EdCircuit Staff 
Most FAFSA errors are not typos. The ones that cost students aid are a missing signature, a parent who never gave consent, the wrong year’s form, or a deadline missed while the form sat in “Action Required.” Each can leave a student with no federal aid, and most can be fixed in minutes once you know where to look. This guide covers the most common FAFSA errors on the 2027–28 form, how to spot them and how to correct them.
1. A contributor did not sign
Every required contributor (the student, a parent and, in some cases, a spouse) must sign. If a signature is missing, Federal Student Aid says the form is not complete and the student is not eligible for federal aid. No one can sign for anyone else: the student cannot complete a parent’s signature, and each contributor must log in with their own StudentAid.gov account.
Fix: Send the contributor the invite again, and have them log in and sign their section.
2. A contributor did not give consent
Each contributor must agree once a year to let the Education Department receive their federal tax information from the IRS. Without that approval, the student is not eligible for federal aid, and counselors and financial aid staff are not allowed to give consent on a family’s behalf. Consent is required even for a parent who did not file taxes.
Fix: The contributor logs in, opens the form marked “Action Required” under “My Activity,” selects “Approve,” gives consent, and then signs and submits their section.
3. Filing the wrong year’s FAFSA
The 2027–28 FAFSA covers college between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028, and uses 2025 tax information. A high school senior starting college in fall 2027 needs the 2027–28 form, not 2026–27. For summer classes, ask the college which year applies.
4. Creating an account for someone else
Parents sometimes make a StudentAid.gov account for their child, or a student makes one for a parent. Each person must create their own account, and the account works as that personworks as that person’s legal signature#8217;s digital signature. If you already have an account, recover it rather than making a second one.
5. A wrong Social Security number
A mismatch with the Social Security Administration’s records stops the process. Fix: Update the number in your StudentAid.gov account settings. Once Social Security confirms it, select “Make a Correction.” If you believe the number is right, call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213, then the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-800-433-3243.
6. Saying parents will not provide information
A dependent student can tell the FAFSA that their parents refuse to take part. Choosing that answer by mistake is costly: without parent information the student cannot get a Pell Grant, Federal Work-Study or a Direct Subsidized Loan, and may be eligible only for an unsubsidized loan. Fix: Make a correction and change the answer to “No,” then invite the parent.
7. Leaving out colleges, or listing too many
A college that is not on your FAFSA does not get your information. You can list up to 20 colleges online, or 10 on the paper form. Adding a 21st replaces one already listed, though a college you remove keeps the data it already received. Fix: Add or remove colleges with a correction.
8. Leaving answers blank
If the answer to a financial question is zero, enter 0. Do not leave it blank.
9. Not reading the FAFSA Submission Summary
The summary shows your answers and your Student Aid Index. Federal Student Aid notes that an incorrect answer can cause errors in your SAI, and the SAI can change after a correction. Read every answer, and check the status:
| Status | What it means |
|---|---|
| Draft or In Progress | Not submitted yet |
| In Review | Submitted and being processed |
| Action Required | A signature or consent is missing, or a correction is needed |
| Processed | Complete; your official SAI is on the summary |
| Closed | Never submitted, and the federal deadline has passed |
10. Missing the earlier deadlines
The federal deadline for 2027–28 is June 30, 2028, but states and colleges set their own dates, and some state aid runs out. Connecticut’s priority date is Feb. 15, 2027, and California’s is March 2, 2027. A form left in “Action Required” is not complete, so it can miss a deadline even if the student started early. See edCircuit’s FAFSA deadlines for 2027–28 by state.
11. Trying to edit IRS figures or update finances
Tax figures imported from the IRS cannot be changed on the online form, and most other answers must stay as they were on the day you signed. If you filed an amended return, or your income has dropped since 2025, do not change the FAFSA yourself. Talk to the college’s financial aid office. Under federal rules, colleges may adjust aid for special circumstances such as job loss, a change in income or assets, homelessness, medical expenses not covered by insurance, or child care costs. Colleges cannot refuse every request, but the aid office’s decision is final.
12. Paying to file
The FAFSA is free. If a website charges a fee to file it, Federal Student Aid says you are on the wrong site. File only at StudentAid.gov.
How to correct FAFSA errors
- Log in to StudentAid.gov and open your processed FAFSA.
- Select “Make a Correction,” change the answer and submit.
- If you are a dependent student and you changed parent information, your parent must sign again with their own account.
- You can also correct a paper FAFSA Submission Summary, or ask a college’s financial aid office to make the change.
Corrections to the 2027–28 form are accepted until 11:59 p.m. Central time on Sept. 12, 2028, Federal Student Aid says.
If you are selected for verification
Verification is how a college confirms that FAFSA information is accurate. It is not an accusation: some students are chosen at random, and some colleges verify everyone. In most cases students do not need to verify tax information. Send the documents the college asks for by its deadline, or you will not receive federal aid.
Why it matters for schools
FAFSA completion is rising. The class of 2026 set a record, with 59.1 percent of seniors completing the form by June 26, compared with 53.8 percent of the class of 2025 by the same date, the National College Attainment Network reported. Counselors can protect those gains by following up on forms stuck in “Action Required,” usually because a parent has not signed or given consent. For the full filing process, see edCircuit’s guide to how to fill out the FAFSA, and for what the number on the summary means, the Student Aid Index explained.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most common FAFSA error? Missing signatures and missing consent from a parent or spouse. Either one leaves the form incomplete.
What does “Action Required” mean on the FAFSA? A signature or consent is missing, or the form was processed but needs a correction.
Can I fix a mistake on my FAFSA after submitting? Yes. Use “Make a Correction” on StudentAid.gov until Sept. 12, 2028, for the 2027–28 form.
Can I change my income on the FAFSA? Not the IRS figures. If your finances have changed, ask the college’s financial aid office about a special-circumstances review.
Does a correction change my SAI? It can. Check your updated FAFSA Submission Summary after any correction.
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