Does the FAFSA Process on Weekends?

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) stands as a gateway to various financial aid opportunities for students pursuing higher education. This application is instrumental in determining eligibility for federal grants, scholarships, work-study programs, and federal student loans. Understanding the FAFSA process and its timeline is therefore important for prospective and current students seeking to manage their educational expenses effectively.

Understanding FAFSA Processing

After submitting the FAFSA, the U.S. Department of Education processes the application to generate a FAFSA Submission Summary, which was formerly known as the Student Aid Report (SAR). This summary details your eligibility for federal student aid, including your Student Aid Index (SAI), which replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Online submissions typically process within one to three business days, while paper forms can take longer, usually seven to ten days. The Department of Education then sends your processed FAFSA information to the colleges and career schools you listed on the application. These institutions use this data to calculate and offer financial aid packages.

FAFSA Processing on Weekends

While the online FAFSA submission portal is accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week, the actual processing of applications by the U.S. Department of Education generally occurs during standard business days. This means that if an application is submitted on a weekend, it will typically enter the processing queue on the next business day. Automated systems may issue immediate confirmations of submission, but the substantive review, data matching with other federal agencies like the IRS, and the generation of the FAFSA Submission Summary are not weekend operations.

This operational schedule reflects the typical workweek of federal agencies, where staff perform reviews and manage data systems. For instance, any required identity verification or data correction processes, which might involve human intervention or connections to external databases, would only advance during weekdays. Therefore, while you can submit your application at any time, the official processing begins when federal offices resume their business hours.

Checking Your FAFSA Status

After submitting your FAFSA, monitoring its status online is a straightforward process. You can check the status by logging into your account on StudentAid.gov. Once logged in, navigate to the “My Activity” or “My FAFSA” page to view your application’s current status. The status will indicate whether your application is in draft, submitted, in review, or processed. If your application requires further action, such as missing signatures or incorrect information, the status will prompt you to make the necessary corrections.