New FAFSA missing parent signature - now might miss scholarship deadlines

Same exact thing happened to us! The system is a nightmare. My daughter submitted in January, and we only realized last week that my signature was missing when we checked the status. No email notification, nothing! After we added the signature, it's still processing 10 days later. I called the financial aid office at her school and they said they're making accommodations for late FAFSA processing for their institutional scholarships, but not sure about external ones.

you need to contact each scholarship committee directly. most of them know about the fafsa mess and might give extensions if you ask. my cousin got 3 different deadline extensions just by emailing and explaining.

This is unfortunately a widespread issue with the new FAFSA system. The parent signature problem specifically has affected thousands of applicants. Here's what you need to do: 1) Have your parent log in with their FSA ID immediately and complete the signature 2) Take screenshots of your FAFSA submission date and current status 3) Contact each scholarship committee with this documentation 4) Call your school's financial aid office to alert them The good news is that most institutions and scholarship committees are aware of these issues and have procedures for extensions. Processing time after adding the signature is currently taking 7-10 business days on average.

I've been trying to reach someone at Federal Student Aid for THREE DAYS about our missing parent signature issue!!! The phone line just disconnects after 45 minutes on hold every single time. Has anyone actually managed to speak to a real person there?

Financial aid counselor here. The new FAFSA rollout has been problematic for many reasons, but missing parent signatures is one of the top issues we're seeing. A few important points: • Processing times after adding signatures are currently 7-14 days (longer than normal) • Your SAI (Student Aid Index, formerly EFC) cannot be calculated until all signatures are verified • Most colleges are aware and making accommodations • External scholarships vary in flexibility If your SAI isn't processed in time, ask the scholarship for a conditional review using your FAFSA confirmation number and submission date as proof you applied on time. Many will accept this with the condition that you provide the actual SAI once available. Also, print your FAFSA acknowledgment page showing your submission date as documentation.

this new FAFSA is absolute GARBAGE!!1! i've been doing financial aid for 20+ years and have NEVER seen such a disaster. my youngest is trying for college this fall and we still can't get his app processed after 6 weeks!!! this signature thing is just one of like 50 problems with the system. I've literally seen families GIVING UP on financial aid because of this mess. Congress needs to hold someone accountable!!

Quick update on timing based on my students' experiences: For applications where parent signatures were added after initial submission, processing is currently taking about 10-12 business days. This is significantly longer than the 3-5 days it took in previous years, but shorter than the 3+ weeks we were seeing in January. Hope this helps with your planning!

Has anyone had success getting their SAI calculated with a missing parent signature? My husband is deployed overseas with limited internet access and can't easily sign. I feel like there should be exceptions for military families but I can't get a straight answer from anyone!

just got our SAI number finally!!! took 11 business days after adding my mom's signature. hope this helps someone estimate their timeline!