The federal financial aid process has changed significantly this year! These updates are aimed to make completing a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) faster and easier, whether you’re filing for the first time or applying for ongoing aid.
Here are 7 of the most impactful FAFSA changes:
- The FAFSA was delayed this year. For the 2024-25 year only, the FAFSA became available in December of 2023. (It’s usually available in October.) Complete the FAFSA as soon as you can!
- Get your FAFSA ID(s)! In order to complete the FAFSA, you (the student) and your FAFSA contributors (parents, the spouse of the student’s parents, or the student’s spouse) will need to create an account on studentaid.gov. Keep a record of each of these FSA IDs for updating your FAFSA every year.
- The FAFSA is now much shorter. The simplified form is only about 30 questions — down from about 100! And the answers to several questions will be populated automatically using your and your contributors’ federal tax data.
- More students will be eligible for Pell Grants. Eligibility will mostly be based on family income and household size, and it will be easier to know if you qualify (and in some cases, for how much) up front.
- The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is now the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI will be calculated differently than the EFC was, but it serves the same purpose: determining your financial need by subtracting it from the college’s Cost of Attendance.
- You very likely don’t need your tax forms to file the FAFSA. For most students, a new streamlined process will import your federal tax info directly from the IRS.
- You’ll be able to estimate your federal financial aid award and your SAI. The English and Spanish versions of the new FAFSA have a tool that gives you an early estimate of your SAI and federal financial aid.
Need help? Contact Financial Aid
Schedule an appointment with a Financial Aid counselor on our Financial Aid Staff Directory or reach us by 315-312-2248 or at [email protected].
We’re here to help you navigate these changes and any other questions you have about the financial aid process.
For the latest FAFSA-related announcements