Is your kid ready for college education and would like to apply for financial aid? As of Dec. 31, 2023, a new version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is available that makes the whole procedure more streamlined. The form was due for a much-needed update, and it is finally here (via ABC57).
The new FAFSA will determine prospective and current college students’ eligibility for federal financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year. The form is reportedly significantly shorter and much easier to fill out. The new FAFSA was scheduled for release on Oct. 1, 2023, and is currently only being soft-launched by the Department of Education.
During the soft launch, the government plans to “monitor and respond in real time to any potential issues impacting the applicant experience” (via USA Today). The new FAFSA will be available periodically as of now. Plus, you and your kids should be prepared to face planned pauses for site maintenance and technical updates.
How do you fill out the new FAFSA form?
The FAFSA needs to be filled out by the student. However, if the student is a dependent, they also need their parent’s signature on the form. If the parent’s sign is necessary, both parent and child must sign up individually with Federal Student Aid. The accounts can be made any time of the year, and the same FSA ID can be used for the upcoming years.
The major change for parents is that non-US citizens with no Social Security number couldn’t create their own accounts before the update. Now, they also can easily sign up for an FSA ID, making the whole procedure less of a hassle for both parent and child.
However, undocumented students will remain ineligible for federal student aid, even with the new FAFSA. They will need to apply for financial assistance from their college or state. Alternatively, they can also opt for private scholarships.
