Here are some of the common challenges we’re seeing in FAFSA completion, and some suggested work-arounds. You can also check Federal Student Aid’s FAFSA Issue Alerts page for regular status updates, resources, and workarounds.
Make sure the parent information a student enters matches the information on the parent’s FSA ID – email, phone, social security number, and date of birth.
If a contributor does not receive the email inviting them to contribute to the FAFSA, or if the link does not work, they should log in to their StudentAid.gov account and start the FAFSA there.
Students should add every college they are considering to the FAFSA. They cannot make corrections until March, which includes adding a school. Better to have extra schools you don’t need!
If there is an asterisk by the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) on their confirmation email, this means they have been flagged for verification. Verification will not start until March, but the student should watch for communication from their institution.
When searching for a college/institution name, it may be difficult to locate. A google search of the college/institution FAFSA school code could save you time.
Many early FAFSA filers have received confirmation pages with a message indicating that an estimated Student Aid Index cannot be calculated due to a missing signature. Students must wait until the form processes (March) before logging back into their FAFSA to provide a signature.
Be sure to read the ‘Apply For Direct Unsubsidized Loan Only’ question carefully. A student should select ‘yes’ ONLY if their parent(s) is completely unwilling to provide information but the student does not have an unusual circumstance. Most students will select ‘no’. If a students selects ‘yes’ on accident, they will not be able to make a correction to the form until mid-March after their form is processed.
