The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has changed beginning in the 2024-25 academic year! Congress and the U.S. Department of Education enacted and implemented legislation to make the FAFSA shorter and more streamlined, as well as to expand eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant.
Typically, the FAFSA is made available on Oct. 1, before the academic year for which you're applying for aid, for example, Oct. 1, 2022, for the 2023-24 academic year. Due to the form being streamlined, the FAFSA had a delayed opening of Dec. 31, 2023, for the 2024-25 academic year. Though it is available to complete now, the FAFSA is in a “soft launch” period during which bugs may need to be fixed. The application may be taken offline periodically for updates or due to moderate website traffic.
StudentAid.gov Account
Every applicant and contributor will need to , also known as an FSA ID, before completing their portions of the FAFSA. If you already have an FSA ID, you're ready to go. If you need one, it's recommended that you set up an account three days before you plan to complete the application. This will allow time for the setup and identity verification process to be completed. for more information.
If a contributor to your FAFSA does not have a Social Security Number, they will need to as well. Their identity verification process will be different, and they will be asked to confirm certain basic information, such as a current or previous address or phone number. for more information.
Contributors
When you begin your FAFSA, you will be asked to identify the others whose information is required. If you are a single independent student, only your information would be required. In other cases, it may be your parent(s), or if you are a married student, it would be your spouse.
Need help determining who your contributors may be and if they would be required to provide information? .
Consent
All applicants and contributors are required to provide their consent to have the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) transfer financial information to your FAFSA. If you or any contributor does not provide consent, you will not be eligible for federal financial aid until it is provided. This is true even if a tax return was not filed and was not required to be, or a contributor is not a U.S. citizen.
for more information regarding consent.
Visit the for more information about the FAFSA. For questions regarding your financial aid, contact the 51ԹϺ Financial Aid & Scholarships Office through the or call 833-318-1228.