What's the direct FAFSA contact number? Getting lost in automated menus

I think its 1-800-433-3243, but good luck gettin through lol. I tried calling them like 5 times last month and kept getting disconnected after waiting 45+ mins each time.

Thanks for the number! That's the one I've been calling 😔 Did you ever manage to get through to someone?

Yes, the Federal Student Aid Information Center number is 1-800-433-3243. They're generally available Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM to 11:00 PM Eastern Time. However, call volumes are extremely high right now because of the new FAFSA rollout and SAI calculation questions.\n\nIf your question is specifically about how your parents' divorce affects your dependency status or how retirement accounts factor into your SAI calculation, I'd recommend also checking with your school's financial aid office. They often have more direct paths to resolve these issues than the general federal helpline.

I did try my school's financial aid office first, but they told me this was something only FAFSA could help with since it has to do with how my parents' retirement accounts were calculated in the SAI formula. I'll keep trying the number though.

Pro tip: Call exactly when they open at 8:00 AM ET. That's how I finally got through after trying for a week. Also, make sure you have your FSA ID, SSN, and any relevant documentation ready because they'll ask for verification. For parent divorce situations, they might need to know which parent you lived with more during the past 12 months and who provided more financial support. The retirement account question is tricky - some types are counted in the SAI formula and others aren't.

That's helpful, thank you! I'll try the early morning call tomorrow. My situation is complicated because my parents have 50/50 custody and I'm not sure which retirement accounts get counted since one parent has a 403(b) and the other has a traditional IRA that they've been taking early distributions from.

I had the EXACT same problem last month!!! So frustrating!!! I was calling and calling and calling and either got disconnected or was on hold for literally HOURS with no one picking up. The whole system is a joke honestly.

Were you ever able to resolve your issue? I've been on hold with them for over an hour now and my phone battery is about to die 😩

After trying to get through to FAFSA agents for 2 weeks and getting nowhere, I finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got connected to an agent in about 10 minutes. It worked way better than waiting on hold all day. They have a video demo showing how it works here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ\n\nI was skeptical at first but it saved me from missing my tuition deadline. The agent I spoke with was able to explain exactly how my parents' divorce affected my SAI calculation - turns out I needed to report only the parent I lived with most during the year.

wait is that actually legit? i thought those call services were all scams

It's totally legitimate - it basically waits on hold for you and then calls you when an agent is available. Saved me hours of frustration. The FAFSA agent I spoke with cleared up my verification issues in about 15 minutes once I finally got through.

I might try this if I can't get through tomorrow morning. I've already wasted so many hours on hold that at this point I just need to speak to someone before my payment deadline.

For your specific situation with divorced parents and retirement accounts, you should know that for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, only the income and assets of your

Thank you for explaining this! The early distributions from the IRA are exactly what's causing confusion in my application. My parent has been taking them to pay for some medical expenses, but they're showing up as income in the SAI calculation and it's making me ineligible for the Pell Grant I got last year.

The whole FAFSA system is broken. I spent 3 months trying to fix an error in my SAI calculation and by the time I got it resolved, I'd missed priority deadlines for my state grants. Nobody cares that the system doesn't work because they just blame the students for not starting early enough. How are we supposed to start early when the FAFSA itself was delayed by months??

I'm worried about the same thing happening to me. My school's priority deadline for institutional scholarships is in 2 weeks, and if I can't get this SAI issue fixed, I might lose out on thousands of dollars of aid.

Update us when you get through! For anyone else reading this thread - here's a complete list of ways to contact Federal Student Aid:\n\n1. Phone: 1-800-433-3243 (1-800-4FED-AID)\n2. Live chat at studentaid.gov (though wait times are long there too)\n3. Email through the feedback system on studentaid.gov\n4. Schedule an appointment with a FAFSA counselor through your school's financial aid office\n\nIn complicated cases involving dependency status, parental contributions, or situations like divorce, having documentation ready is critical. They'll want exact dates, tax information, and possibly court documents.

Will do! I think I'm going to try the early morning call first, and if that doesn't work, maybe try that Claimyr service someone mentioned. I have all my parents' divorce paperwork and tax documents ready to go.

my cousin works in financial aid and she says nobody can get through on the main line these days. she told me to always call right when they open or in the last hour before they close. also try Wednesday afternoons for some reason they get fewer calls then idk why

Wednesday afternoons - that's a great tip! I'll try that too if my morning attempt doesn't work. Thanks!

I feel your frustration! I went through something similar last year with my FAFSA verification. One thing that helped me was calling their TTY line at 1-800-730-8913 - it's technically for hearing impaired students but sometimes has shorter wait times. Also, if you're a first-generation college student or from a low-income family, you might qualify for assistance through TRIO programs at your school - they sometimes have direct contacts at Federal Student Aid that can escalate issues faster than the general helpline. Don't give up, and definitely document all your call attempts in case you need to appeal any deadlines later!