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The U.S. Department of Education has announced a phased rollout of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for 2025–26. Beginning with a very limited release on October 1, the form is expected to be fully available to all families by December 1, 2024.
This announcement follows the worst FAFSA and financial aid program rollout in living memory. Last year's FAFSA program was originally scheduled to roll out on October 1, but was then pushed back to December 28, but even after it opened for families to submit their applications, processing did not begin until March. The result of these failures is that FAFSA applications are well below last year's numbers, resulting in families receiving less financial aid.
Phased introduction
The department's new approach will begin with a controlled testing phase. Initially, the FAFSA form will be made available to a limited number of students and institutions. This pilot phase will gradually expand to include hundreds and eventually tens of thousands of applicants. By gradually increasing the number of users, the department hopes to identify and resolve potential problems before the nationwide rollout.
U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona emphasized the importance of this strategy, stating, “After a challenging 2024-25 FAFSA cycle, the Department has listened carefully to input from students, families, and colleges, made significant changes to Federal Student Aid leadership and operations, and is taking a new approach this year that will significantly improve the FAFSA experience.”
Updates and the future
The new FAFSA implementation is a direct response to the needs of students, families and education professionals based on last year's botched rollout experience. By rolling out the FAFSA in phases, the Department hopes to ensure a smooth application process before making the program available to all families.
Throughout the testing phase, the Ministry will provide regular updates to keep students, families and stakeholders informed of their progress. These updates are designed to maintain transparency and build trust among all those involved in the process. The Ministry also plans to issue a new formal request for information next week and ask its partners for further feedback.
In addition, the Department will release a roadmap with new tools and resources for students, families, and educational institutions to ensure they are well prepared for the 2025-26 FAFSA season. The ultimate goal remains to maximize access to federal financial aid and support students in achieving their educational goals.
This all follows new legislation in Congress that sets October 1 as the deadline for FAFSA filing. The later the FAFSA filing begins, the less likely families are to complete the form to qualify for aid.
College applications open as early as August 1, and families must decide fairly quickly whether to apply for Early Action or Early Decision. If you don't have financial aid options, this can be challenging.
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