What changed with FAFSA in 2024

The FAFSA form itself did not end, but the 2024-2025 school year saw major delays and a complete redesign of how the form works. The U.S. Department of Education launched a new FAFSA in October 2023 that was supposed to be simpler, but the rollout had significant technical problems. Schools and students faced months of delays in receiving financial aid offers because the new system was not working as planned.

In January 2024, Education Secretary Miguel Cardona announced that the department would pause some of the new FAFSA features and return to a more familiar version for the 2024-2025 school year. This meant students could still fill out the FAFSA, but some of the changes that were supposed to happen did not take effect on the original timeline.

The form is still required to get federal student loans, grants, and work-study. No administration has ended FAFSA itself. What changed is how the form is structured and when certain policy changes take effect.

Key Takeaways

  • The FAFSA form still exists and is still required to receive federal student aid, but the 2024-2025 version had a delayed rollout due to technical problems with the redesign.
  • The Department of Education paused some planned changes to the FAFSA in early 2024 and returned to a more familiar format while fixing the new system.
  • Students still need to complete the FAFSA to be considered for federal loans, Pell Grants, and work-study positions at their school.
  • Some policy changes that were supposed to happen with the new FAFSA, like changes to how family income is counted, were delayed but not canceled.

Why the 2024 FAFSA rollout was delayed

The Department of Education built a completely new FAFSA system and launched it in October 2023. The goal was to make the form shorter and easier to understand. However, the new system had bugs that prevented it from working correctly. Schools could not access student data, the form crashed for users, and the system could not calculate financial aid amounts accurately.

By December 2023, it became clear the delays would affect when students received their aid offers. Colleges normally send aid packages by March or April so students can decide where to enroll. With the FAFSA broken, that timeline slipped by months. Some students did not receive aid offers until summer, after they had already committed to a school.

In response, the Department of Education brought back a version of the old FAFSA form for the 2024-2025 school year while continuing to fix the new system. This meant students could still submit their information and schools could still process aid, but the form looked more like what students had seen in previous years.

What the FAFSA still requires from you

Whether you fill out the old version or the new version, the FAFSA still asks for the same basic information: your Social Security number, your parents' income (if you are a dependent), your tax return information, and details about your household. You still need to create a Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID to sign in, and you still submit the form to the Department of Education, not to your school.

The form is still free. You do not pay to fill it out or submit it. Some websites charge money to help you complete the FAFSA, but the official form at fafsa.gov costs nothing.

Your school still uses your FAFSA information to calculate how much aid you may receive. The amount depends on your family's income, the cost of attendance at your school, and whether you are a full-time or part-time student. Schools still use FAFSA data to award federal loans, Pell Grants (which do not have to be repaid), and work-study jobs.

Which policy changes were delayed

The new FAFSA was supposed to change how the government counts family income. Under the old system, the government used something called the "Expected Family Contribution" (EFC) to decide how much aid you would receive. The new system was supposed to replace this with the "Student Aid Index" (SAI), which would count income differently and potentially make more students may be able to access for aid.

This change was delayed. For the 2024-2025 school year, the government went back to using the EFC calculation while it fixed the new system. That means the way your family's income affects your aid amount is the same as it was in previous years, not the new way that was originally planned.

The Department of Education has said it plans to fully launch the new FAFSA system and the SAI calculation for the 2025-2026 school year, but that timeline could change depending on whether the technical problems are fully resolved.

How to complete the FAFSA right now

Go to fafsa.gov and sign in with your FSA ID. If you do not have an FSA ID, you can create one on the same website. You will need your Social Security number and a valid email address.

Gather your documents before you start: your most recent tax return (yours and your parents' if you are a dependent), your W-2 forms if you have them, and any records of untaxed income like Social Security or veteran benefits. Having these ready makes the form faster to complete.

Fill out the form honestly and completely. The more information you provide, the more accurate your aid calculation will be. After you submit, your school will receive your information and use it to build your aid package. This usually takes a few weeks, though it may take longer during busy periods.

What to do if you have not submitted yet

If you are a current high school senior or a student planning to enroll in college, you should complete the FAFSA as soon as possible. Schools use FAFSA data to award aid, and some aid is limited. The sooner you submit, the better your chances of receiving the aid your school has available.

If you are already in college and renewing your FAFSA for the next school year, your school will tell you the important date. Missing the important date can mean losing aid for that year, so mark it on your calendar and submit before the date your school gives you.

If you are unsure whether you need to fill out the FAFSA, ask your school's financial aid office. They can tell you whether the FAFSA is required for the aid you are seeking and what the important date is.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is FAFSA still required to get student loans?

Yes. The FAFSA is still the only way to get federal student loans, Pell Grants, or work-study. Private loans do not require the FAFSA, but federal aid does. If you want any federal money for school, you must complete the FAFSA.

Will the new FAFSA changes happen eventually?

The Department of Education says the new system and the SAI calculation will launch for the 2025-2026 school year, but that date could shift. The department is continuing to test and fix the system. Your school's financial aid office can tell you if there are updates about when the new system will fully take effect.

Can I still get aid if I submit the FAFSA late?

You may still receive aid, but some aid is limited and awarded on a first-come, first-served basis. Submitting late means you might miss out on grants or work-study positions. Your school can tell you what aid is still available if you submit after the priority important date.

Does the FAFSA delay mean I should not fill it out?

No. You should still complete the FAFSA. The delays affected when aid offers were sent, not whether aid was available. Filling out the FAFSA is the only way to receive federal aid, so not submitting means losing money you may be may have access to to.

What if I already filled out the FAFSA for this year?

Your submission is still valid. Your school has your information and will use it to calculate your aid. If you made a mistake or your situation changed, you can log back in and make corrections. Contact your school's financial aid office if you need help updating your FAFSA.