After yous file your Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA®) application, the fourth dimension it takes to hear back tin seem like ages, but y'all'll exist happy to know the procedure can be quicker than yous'd think.

For an electronically filed FAFSA® signed online with an FSA ID, you'll receive a link to your Student Aid Written report (SAR) in every bit picayune equally 3 to 5 days. By contrast, paper FAFSA® applications tin take up to 3 weeks, so how long it takes actually depends on how you've practical. For students eager to understand what they might accept to pay for their college education, filing FAFSA® online is the faster choice.

How Long Does It Have To File FAFSA®?

If yous need to assemble the necessary information for filing and you lot are filing for the first time, information technology can take a couple of hours to file your FAFSA®. If you are filing online and if you lot already have the necessary information ready, information technology takes 4 – 60 minutes for a offset-time filer depending on the online filing tool you use.

Form Type First Time Filer (AVG) Renewal (AVG)
Paper FAFSA® 3 hours three hours
Online FAFSA® 1 hr 45 minutes
Frank 7 minutes 7 minutes
Corrections 10 minutes x minutes

How Long Does It Take To Process FAFSA®?

Later you submit your FAFSA® and your awarding processes, you will receive your Student Aid Study (SAR) in about 3 to xiv days or sometimes longer. It depends on if you lot receive information technology by email, mail, or in some other form.

Frank FAFSA® is Now Open - File Today

To receive your SAR  in the quickest amount of time , complete the course online, provide an e-mail address, and sign the FAFSA® using your FSA ID. You can also create your which is a personal identification number used to admission federal student aid information and legally sign electronic documents.

If you don't provide your email address on the electronic FAFSA®, you will receive a newspaper SAR in the mail in about 7 to ten days. For students who take filled out the course online, provided a valid email address, but oasis't signed the FAFSA® with an FSA ID, receiving the SAR by electronic mail can take up to 2 weeks.

You can fill out the paper grade and provide an e-mail address on the awarding, which ensures you receive a link to your SAR via email in 2 weeks.

Without an FSA ID or email address, a paper form will take as long as 3 weeks to process and send out your SAR. Besides, providing an invalid email accost on the FAFSA® past using whatever method will result in a delayed SAR.

While students tin can make full out the newspaper form and submit it via mail, you can merely make corrections to the SAR Acquittance online. If you haven't heard anything regarding your FAFSA® in more than than three weeks, check your SAR status online.

First, the colleges you listed on your FAFSA® receive your EFC.

After receiving your SAR, which includes your Expected Family Contribution (EFC),  the colleges you listed on the application will receive the data to determine your financial assistance eligibility. It's with the FAFSA® information that a college can make up one's mind your aid award.

All colleges tin can access your information the day after the FAFSA® has been processed, but each college or university fiscal assist department has its ain processing time as they receive numerous applications daily. If you have gone a few weeks without hearing nearly your assist award, contact your college.

So, the school you are accepted to creates a financial aid packet.

List the higher on the FAFSA® solitary is not enough to automatically receive assistance from that schoolhouse. Colleges don't create financial award packages for every applicant because near students list multiple schools on their FAFSA®, especially if they're incoming freshmen and haven't yet decided where to attend.

Although your timeline to accept an aid honor offering may vary, many acceptance offers in the U.s. come in prior to May 1 due to the Candidates Respond Engagement Agreement (CRDA).  The CRDA is an understanding that gives students until May one of every year to have or refuse college admission offers.

If you do plan to report at a particular college, contact the school's fiscal aid department directly. The schoolhouse will determine your eligibility and deliver a fiscal assist award letter to y'all.

When Will Your Federal Student Loan be Disbursed?

If you are eligible for whatever federal student loans offered as part of your financial assistance package and yous signed your Master Promissory Note (MPN) , you can look to get your student loans about 10 days earlier you kickoff classes, although this may vary depending on a number of factors.

If you did not sign your MPN, the amount of time to receive your federal pupil loan funds can accept several weeks.

Tips For Quick FAFSA® and Financial Assist Offer Processing

Pay attention to all communication from the fiscal aid department, every bit yous may need to submit boosted documentation on a deadline. Also, achieve out to the college for more than information on when you'll receive your financial aid offer.

The FAFSA® has provided a streamlined procedure for students applying for assistance, so processing times are minimal. Keep on top of all deadlines and make any needed corrections immediately to become your aid in a timely manner.

Have more questions almost your FAFSA®? Hither are a few quick guides for helpful answers:

  • What does Fiscal Aid Embrace?
  • Next steps after FAFSA®?
  • The FSA ID

If you have any questions about FAFSA® or the financial assist process, achieve out to the team at Frank at support@withfrank.org or (347) 690-7886.