When should I submit Master Promissory Note for FAFSA 2025-2026? Timeline confusion

Hi there! I've been through this process a few times with my kids. You can absolutely go ahead and complete the Master Promissory Note and Student Loan Acknowledgment now - they're valid for the entire academic year. The MPN actually lasts for 10 years for undergraduate study, so you only need to complete it once unless you change schools. You're correct that Parent PLUS loan applications can't be submitted until April for the 2025-2026 year. Your timeline should look something like this: 1. FAFSA submission (which you've done) 2. SAI generated (completed) 3. Complete MPN and Loan Acknowledgment (can do now) 4. Wait for your school's official aid offer 5. Parent PLUS application (April onward) 6. Accept/decline aid components Don't stress too much about the timing - your financial aid office will remind you if anything is missing!

i did mine last week it takes like 10 min. the loan acknowledgment is annoying bc u have to click thru all these screens about debt lol. but the mpn is easy just need your references contact info

BE CAREFUL - I submitted all my loan stuff early last year and then my school's financial aid package changed after I got a scholarship and it was SO COMPLICATED to adjust everything!!! Had to cancel loan amounts and redo a bunch of paperwork. Maybe wait until your school finalizes everything and THEN submit the loan documents so you know exactly how much you need to borrow.

I'm having a similar issue but can't even get through to my financial aid office! Been trying to call them for TWO WEEKS about my MPN questions and either get voicemail or disconnected. Tried the FSA helpline too but was on hold for 55 minutes before giving up. How is anyone supposed to get help with this stuff???

wait are we supposed to do the MPN every year?? I thought I only had to do it once during freshman year? Now I'm freaking out that I might have missed something for my sophomore year FAFSA!!!

Here's the official guidance on timelines: 1. The MPN for Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized loans is valid for 10 years at the same institution. 2. The Annual Student Loan Acknowledgment must be completed each academic year before loans can disburse. 3. Parent PLUS applications for 2025-2026 open April 2025. You can complete the MPN and Loan Acknowledgment now or wait until after your school processes your FAFSA information and sends you an aid offer. Either way is fine. One important note: if your school uses a Custom MPN process, they might have a specific timeline for when to complete it. Check your school's financial aid website or portal for any school-specific instructions.

I rly wish they would make this process clearer like why is it so complicated just to get financial aid for college smh

Quick question - does anyone know if the Parent PLUS loan application affects your SAI score? My parents are worried that applying for the PLUS loan will somehow reduce my eligibility for grants.

Thanks everyone for the helpful information! I feel much better about the timeline now. I'm going to go ahead and complete the MPN and Loan Acknowledgment this weekend, then wait for my official aid package before dealing with the Parent PLUS portion in April.

Great discussion here! Just wanted to add that if you're completing the MPN online, make sure you have a stable internet connection - I had mine time out halfway through and had to start over. Also, double-check that your contact information is current before submitting because that's what they'll use to reach you about your loans throughout the year. The whole process really isn't as scary as it seems once you get started!

Just wanted to share my experience as someone who went through this exact same confusion last year! I was so stressed about the timing too, but it really does work out fine. I ended up completing my MPN and Student Loan Acknowledgment in early April after getting my SAI, and everything processed smoothly. One tip that really helped me: create a simple checklist with deadlines so you can track what you've completed. Also, if your school has a financial aid checklist in their student portal, that's usually more specific than the generic federal timeline. Some schools have their own internal deadlines that are earlier than the federal ones. The whole process definitely feels overwhelming at first, but you're asking the right questions and it sounds like you're on top of everything! Don't stress too much about doing things "too early" - as others mentioned, the MPN doesn't expire for 10 years, so better to get it done and have one less thing to worry about.

Adding to what others have said - I just completed my MPN and Student Loan Acknowledgment last week and wanted to share a few practical tips that helped me: 1. Have your FSA ID ready before you start - you'll need it to access the federal student aid website 2. For the MPN references, I used a family friend and my aunt (just make sure they don't live at your address) 3. The Student Loan Acknowledgment has a lot of informational screens about repayment - don't skip through them too fast, there's actually some useful info about interest rates and repayment options The whole thing took me about 20 minutes total. One thing that surprised me was that after completing both, I got confirmation emails right away, so you'll know immediately that everything went through properly. Since you already have your SAI, you're in great shape to get this paperwork done now. It's one less thing to worry about when your aid package comes through!