Yikes!
My first thought is that it’s possible that the student and parent are using the same email address. If the parent signature has already been accepted, the student signature will not process using the duplicate email address. Check that out & let me know if that’s it. If so, you’ll need to use an email address that a parent hasn’t used. That should solve the issue & allow the submission.
Thanks for your response. All three are using different email addresses. Both parents’ status are showing in process but the student is in draft.
Try changing something, like the address. Save the change. Then change it back, save & try to submit.
Here is what someone on Reddit said: “Make sure you go INTO SETTINGS and confirm all your information is correct AND that you’ve consented to the IRS transfer. IF this is not done, YOU cannot sign!!“. Maybe that’s helpful for this student?
There is no one better equipped to help with FAFSA issues than a financial aid professional. Don’t pay anyone - they don’t have any information that someone in financial aid doesn’t have.
What state are you in?
College Confidential is not a referral service, so no recommendations are allowed.
Just to update: @Henok was able to help the student with the submission. It involved updating a couple things on the student’s FAFSA, which finally allowed the student to submit. Unfortunately, the new FAFSA lacks real time feedback that would allow the student to know what is incorrect. Hopefully, that will be fixed before next year.
@kelsmom thank you for your invaluable assistance in pointing out different things to check/update that eventually allowed the student to submit the application. Greatly appreciated!!
I’ve asked before but if you don’t complete FAFSA in freshman year, can you complete in future years (when there will be multiple kids in college at same time)? Or are you locked out?
It might depend on the college. There was one college D22 applied to that was very specific that if you intended to apply for aid at all during your undergraduate time, you had to apply the first year. The rest of the colleges on her list didn’t have that stipulation.
You can always apply for federal aid, but you might not be eligible for institutional aid. Applying for federal aid would allow the student to borrow federal loans, and they would receive Pell if their financial information on the FAFSA qualifies them for Pell. Every school has their financial aid policies listed on their website, so you can check each school’s policies.
FAFSA can be completed at any time by US citizens or permanent residents for eligibility for the federally funded Pell Grant and Direct Loans…and federal work study.
For institutional aid…this varies by college. For citizens and permanent residents, there are a handful of colleges that DO restrict applying for institutional aid in subsequent years if you don’t apply as an incoming freshmen. For international students, applying for aid in subsequent years is not allowed just about everywhere if you don’t apply as a freshman.
Check each college website for the exact info and if in doubt…call.
Does anyone know how fasfa works if the student (18 years old) is a us citizen living abroad with parents whom are international (non us citzems).
Parent citizenship doesn’t affect student eligibility. Parent citizenship isn’t even asked. There is a question about SSN - from the Federal Student Aid website:
*Your parent or spouse doesn’t need an SSN to complete their section of your FAFSA form.
Starting in December 2023, parents or spouses will be able to create a StudentAid.gov account without having an SSN to access their portion of your FAFSA form. On the 2024–25 FAFSA form, if the parent or spouse is completing their own section and doesn’t have an SSN, the SSN will be blank and disabled. If the parent or spouse has an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), they should add it to the FAFSA form. If they don’t have an ITIN, they should leave that question blank.*