Next steps after FAFSA shows "processed" - no email received yet?

don't panic! it can take a while to get your results. my daughter's showed "processed" for like 2 weeks before we got the email with her SAI. check your spam folder though, sometimes they go there

Once your FAFSA shows as "processed," here's what happens next: 1. Within 3-5 days, your son's SAI (Student Aid Index) should be calculated and available in the FAFSA portal under "View Student Aid Report" 2. The schools your son listed on his FAFSA will automatically receive his information - you don't need to send it separately 3. Each school will create a financial aid package based on his SAI and their available funding 4. You'll receive award letters from each school, but this timing varies widely - some schools send them within weeks, others wait until acceptance letters If it's been more than 7 days since processing, I'd recommend checking the actual Student Aid Report on studentaid.gov rather than waiting for an email. The SAR will show his SAI and whether there are any issues that need addressing.

wait they're supposed to email you? my kid's fafsa got processed 3 weeks ago and we never got any email...now im worried we missed something

The next step is VERIFICATION for at least 30% of FAFSA filers! My son got selected and it was a NIGHTMARE. They demanded tax transcripts, W-2s, and even made us write a letter explaining our living situation. Took MONTHS to resolve and almost lost his aid package. The financial aid office kept saying they were "reviewing" it but nothing happened until I called Federal Student Aid directly and complained. College financial aid offices are WORTHLESS - they just blame everything on "federal regulations" instead of helping.

I've been through this process three times with my kids! Here's what you should know: Once your FAFSA shows "processed," the system has completed its initial review. The information is sent automatically to all schools listed on the application. No action needed from you for that part. You should receive an email with a link to the Student Aid Report (SAR) which contains your son's SAI (Student Aid Index) - this is what schools use to determine aid eligibility. However, these emails can be delayed or filtered to spam. Pro tip: Don't wait for the email. Have your son log into studentaid.gov, go to "My Documents," and look for his SAR. It should be available there within 3-7 days after processing. Next steps: 1. Review the SAR for errors 2. Check if you're selected for verification (will be clearly noted on SAR) 3. Contact each school's financial aid office to confirm they received the FAFSA 4. Watch for aid award letters from schools (timing varies widely) If you need to make corrections, you can do so directly on studentaid.gov.

When I was trying to reach the Federal Student Aid agents to check on my daughter's application status last month, I kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Someone on another forum recommended using Claimyr.com and it actually worked! They got me connected to a FAFSA agent in about 20 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ if you end up needing to call. Saved me so much frustration!

my kids fafsa has been "processed" for like a month and some of his schools have his info but others don't?? makes no sense. financial aid office at one school says they have everything but another says they're still waiting. whole system is a mess tbh

Does anyone know if we're supposed to send the FAFSA directly to colleges? My niece just did hers and I thought it was automatic but now I'm confused

just so u know the student aid index (SAI) replaced the old EFC this year so if ur looking at old info online it might be confusing. my kids financial aid office said alot of parents are getting confused about this

After reviewing the entire thread, here's a simple checklist for next steps: 1. Log into studentaid.gov using your son's account 2. Go to "My Documents" and look for the Student Aid Report (SAR) 3. Review the SAR to find his Student Aid Index (SAI) number 4. Check if he was selected for verification (will be clearly stated on the SAR) 5. Confirm the schools he wants to attend are listed in his FAFSA 6. Wait for schools to send financial aid award letters If you don't see the SAR within 7-10 days of showing "processed," or if you're selected for verification, that's when you might need to contact Federal Student Aid directly. Otherwise, the process should continue automatically from here.