FAQs: Processing
- If I don’t get my Student Aid Report (SAR) back within two weeks, should I reapply?
- Is filing on the Web really faster?
- I submitted my FAFSA under the wrong Social Security Number (SSN) or name. What should I do?
- What if my application is missing signatures?
- I used Corrections on the Web to make changes. When will I get a response?
- When can I submit my FAFSA using FAFSA on the Web?
- When will the schools on my FAFSA
receive my information?
If I don’t get my Student Aid Report (SAR) back within two weeks, should I reapply?
No. First check the status of your application by selecting Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page. If no application is found, contact Customer Service to check the status of your SAR.
Is filing on the Web really faster?
Yes, electronic filing is faster than filing a paper form. In fact, it may be as many as 14 days faster if you sign your application with your PIN as soon as you complete it.
TIP: FAFSA on the Web also edits your application before you submit it. This helps ensure that the data you submit is ready to be processed.
I submitted my FAFSA under the wrong Social Security Number (SSN) or name. What should I do?
If your SSN is incorrect, you must fill out a new FAFSA with your correct SSN.
If your last name has changed, refer to the FAQ
What do I do if my last name has
changed since I received my PIN?
The application you already submitted cannot be deleted from our database. Tell your school's financial aid office that the database may contain two applications under your name or SSN and let the school know which application is correct.
What if my application is missing signatures?
You can apply missing signatures in any of the following ways:
- If you have a PIN you can electronically sign your application by selecting Sign Electronically With Your PIN under the Filling Out a FAFSA section of the home page.
- Select Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page to print a signature page, then sign it and mail it in.
- If you have a paper Student Aid Report (SAR), sign it and mail it in.
- Talk to your school’s financial aid office to see if they are able to apply your signatures electronically.
I used Corrections on the Web to make changes. When will I get a response?
If we have an e-mail address for you and the correction was processed successfully, we will send you an e-mail in about 3 business days with instructions on how to access your updated Student Aid Report (SAR) online. All schools listed on your SAR will also receive the updated SAR information as soon as it is processed.
If we don’t have a valid e-mail address for you, a paper SAR will be mailed to you. It should arrive approximately 2-4 weeks after you file your correction.
If you are a dependent student correcting your parents’ information, one of your parents must sign the correction. If your parent signs your correction electronically with his/her PIN, it will speed up the process because electronic signatures are processed immediately. Paper signature pages are processed within 14 days from the date they are received.
When can I submit my FAFSA using FAFSA on the Web?
2009-2010 school year:
For the 2009-2010 school year, you can submit your FAFSA using FAFSA
on the Web from January 1, 2009 until midnight Central time June
30, 2010.
For the 2009-2010 school year, you can submit changes or updates to your application using Corrections on the Web until midnight Central time, September 21, 2010.
2008-2009 school year:
For the 2008-2009 school year, you can submit your FAFSA using FAFSA on
the Web from January 1, 2008 until midnight Central time on June
30, 2009.
For the 2008-2009 school year, you can submit changes or updates to your application using Corrections on the Web until midnight Central time, September 21, 2009.
When will the schools on my FAFSA receive my information?
Any school you have listed on your FAFSA will receive a copy of your Student Aid Report (SAR) electronically once your application has been processed.
To find out whether your application has been processed, select Check Status of a Submitted FAFSA or Print Signature Page under the FAFSA Follow-Up section of the home page.
