After submitting the FAFSA, you will receive a confirmation email indicating your application has been submitted. Your FAFSA form will then be processed by the U.S. Department of Education, which usually takes about one to three days (or longer if submitted by paper). Once processed, you will get access to your FAFSA Submission Summary (formerly called the Student Aid Report), which shows your estimated financial aid eligibility, including your Student Aid Index (SAI) used by schools to determine aid amounts. The schools you listed on your FAFSA will receive your information and use it to prepare financial aid offer letters detailing the types and amounts of aid they can offer you. You may be selected for verification, where you must provide additional documentation to confirm your FAFSA data. Meanwhile, you can also review your FAFSA Submission Summary online to check for any errors or required follow-up steps. In brief, after submitting FAFSA you receive:
- Confirmation of submission
- Processing and access to FAFSA Submission Summary
- Estimated financial aid eligibility (SAI)
- Delivery of application info to schools
- Financial aid offer letters from schools
- Possible verification requests if selected
This process is essential for schools to determine your financial aid package and for you to compare offers and finalize your aid acceptance before starting college.
