When do FAFSA student loans disburse for fall semester starting August 26?

Most schools disburse federal student loans 10 days before the semester starts, so probably around August 16th. BUT this depends entirely on your school's financial aid office - some schools do it earlier, some right at the start of classes. Check your school's financial aid calendar on their website (usually buried in the financial aid section somewhere). Also, you'll want to make sure you've completed all requirements like entrance counseling and your Master Promissory Note, or your disbursement could be delayed.

my school always waits until literally the day classes start and its so annoying!!! like how r we supposed to buy supplies?? check ur student portal tho, sometimes they post the exact disbursement date there

The timing depends on a few factors: 1) Each school sets their own disbursement schedule 2) First-time borrowers sometimes have a 30-day delay 3) If you're a first-year student, some schools hold the funds for 30 days after classes start (federal requirement) 4) Make sure all your FAFSA verification is complete if you were selected Last year, my loans came exactly 8 days before classes started. Your financial aid office should be able to give you an EXACT date if you ask specifically for the "disbursement calendar" - they should have one.

Be careful with planning for that loan money! When they finally disburse the funds, the school takes out tuition and fees FIRST, then whatever's left over (called a "refund") gets sent to you. Depending on your total cost and loan amount, you might not get as much as you're expecting for that laptop. Have you checked your award letter to see how much you'll actually get back after tuition?

Has anyone else noticed that schools are getting slower with disbursements lately?? My freshman year (2023) I got my funds 2 weeks before classes, but last semester they didn't come until 3 days before. So annoying trying to plan anything!!

If you're really stuck waiting for disbursement and need to contact the Federal Student Aid office directly about your loans, try using Claimyr.com to get through to an actual human. I was in this exact situation last semester - my loans weren't disbursing and the school kept blaming FSA, FSA kept bouncing me to voicemail. Claimyr got me through to a live agent in like 15 minutes when I'd been trying for days. They have a video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

Regarding your laptop situation, most college bookstores offer a "book advance" against pending financial aid. You might be able to use this for technology purchases if your bookstore sells computers. Ask about their financial aid advance policy - it's designed exactly for students waiting on disbursements who need materials before classes start.

One more thing to check - make sure you're enrolled in direct deposit with your school's bursar office! If you're expecting a paper check for your refund, it can take an extra 5-7 days after disbursement. Direct deposit is usually 2-3 days after the loan hits your student account.

my friend got a emergency loan from the financial aid office when her FAFSA was delayed, maybe ask about that??

Just wanted to add - if you're still waiting to hear back from your financial aid office about the exact disbursement date, try emailing them instead of calling. A lot of schools are swamped with phone calls right now but respond to emails within 24-48 hours. Ask specifically for your "aid disbursement timeline" and mention your class start date. They should be able to give you at least a rough estimate. Also, while you're waiting, check if your school has a Facebook group or subreddit where other students might have already posted about when their aid came through in previous semesters. Sometimes other students have better intel than the official channels!