Once you’ve completed your FAFSA form, there are more steps you have to take before you receive financial aid. Make sure you know what happens after you submit your FAFSA form.

"After the FAFSA®: What Happens Next?" Video

After you submit your FAFSA form online or on the myStudentAid mobile app, you can check its status immediately. (Note: Only the student can check the status, because the FSA ID username and password are required to log in.) Here’s how:

• Go to fafsa.gov or the myStudentAid mobile app and log in with your FSA ID username and password.

• The status of your application will be one of the following.

  • Processing: Your application is still processing. It typically takes three to five days, plus one additional business day to be made available to the schools you listed on the form.

  • Processed Successfully: Your application was processed successfully. No further action is needed.

  • Missing Signatures: Your application is missing the required signature(s).

  • Action Required: Your application requires further action. Contact your school to resolve the issue.

If you submitted a paper FAFSA form, you can check its status after it has been processed (roughly 7–10 days from the date mailed).

You can also contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center to find out if your FAFSA application was processed.

Not only is your FAFSA form an application for federal student aid, it also is used in determining your eligibility for certain state and school financial aid.

Your FAFSA information is shared with the colleges and/or career schools you list on the application. The financial aid office at a school uses your information to figure out how much aid you may receive at that school.

Note: The school might also have other forms for you to fill out to get school aid, so check with the financial aid office to be sure.

Your information also goes to your state higher education agency, as well as to agencies of the states where your chosen schools are located. Many states have financial aid funds that they give out based on FAFSA information.

The SAR is a summary of the FAFSA data you submitted. You (the student) will get your SAR within three days to three weeks after you submit your FAFSA form. Look over your SAR carefully, make sure you didn’t make a mistake on your FAFSA form, and make corrections to your FAFSA data if necessary. Find out more about the SAR, its purpose, how the method you use to file your FAFSA form determines when you’ll get the SAR, and what you should do with the SAR.

Correct Mistakes

Once your application has been processed, you can correct your FAFSA form online or on paper.

Make Updates

While most information cannot be changed on the FAFSA form, some information must be updated if it changes. Find out the difference and how to update FAFSA information.

NOTE: Making corrections or updates online requires the student to sign in using his or her FSA ID username and password. The parent cannot sign in and make changes to the form.

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