NOTE: This article is updated from a previous version.
It will soon be time for students to complete their FAFSA as Federal Student Aid has stated that the FAFSA will be available by Dec. 31. There are a few changes to the process to be aware of.
According to the website for Financial Aid and Scholarships, these changes “are a result of several pieces of federal legislation passed between 2020 and 2022. The FUTURE Act, FAFSA Simplification Act and the FAFSA Simplification Technical Corrections Act work together to implement changes that improve the user experience and effectiveness of the process for applying for federal financial aid.”
A few things to remember when filling out your 2024-2025 FAFSA are that Feb. 1 is the deadline for the maximum financial aid considerations, this FAFSA determines your financial aid eligibility through summer 2025 and you should use your 2022 tax information to file your FAFSA.
According to StudentAid.gov, “Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 FAFSA questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants will need to complete as few as 18 questions, taking less than 10 minutes,” and “610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds will be eligible to receive Federal Pell Grants due to updates to student aid calculations.”
There is also a financial aid estimator on StudentAid.gov available for you to get an idea of what you may receive from your application before you submit.
Some of the most prominent changes detailed for the FAFSA this year are that it will be offered in 11 different languages, have fewer questions and requirements and have the option for students to list up to 20 different schools.
When completing your FAFSA, it’s best to start early and to make sure you have your tax information ready. You may also need contributors and a parent or spouse to complete a portion of the application as well. You and your contributors will need to create a StudentAid.gov account before you can apply.
For questions, visit https://www.etsu.edu/financial-aid-and-scholarships/fafsa_simplification.php, and for more information visit StudentAid.gov.
