busy signals or disconnected...so frustrating!! finally found a service called Claimyr (claimyr.com) that got me through to an actual human at HESAA in like 20 minutes. they have this demo video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ the agent told me the exact same thing - there's always a lag between FAFSA processing and NJFAMS updates. but they did confirm my data was in their system even though it wasn't showing online yet

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Ruby Knight

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I've used Claimyr too! It's the only way I've managed to get through to FSA in the past year. The phone systems for all these financial aid offices are absolutely overwhelmed.

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Maya Diaz

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Thanks for the tip! I'll try to be patient for now, but it's good to know there's a way to actually reach them if I need to follow up in a few weeks.

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Did you check if you filled out the additional state questions section on the FAFSA? There's a specific section for NJ residents that asks if you want your info sent to HESAA. It's easy to miss if you were rushing through the application. If you didn't select that option, your info won't transfer automatically.

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Maya Diaz

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Oh no, I don't remember specifically seeing that section! I thought we completed everything, but now I'm worried we missed something crucial. Is there a way to go back and update just that section without redoing the entire FAFSA?

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Don't panic about the state questions. You can log back into your FAFSA on studentaid.gov and check under "State Information" - if it's not completed, you can submit a correction. But most likely you did complete it as it's part of the standard flow. Regarding other NJ aid programs beyond TAG, look into: - NJ STARS (for top 15% of high school class attending community college) - Governor's Urban Scholarship (for students in specific urban districts) - EOF Program (Educational Opportunity Fund for disadvantaged students) Some of these have separate applications beyond just FAFSA/NJFAMS.

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Maya Diaz

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Thank you! I just checked and we did complete the state questions section. That's a relief. We'll look into those other programs too, though I don't think my daughter qualifies for those specific ones based on the criteria you mentioned.

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Tami Morgan

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btw sometimes NJFAMS has system maintenance and doesnt show correct info. try logging on during business hrs instead of late night when they might be updating stuff

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Maya Diaz

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Good point! I have been checking mostly in the evenings. I'll try again tomorrow morning and see if anything looks different.

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Rami Samuels

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just to give u perspective my kid's SAI was 8500 last year and got $1200 in TAG for rutgers...if ur at 15k dont expect much maybe a few hundred if anything

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Haley Bennett

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Wow, that's actually surprising. Last year my niece had an SAI around 9000 and received almost $2800 for Rowan. The variations between schools are bigger than I realized.

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Ruby Knight

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One more thing to check - make sure you're looking at the correct academic year in NJFAMS. There's a dropdown menu at the top of the page where you can switch between years. Sometimes it defaults to the current year rather than the upcoming one you're applying for. Easy mistake to make!

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Maya Diaz

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I definitely checked that dropdown - it only shows 2024-2025 as an option, nothing for 2025-2026 yet. That's part of what confused me!

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This is completely normal for NJFAMS. They don't add the new academic year to the dropdown menu until they begin processing applications for that year, which typically starts in late April or early May. So the fact that 2025-2026 isn't even an option yet confirms that they haven't started processing applications for the upcoming year. Your best course of action is to: 1. Continue checking NJFAMS periodically (once every couple weeks) 2. Ensure your FAFSA status shows as processed on studentaid.gov 3. Contact HESAA directly only if nothing appears by their published deadline Based on your daughter's SAI, you may receive limited state aid, but it's always worth making sure everything is processed correctly.

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Maya Diaz

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Thank you so much for clarifying! That makes so much more sense now. We'll keep an eye on it over the next few weeks and go from there. I feel much better knowing we haven't missed anything critical in the process.

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Mateo Sanchez

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I went through this exact same situation last year and it was so stressful! Just wanted to add that even though your SAI is around 15k, you might still qualify for some state aid depending on which school your daughter chooses. The TAG thresholds vary significantly between community colleges, state universities, and private institutions. Also, don't forget about the NJ Educational Opportunity Fund (EOF) if your daughter might qualify - that has separate income requirements and application deadlines. The waiting game with NJFAMS is the worst part, but it really does eventually sync up with your FAFSA info. Hang in there!

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Paolo Longo

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I'm dealing with the exact same issue right now! My daughter's FAFSA was processed about a month ago and still nothing showing up in NJFAMS for 2025-2026. It's such a relief to see I'm not the only one experiencing this delay. Our SAI came back around 12k, so we're in a similar boat wondering if we'll qualify for any state aid. The uncertainty is really stressful when trying to compare financial aid packages from different schools. Thanks for posting this - all the responses have been really helpful in understanding that this is just how the system works unfortunately. Definitely going to bookmark that Claimyr service in case I need to actually reach someone at HESAA later!

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Rosie Harper

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I'm so glad this thread exists too! It's such a relief to know we're not alone in this confusing process. With your SAI at 12k, you might actually have better chances than some of us for state aid - from what others have shared, it seems like you could still qualify for partial TAG depending on the school. The waiting game is definitely the most stressful part, especially when you're trying to make deposit decisions. I've been checking NJFAMS obsessively but now I know to just be patient for another month or so. Good luck with everything!

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