this”Phased rollout“New Apply for Federal Student Aid for Free The U.S. Department of Education says the upcoming school year is proceeding as planned.
So far, the 2025-26 FAFSA has been open to a limited group of students in a series of beta tests that began on October 1. Ministry of Education to all students and contributors on or before December 1 explain. (Normally, all students can get their forms for the next school year in October, but last year’s new simplified forms weren’t available until the end of December. months-long delays.)
“I believe we will be able to roll out next year’s forms by December 1,” Deputy Education Minister James Kvaal told CNBC.
More from Personal Finance:
Top 10 Colleges for Financial Aid
More top universities across the country launch no-loan policies
Some families pay $500,000 for Ivy League admissions counseling
However, higher education expert Mark Kantrowitz said there are still “many unanswered questions,” some of which also plagued last year’s college aid application cycle.
As of October 29, the government FAFSA Questions Page He said there were 22 open issues listed, down from 25 a few weeks ago.
Last year, some high school students said complication in new form heavy About their decisions about college.
“We’re hearing from a lot of students and families who are frustrated,” Kvall said. “We’ve made a lot of progress in addressing these issues and now we’re seeing more students being able to complete their forms.”
The Impact of FAFSA on College Choice
For many students, Financial aid is critical Pay for college.
higher education The cost is already beyond the reach of most families, and college Costs are still rising. Tuition and fees plus room and board at four-year private colleges will average $58,600 in the 2024-25 academic year, up from $56,390 a year ago. The College Board found that tuition at a four-year, in-state public college was $24,920, up from $24,080.
FAFSA acts as gateway All federal aid funds, including federal student Loans, work-study, and especially grants—these have become the most important types of aid because they typically do not need to be repaid.
Submitting the FAFSA is also one of the best predictors of whether high school students will go on to college, according to the National College Achievement Network. Seniors who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely According to NCAN’s study of 2013 data, students enter college directly after high school.
Freshman enrollment drops
Part of the problem is the new format, the number of new first-year college students down 5% This fall compared with last year, according to an analysis of early data National Student Clearinghouse Research Center.
The report also found that first-year enrollment declines were most pronounced at four-year colleges and universities that serve low-income students. At four-year colleges, where most students receive Pell Grants, first-year student enrollment has dropped by more than 10 percent.
Ellie Brooke, director of research at the Institute for College Access and Success, said the steep decline is “shocking,” especially at schools with higher shares of low-income students.
“It’s a huge thing to see a decline of this magnitude,” she added.
Brooke also said she expects the Department of Education will be able to meet the deadline set for the 2025-26 forms.
But she added that even if all goes well, students will still be studying in a shorter period of time than a typical October FAFSA rollout, which could be detrimental to them.
“Even if everything goes well this time, we are still trying to shorten the time – two to three months,” she said. For families and students who rely on financial aid, “it can be very stressful.”
