The Department of Education is making the process of applying for federal aid easier as well as aligning it with the timeline for the college application process.

  1. Application Opens October 1 (rather than January 1!)
    • Students will be able to submit the FAFSA starting Oct. 1, three months earlier than in previous years. The longer application window will provide more time to apply for financial aid and more time to consider their options.
  2. Use 2015 Tax Information
    • In previous years, parents often had to estimate their tax information to complete the FAFSA form and then update the information after filing taxes. This year, applicants can use their 2015 income and tax information to complete the form. Families can use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool to import tax information directly into the FAFSA form.
    • Current college students who already used their 2015 income and tax information to apply for financial aid last year still need to reapply.
  3. New Deadlines
    • The federal deadline to submit an application for financial aid is still June 30, but states and schools have their own deadlines and many are before the federal cut-off. Applicants can check on the FAFSA website and on school websites to verify their deadlines. Additionally, some states have varying deadlines.
    • [button size=”large” type=”normal” style=”square” color=”primary” icon=”” new_window=”yes” link=”https://fafsa.gov/deadlines.htm#”]FAFSA Deadlines[/button]
  4. Earlier College Decisions
    • Colleges and universities will now be able to approve financial aid and scholarships earlier than in previous years.
  5. Have Other Questions?
    • There is a Q&A on the Department of Education website about the changes. Additionally, the Federal Student Aid office can be reached at 1-800-433-3243.

[button size=”large” type=”normal” style=”square” color=”primary” icon=”” new_window=”yes” link=”https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa”]FAFSA Information[/button]

[button size=”large” type=”normal” style=”square” color=”primary” icon=”” new_window=”yes” link=”https://fafsa.gov/deadlines.htm#”]FAFSA Deadlines[/button]