r/financialaid

How long did it take for your school to get your fasfa & for them to give you your refund ?

Have anyone ever had a disbursement date for after the semester ends?????

I was under the impression that if I enrolled in 6 summer credits, I would receive 50% of the maximum Federal Pell Grant, which is $7,395 for the academic year. Based on that understanding, I expected my Summer Pell Grant to be enough to cover the cost of my summer classes.
However, after calling the Financial Aid Office, I was told that I would only receive approximately $800–$900 because my Summer Pell is calculated as 25% of the amount I received during the first semester, rather than 50% of the annual maximum. This was very surprising and disappointing because I had planned my summer enrollment with the expectation that the Pell Grant would cover most or all of my tuition.
Can you anyone please clarify whether this calculation is correct and explain why I am not eligible to receive 50% of the maximum Pell Grant for taking 6 credits during the summer? I want to make sure I fully understand how my award was determined.

Hey-so, I had emailed my financial Aid advisor before the summer started and she said, “ you are in good shape to come back”. So, fast forward yesterday I viewed my account and saw that I had 8k on my account, what could be the issue? Last year I remember they had double charged me one time for my meal plan but I don’t even think it costed me 8k. My anxiety is elevated just thinking about it. I did everything on time such as financial aid and my grants.

Not to jump off a ledge here, but can the Department of Education continue delaying financial aid indefinitely?

I’m in my second class, my fall bill has already posted, and I still don’t have anticipated aid. My school (and from what I’ve read here, many others) is continuing to push back the estimated funding date every time I ask. Which I’m getting information from Reddit because no one else is talking about this, notifying us of a timelines/updates; literally crickets everywhere else.

I understand regulations take time, and this administration doesn’t typically plan for that, but at what point are there protections for students? Many of us are being expected to either front thousands of dollars or risk our enrollment, livelihoods, etc. while we wait on decisions we have no assurance will ever even happen.

I’m frustrated and scared, not just for myself, but also for students, financial aid administrators, faculty, and staff who are stuck trying to navigate this uncertainty. Delays happen, but months of uncertainty without a firm timeline puts real people in difficult situations.

Is anyone else wondering if there are even actual guardrails ensuring we do get aid this year at all?

We are just praying, literally praying, every day. Our SAI is $25,000 (I don’t know how, but it is). We planned around Parent PLUS loans being PSLF-eligible and some kind of reasonable repayments; we worked and would continue to do so until we were 70 if we had to, so that our kids could go to college just as we did.

Now, we just pray every day that the same government that took that eligibility away in a matter of weeks will restore it, or something like it, in two years.

It is all we can do: pray.

I feel so sad. I have one child who is a college sophomore, one going into their senior year of high school, and one going into their sophomore year of high school.

We are so sad. Two years. We are just praying for two years.

Hi guys. I’m going into my second year of post secondary and I applied for student loan because my school costs went up a lot this year and it’s been super hard finding a full time job, so I only work part time 14hrs/week. I was granted around $2000 Sept-April time of study, which isn’t even enough to cover one semester. I applied for review and explained how I don’t have any other way to pay for school, nor are my parents helping me pay and even if I worked full time this summer- I still wouldn’t make that much. I called them and they just told me to apply for review again, because my application review was denied since my parents are *supposed* to help me. What am I supposed to do now..?

Hey everyone I am literally shaking. I am currently taking summer classes at my university in Florida and I went to go accept my loans and it wouldn’t let me because the deadline was 30th and I tried calling my school but they are closed until Tuesday for the holiday. I am literally shaking please help I need these loans to graduate this summer. I cannot afford to get private loans. Please help

Hello, it seems the platform is a bit of a mess and maestro doesn’t like direct conversation. Well with the recent mess with the accrediting I decided to withdraw and put my efforts into a better program. Here’s the question I’m trying to get the money that was sent to the school returned so I don’t have to deal with that later on. How do I do so if the schools financial aid officer refuses to contact me. They have shown quite a bit of ignorance during this time.

is anyone still struggling to get the fafsa? I've been getting emails over and over about having to get forms printed and signed, and im wondering if its just me 🥲

I dont know what im doing wrong and im worried, I won't be able to get my usual fafsa help

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Hi everyone,

I'm an international student, and I have a few questions that I've been struggling to find clear answers to. I would really appreciate any advice or personal experiences.

1. For a first-year (freshman) applicant who needs significant financial aid, which application plan is usually the best option?

- Regular Decision (RD)

- Early Action (EA)

- Early Decision (ED)

- Or are there other options that might be better for students with high financial need?

2. If a student was placed on the waitlist because the university was unsure whether it would have enough funding to support their financial need, but by the time waitlist decisions were being made the class was already full and most (or all) of the financial aid budget had been exhausted, what could make that student's application stronger if they decide to apply again?

Assuming the university already considers the student academically qualified, what factors could improve their chances the second time around?

3. If the student decides to apply as a transfer student later on, which application plan is usually the best choice for someone who needs significant financial aid?

- Regular Decision (RD)

- Early Action (EA)

- Early Decision (ED)

- Or any other available transfer application options?

I'm genuinely confused and trying to understand the best path forward, so any advice, experiences, or insights would mean a lot to me.

Thank you so much! Any answer to even one of these questions would be incredibly helpful, not only for me but also for other students who may find themselves in a similar situation.

I am desperate for advice. My college financial aid refund of $6007.82 was processed through BankMobile (BM Technologies). Before it could hit my personal account, someone hacked my profile via an account takeover, changed my banking routing information to a fraudulent Wells Fargo account, and stole the entire amount.

I immediately reported this to BankMobile as identity theft and fraud. Instead of handling it as an unauthorized transfer under Regulation E, they just tried to do a basic ACH recall to pull the money back.

Today I found out they DENIED my claim. Their excuse? They said Wells Fargo told them the fraudulent account now has "insufficient funds," so they closed my ticket and told me they are "unable to advocate further." They are literally trying to wash their hands of a $6k hack just because the scammer already spent the money.

Has anyone successfully fought BankMobile on this? I know they are legally bound by Regulation E and can't just deny a consumer fraud claim based on whether or not they can catch the thief, but their customer service line is a joke.

I just filed a complaint with the CFPB and the BBB. For anyone who went through this, how long did it take for their corporate office to respond once the federal complaints were filed? Did you ever get your disbursement back? I am in shambles trying to figure out how I'm going to pay for school and books.

Hello to whoever this may reach, I am about to start my undergraduate degree and need help deciding what to do with the $15,000 left to pay for my schooling. I’m looking for advice on how to get through the first year. After that, I can manage my financial situation, but I just need help for my first year. Thank you.

I’m an international student and I would like to know any colleges or universities which provides 100% financial aid for international students, with majors: musical business or modern music or songwriting. Is there any colleges or universities like this?

Was initially approved for a scholarship, finished my semester with 3.5 gpa, submitted my FAFSA and now I’m being asked for an NSLDS Clearance form. Went to FAFSA website, their Ai says there is no such form. I’ve never had a student loan. Not sure what’s going on, or what I even need. Can someone point me in the correct direction?

With the SAVE plan ending today and the RAP plan starting, I am attempting to figure out the best plan of action moving forward. The goal is to not have incredible high payments as I do have high rent and electric bill with goals of getting a house next summer.

I do not qualify (or that I know of ) for forgiveness under PSLF as I work for a bank as a Cyber Security Analyst making $69,000. I also file single with zero dependents.

I am looking at possibly getting a financial advisor for this circumstance along with housing plans but wanted to ask here first as I am not familiar with all the terminology.

Here are the loans I have:

Unsubsidized Loans:

5,616.71 @ 7.055

22,779.31 @ 6.54%

11,822.88 @ 5.28%

7,733.80 @ 2.75%

5,337.51 @ 4.53%

6,938.71 @ 4.53%

6,190.34 @ 5.05%.

Private Loan (Firstmark Service) 39,708.43 @ 5,740%. Making $325/month payments.

Am I total screwed?

EDIT: I also forgot to mention I have a Parent Plus Loan at 13,504.54 @ 5.3% however I can't do to much since my brother is also taking out student loans through PPL at the moment.

I’m a financial aid counselor and I’m heartbroken hearing and reading stories of how the changes due to OBBBA are affecting students and families. My office is not alone in trying to understand literally over 1,000 pages of “guidance” that doesn’t actually clarify any of the issues we have. We are still getting last minute “guidance” as of LAST NIGHT and July 1 is when things are supposed to be implemented officially. There is a reason grad students especially are not getting timely aid offers—we don’t know what we can award some students because the government isn’t being clear or helpful.

We are going through a horrific timeline and I just want to say thank you to the students who are doing what they can and being patient, and I’m sorry to the students who are struggling to decide if college is a possibility right now. I’ve spent my career in higher ed and have never felt such low morale in the office day-to-day. We are all really sad, confused, and angry.

If you are someone who is about to start college and feeling hopeless, please consider community college if money is tight. I’ve worked at a CC, and I can promise you they care very deeply about students and are a fraction of the cost of a 4-year school, especially out of state.

So im guessing we all still didnt get a disbursement today 🤦🏽‍♀️