Where to find SAI score after FAFSA shows 'processed' status?
Our family submitted the FAFSA last week and the studentaid.gov portal shows it's 'processed' now, but I can't figure out where to find our SAI score. I've clicked through every tab and page on the site but don't see it anywhere. The confirmation email just says to check the portal. Is there a specific section I'm missing? Do they email the SAI separately or does it take additional time after processing? My daughter needs this for some scholarship applications due next month.
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Haley Bennett
The SAI (Student Aid Index) doesn't show up immediately after processing. You need to wait for your Student Aid Report (SAR), which typically becomes available 3-5 business days after your FAFSA is processed. Once you get your SAR, your SAI will be listed on there. You can access your SAR by logging into studentaid.gov, clicking on "My Documents," and then looking for the most recent SAR.
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Rami Samuels
•Thank you! I was looking in the wrong place. I'll check the "My Documents" section. Is that under my parent account or my daughter's student account?
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Douglas Foster
They don't make it obvious AT ALL! I had the same issue and almost missed a scholarship deadline. The SAI is on the SAR but sometimes takes up to a week after 'processed' status. So annoying they don't explain this clearly!
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Rami Samuels
•Ugh, so frustrating! Did you have to keep checking the site every day or did they send a notification when it was ready?
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Nina Chan
To clarify what others have said: the SAI will appear on the Student Aid Report (SAR), but this is only accessible through your STUDENT'S account, not your parent account. Your daughter needs to log in to studentaid.gov with her FSA ID, then go to My Documents to find the SAR. The SAI will be clearly listed on page 1 of that document. If it's been more than 5 business days since processing and you still don't see the SAR, there might be a verification flag on your application that needs to be resolved before the SAI is calculated.
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Rami Samuels
•That's exactly what I needed to know! We've been looking on my account, not hers. I'll have her check when she gets home from school today. Crossing fingers there's no verification flag.
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Ruby Knight
If you need it fast for scholarship deadlines, call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243. Took me 3 HOURS on hold last month when we needed our SAI for a merit scholarship application. Total nightmare!!
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Diego Castillo
•I had the same problem trying to get through to someone at FSA last semester. I ended up using Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through - they basically wait on hold for you and call you when an agent is available. Saved me so much time and stress. They have a video that shows how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Worth it when you need answers quickly for time-sensitive stuff like scholarship deadlines.
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Rami Samuels
•3 hours?! That's insane. I'll try checking my daughter's account first like others suggested, but if we run into problems, I might try that Claimyr service. There's no way I can sit on hold that long with my work schedule.
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Logan Stewart
SAI isn't even that important tbh, it's just a number they use to calculate your actual awards. The schools financial aid office is who determines your ACTUAL aid package which is what really matters. My son's SAI was $13,500 but his actual EFC ended up being like $9,000 at the school he chose.
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Mikayla Brown
•This is incorrect information. SAI (Student Aid Index) replaced EFC (Expected Family Contribution) starting with the 2024-2025 FAFSA. They're not different numbers - SAI is the new term for what used to be called EFC. And many private scholarships require the SAI number directly from the SAR for their applications, which is what the original poster needs.
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Logan Stewart
•oh my bad i thought they were different things. we did both fafsa and css profile so maybe thats why we had different numbers
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Haley Bennett
Once you find your SAI on the SAR, make sure to screenshot or save it somewhere easily accessible. You'll need it multiple times throughout the financial aid process, and it's annoying to keep logging back in to find it again every time a scholarship application asks for it.
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Rami Samuels
•Good tip! I'll have my daughter take screenshots of everything important once we find it. Appreciate everyone's help with navigating this confusing process!
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