What does EST mean next to FAFSA amounts? Are they actual or estimated awards?

Yep, EST means estimated. The school is basically saying "here's what we think you'll get based on your FAFSA info, but it's not final yet." My son had this last year and most amounts stayed pretty close to estimates, but his work-study actually increased by like $800.

The EST designation means those award amounts are estimated based on your daughter's FAFSA information, but they're subject to change until several verification steps are completed. These typically include: 1. Final verification of your FAFSA data (if selected for verification) 2. Completion of any outstanding requirements in her student portal 3. Confirmation of enrollment status (full-time vs part-time) 4. Resolution of any conflicting information Once all these steps are completed, the school will finalize her aid package and remove the EST designation. I recommend checking her student portal for a "To Do List" or "Requirements" section to see if there's anything outstanding she needs to submit.

Something no one mentioned yet - EST can also mean your SAI (Student Aid Index) is still being calculated or reviewed! My daughter's EST stayed for weeks and it turns out they were reviewing our special circumstances appeal. Once that was processed, the amounts changed and became final. Are you sure your FAFSA is 100% processed with no pending corrections or reviews?

EST doesnt always mean it will change tho!!! my amounts had EST next to them all year and they never changed at all. its just the schools way of covering themselfs in case something changes.

Have you checked if your daughter has been selected for verification? About 30% of FAFSA filers get selected, and those EST amounts won't become final until verification is complete. Also, be aware that while federal aid like Pell Grants usually stays close to estimates, school-specific scholarships and state grants can vary more significantly. The financial aid office can tell you exactly what's pending.

Has anyone else been super frustrated trying to call the financial aid office about these estimated amounts? I've been trying to reach them for DAYS about my daughter's EST amounts, and I either get put on hold forever or get disconnected. It's insane how hard it is to talk to an actual person who can explain what's going on with thousands of dollars in financial aid!

also check if there difrent amounts for fall vs spring!!! my daughtrs aid was difrent each semester bc she had more credits in fall.

just wondering did u do the new FAFSA cuz i heard theyre super delayed this year and lots of schools r giving Est amounts cuz they dont even have final SAI scores for everyone!!

One last important point: If your daughter plans to accept any student loans that are part of her financial aid package, she'll need to complete entrance counseling and sign a Master Promissory Note (MPN) on studentaid.gov before those funds can be disbursed. This is separate from the verification process but equally important for finalizing her aid. Once all requirements are complete, those EST designations should be removed, and you'll see the final amounts.

Just wanted to add my experience - we went through this exact same thing last year with my son! The EST amounts stayed on his portal for about 6 weeks, but once he completed all the verification requirements and submitted his final transcript, everything became final within a few days. The actual amounts ended up being within $200 of the estimates, so pretty close. One tip: screenshot or print those estimated amounts now so you can compare later if anything changes significantly. Also, don't forget that even after the EST is removed, you'll still need to formally accept or decline each type of aid in the portal before the money actually gets disbursed to your daughter's account. Good luck!

I'm new here but going through the exact same situation with my daughter's aid package! Reading through all these responses is so reassuring. We've been stressing about the EST amounts too, but it sounds like most people's estimates stayed pretty close to final. One question I have - does anyone know roughly how long after you complete all the verification requirements it takes for the EST to be removed? We're hoping to finalize our college budget soon and wondering if we should expect this to take weeks or months to resolve.