In late 2020, the federal government passed sweeping changes to the Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to simplify the application process. These changes were intended to increase the number of students applying for aid and reduce the number of incomplete applications.
Parents, students, and college access and success professionals were excited to learn that FAFSA simplification was on the horizon. Recently, however, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) would not meet the targeted October 1 release date. Instead, FSA announced it would release the “Better FAFSA” in December 2023. This announcement included the release of a roadmap for the Better FAFSA, providing college access and success professionals with a timeline for discharging essential information about the new FAFSA form, process, and supplemental materials.
The roadmap outlines resources available to institutions, counselors, students, families, and state agencies. The roadmap currently includes the following announcements:
- May: New Pell Grant look-up tables will show the eligibility thresholds for minimum and maximum Pell Grants by household size and adjusted gross income. This early awareness tool will help students and families understand the federal grant aid available to them long before completing the FAFSA and receiving their Student Aid Report.
- July: The Better FAFSA preview will allow counselors and students to see the application process for federal student aid in advance. Training materials, including screenshots, will accompany it to help college access and success counselors prepare to support students through the new process.
- August: The FSA will announce the process for obtaining an FSA ID for individuals without a Social Security number. Applicants for FSA IDs can verify their identity through the TransUnion Credit Bureau or other electronic means automated to the greatest extent possible.
- Early Fall: The new FAFSA estimator will allow students to determine their eligibility for federal student aid and understand their options for paying for college. The FAFSA estimator will provide a more thorough and accurate estimate of a student’s federal student aid than the Pell look-up tables.
- December: The FSA will release the 2024-25 FAFSA form. COE will share the exact release date before December as soon as the precise date is available.
The Better FAFSA reduces the number of questions from 108 to a maximum of 36 and decreases application time. Calculated utilizing information from the FAFSA form, the Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). If a student is eligible for the maximum federal Pell Grant, the SAI will be 0.
To help colleges more accurately determine a student’s financial needs, the financial aid formula can allow an SAI to be below zero, as low as -$1,500. Additionally, incarcerated students will regain eligibility for the Pell Grant.
COE will continue to follow up on the status of the Better FAFSA and encourages TRIO programs to stay informed.
Less time completing the FAFSA will afford college access and success professionals more time to focus on other aspects of enrollment and degree attainment. COE is working with partner organizations to acquire knowledge to ensure that TRIO professionals receive the most up-to-date information and training on the new FAFSA experience to support our students.