Your FAFSA will be processed by the Federal Processing Center, typically within seven to ten business days. You will not be able to make updates or corrections to your FAFSA during this time. Once processed, your FAFSA information will be sent to all of the schools listed on your FAFSA.
What Happens Next
You’ve filed your FAFSA, but are wondering, “What happens next?” This video explains what to expect in the coming months.
Review Your FAFSA Submission Summary
Your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) is a summary of the information you provided on your FAFSA.
- If you provided an email address on your FAFSA, you will be sent an email with a link to your FSS once your FAFSA has been processed. Your FAFSA Submission Summary can also be found by logging in at FAFSA.gov with your FSA ID.
- Review your FAFSA Submission Summary carefully. If there is an asterisk next to your SAI, that means you have been selected for verification. See below for more information.
- If corrections are needed, log in to FAFSA.gov using your FSA ID (username and password), make the corrections, and resubmit your FAFSA. Make sure you and a parent (if required), sign the FAFSA again using your FSA IDs.
- If information has changed or the FAFSA data no longer reflects your current situation, contact your school.
You May Be Selected for Verification
Verification is a process that requires schools to collect additional income and household information from some students. It does not mean that you did anything wrong.
What is Verification?
You’ve been notified that your FAFSA was selected for a process called verification. Here’s what you need to know.
Your school will let you know what documents are required by sending a letter or email addressed to you (not your parents). Make copies of required documents and send them to your school. Be sure to keep a copy of the original for your records. Students should not send information that has not been requested.
After You Complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA
Once your FAFSA has been processed (usually about seven to ten business days), log back into the FAFSA at FAFSA.gov and click on “Make a Correction.” You can then edit your mistake and resubmit your FAFSA. The updated information will be sent to all the schools listed on the FAFSA.
Do not update your FAFSA to reflect changes that have occurred after the FAFSA was filed. Instead, discuss changes (i.e., changes in income or marital status, but not assets as assets will always reflect that value as of the day the FAFSA was filed) with the financial aid office at your school.
Students and families will see a different measure of their ability to pay for college and they will experience a change in the methodology used to determine aid. With the change to SAI, some students may see a decrease in financial aid eligibility. The SAI formula does not account for siblings in college and requires the net worth of all businesses and farms to be reported as assets.
- The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
- The Cost of Attendance (COA) will be the starting point for calculating the SAI. COA includes direct costs (charges for which the university bills you directly) and estimated indirect costs (living expenses) to fund educational expenses for a year.
- The formula for calculating the Student Aid Index (SAI) is: COA – SAI – other Financial Assistance = Financial Need.
- The new need-analysis formula:
- removes the number of family members in college from the calculation,
- allows a minimum SAI of -$1,500,
- implements separate eligibility determination criteria for Federal Pell Grants based on federal poverty levels and family size.
- Child support received will be included in assets and not as untaxed income.
- Families who own a small business/farm that also serves as primary residence will now have assets of that business/farm considered in their need-analysis calculation.
- The Pell Grant will no longer be adjusted based on enrollment status (full-time, half-time, etc.). Instead, a student’s Pell Grant and disbursement amount will be calculated using the student’s Enrollment Intensity – which is a percentage value based on the number of credits a student is enrolled for during the term.
Verification is when the school asks you to verify some of the information you provided on your FAFSA by providing additional documentation and/or by completing a verification form. It DOES NOT mean you did anything wrong! You were just selected randomly by the Department of Education. Be sure to provide the requested information to the school as soon as possible.
Typically, you won’t receive a financial aid offer until you have completed the financial aid application process and have been admitted to the school. Schools have different schedules for when they send financial aid information.
Check out UCC’s Scholarship webpage to research scholarships that might be available to you.
Schools aren’t always able to meet the full financial need of every student. Start by reviewing your expenses to see if there are ways to reduce your costs. If your financial aid offer is still not enough, contact your schools Financial Aid Office for assistance.