Process for 2024-2025
的 FAFSA Simplification Act was passed by Congress on December 27th, 2020 as a part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2021 resulting in a substantial revamp of the processes 和 systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-2025 award year. 这包括 Free Application for Federal Student 援助 (FAFSA®)形式, 需要分析, 和 many policies 和 procedures for schools that participate in federal student aid programs.
的 law will also affect every state that uses FAFSA data to award state grant aid 和 every school that participates in the federal student aid programs.
Important Changes for 2024-2025
- FAFSA application opens in 2023年12月instead of the usual October date.
- 这两个学生 和 parents must create a Student 援助 Account to get an FSA ID before completing the form. Allow at least three days.
- 如果父母是 divorced or separated, the parent who provided the most financial support in the last calendar year will now complete the FAFSA.
- 的 number of students a family has enrolled in college will no longer factor into the FAFSA calculation.
- 的净值 家庭农场 和 小型企业 will now be required as part of the application.
- 的 modifications to family definition will help align more with what was reported on the student/parent’s tax returns.
- Beginning with 2024-25, all persons on the FAFSA must provide 同意 for the Department of Education to receive tax information or confirmation of non-filing status directly from the IRS. In a very small number of cases, students 和 families will have to enter their tax data manually, 但对大多数人来说, that data will automatically be transferred into the application. Failure to provide 同意 will make the student ineligible for FAFSA completion.
- 一个贡献者—a new term being introduced on the 2024-25 FAFSA—refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student’s form (such as a parent/stepparent or spouse).
- A student’s or parent’s answers on the FAFSA will determine which contributors (if any) will be required to provide information.
- Contributors will receive an email informing them that they’ve been identified as such 和 will need to log in using their own FSA ID (if they don’t already have one) to provide the required information on the student’s FAFSA.
- Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student’s education costs, but it does mean the contributor must provide information on the FAFSA or the application will be considered incomplete, 和 the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.
- Student 援助 Index (SAI)- 的 SAI will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). 的 new formula will be used to determine a student’s eligibility for Federal Pell Grant 和 other need-based aid.
- Federal Tax Information (FTI)- Formerly known as the Federal Tax Return/Transcript, both students 和 parents will need FTI from 2022 to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
Benefits of the FAFSA Simplification Act
- Streamlined application process (from 108 questions to 46 questions).
- 扩大资格 for federal student aid.
- 降低贸易壁垒 for many student populations including homeless 和 unaccompanied youth, incarcerated students, English language learners, 和 students from low-income backgrounds.
- Step-by-step instructions for filling out the FAFSA are available at “8 Easy Steps for 父母 Completing the FAFSA Form.”
Things that Are Not Changing
- 的 FAFSA will still be required for consideration of federal 和 state financial aid every year.
- Dependency status questions that determine if parent(s) must complete the FAFSA will remain the same.
- 的 FAFSA will still request tax information from the prior-prior year, which means you’ll report 2022 income 和 assets on the 2024-25 application.
- 的 FAFSA Simplification Act also removes questions about Selective Service registration 和 drug convictions. It also adds questions about applicants’ sex, 比赛, 和种族, which have no effect on federal student aid eligibility.