Where to check my estimated SAI score after submitting FAFSA?

Your SAI (Student Aid Index) won't appear immediately after submission. Once your FAFSA is fully processed (usually takes 3-5 business days), you can log into studentaid.gov and view your Student Aid Report (SAR). Your SAI will appear on this report. The SAR summarizes all the information you submitted and includes your calculated SAI, which schools use to determine your financial aid eligibility.

just went thru this last week! the SAI shows up on ur student aid report after processing. mine took about 4 days to show up. just keep checking ur email for the confirmation that its ready

When I submitted mine in October, it said it would take 3-5 days but it actually took 2 weeks to get processed! And then when I finally got my SAI it was way higher than expected because I made a mistake reporting my parents' retirement accounts as assets. Make sure you didn't include retirement accounts in your assets section - that's a common mistake.

To directly answer your question: The SAI (Student Aid Index) appears on your Student Aid Report (SAR) after processing. Login to studentaid.gov > My Documents > click on your processed SAR > look for the SAI number (usually at the top). A LOWER SAI is better - it means you qualify for more aid. An SAI of 0 or negative numbers means you'll qualify for maximum aid. Schools you listed on your FAFSA will automatically receive your SAI - you don't need to send it. But keep in mind that many private schools also require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA.

The financial aid system is SO FRUSTRATING!!! I submitted my FAFSA over a month ago and STILL don't have my SAI because they selected me for verification. Now I have to submit all these extra documents and my school's priority deadline is coming up. I've called the Federal Student Aid number like 20 times and can never get through to a human. If you get selected for verification, prepare for a nightmare.

congrats on finishing ur fafsa!! thats a huge step!! i remember being so confused by all these terms too lol. SAI EFC FSA ISIR - like wtf are all these abbreviations??!! just breathe and know that the waiting is normal

One important thing to remember: if your circumstances change significantly after submitting your FAFSA (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), you can contact your school's financial aid office directly to request a professional judgment review. The SAI is just the starting point - schools have some flexibility to adjust your aid package based on special circumstances.

Update: My Student Aid Report came through! My SAI is 4,289 - is that considered high or low? What kind of aid might I qualify for with this number?

That's awesome that your SAR came through so quickly! An SAI of 4,289 is definitely on the lower side, which means you should qualify for decent financial aid. For reference, the maximum Pell Grant eligibility usually goes up to an SAI around 7,000-7,500 (depending on the year), so you're well within that range. You'll probably get some Pell Grant money, subsidized loans where the government pays interest while you're in school, and potentially work-study opportunities. The exact amount will depend on each school's cost of attendance, but you're in a good position! Make sure to keep an eye out for your financial aid award letters from the schools you applied to - they should start coming in soon.