Student Aid Report (SAR)
A Student Aid Report (SAR) is a document which summarizes the information provided in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), a government document which students in the United States who want to receive financial assistance must fill out. Many colleges and universities use the FAFSA as a primary financial aid application, occasionally requesting additional information from students. The SAR is the document which will be sent to financial aid offices, and it is used to prepare financial aid packages.
Time Duration for SAR:
After students fill out the FAFSA, they will be sent a copy of the Student Aid Report. Students will receive the SAR within 3-5 days (if they have filed their FAFSA electronically) or 2 -4 weeks (if they have mailed a paper FAFSA).
((Read: our exclusive financial aid FAQs; Financial aid guide; FAFSA questions; EFC; for more detail information.)
Reviewing SAR:
Students are responsible for reviewing the SAR document to ensure that it is accurate. Students should review the SAR carefully for errors and make any corrections. Review is recommended because inaccuracies could impact financial aid eligibility. If there are errors, students will need to submit an amended FAFSA. Students can fix any errors by specifying the correct answers on the Information Review Form on the back of the SAR. When the Information Review Form is complete, students should contact their financial aid office to see if the school can send the corrections electronically, or mail the form to the address shown on the SAR. If however, students don’t have any changes to make to the information listed on their SAR, they can keep the document for their records.
Whether students receive their SAR online or on paper depends on whether they provide an e-mail address on their FAFSA. if students provide a valid e-mail address, they will receive an e-mail with instructions on how to access an online copy of their SAR. An electronic version of the SAR is called an ISIR and is made available to the colleges/universities the student selects on the FAFSA. The ISIR is also sent to state agencies that award need-based aid.
Selected for Verification:
If a student's report has been selected for verification, it usually means that they need to provide supporting documentation for the information on their FAFSA. Instructions on the SAR explain how to do this. For additional information, contact the Federal Student Aid Information Center at (800) 4-FED-AID (800-433-3243).