For students looking to attend college, figuring out how to pay for can be a major concern.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is the primary application used to apply for federal student aid, including grants, loans, work-study funds and scholarships. FAFSA information is also often used by states and colleges to determine eligibility for their own aid programs. It is highly recommended to complete the FAFSA if you are looking to receive any form of financial aid, as the name suggests, the form is completely free to fill out, and takes less than an hour to complete.
This year, we’re looking at some big changes and intended improvements to the FAFSA form, as a result of the FAFSA Simplification Act passed in 2020. The form was completely revamped, representing the first major changes to the federal student aid application process in the US in over 40 years.
So what are some of these changes? The new FAFSA involves significantly fewer questions, a brand new formula to determine eligibility for aid, and increased accessibility for students to receive federal Pell Grants- a form of aid which you do not have to repay, unlike loans. The US Department of Education says that the new application “will help 610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds receive Federal Pell Grants” and “1.5 million more students receive the maximum Pell Grant”. Unlike the past FAFSA form, where tax information could be entered manually, the new FAFSA mandates the direct transfer of tax information from the IRS, making the process much more efficient. Some of the other changes include increasing the number of schools students can send their form to from 10 to 20, removal of the number of family members attending college as a factor in consideration for aid, and altered definitions as to which parent should file the FAFSA in the case of divorced or separated parents (CollegeData).
This new version of the form went live in December of 2023 during a soft launch period, where the form was only available for limited periods of time and underwent monitoring for any issues. Now, the FAFSA should be accessible at all times.
Anyone planning on attending college between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025 should fill out this new 2024-2025 FAFSA form. While the federal deadline to complete the form is June 30, 2025, in California, most state aid programs require the application to be completed before April 2, 2024 (studentaid.gov). For specific school deadlines, check with the college. It is always best to fill it out as soon as possible.
Do your FAFSA today!
