FAFSA Delay: What You Need to Know
Students and their families, along with college financial aid administrators, hoped the 2025-26 school year would be a return to normalcy. It doesn’t look like that will be the case.
Department of Education Announces FAFSA Delay
The Department of Education announced that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid won’t be available for everyone on October 1. Instead, some families will be invited to fill out the form beginning on October 1, 2024, as part of a testing group to ensure the electronic form and accompanying processes are fully functional by December 1. At that point, it’s scheduled to open to everyone.
Improving the FAFSA Has Proven a Challenge
The FAFSA got a makeover ahead of the 2024-25 application cycle that led to numerous delays and technical issues. Financial aid administrators continue to deal with problems even as the school year quickly approaches.
Phased Rollout to Ensure a Smooth Process
The goal of the phased rollout of the 2025-26 FAFSA form is to work with limited groups of users to identify and resolve system errors that can derail millions of students and contributors and thousands of colleges. As part of this process, a small group of users will be invited to fill out the form starting October 1, 2024.
Expert Advice for a Smooth FAFSA Process
Shannon Vasconcelos, senior director, college finance for Bright Horizons College Coach, shares three tips for incoming or current college students as the upcoming financial aid cycle approaches:
1. Don’t Rush to be First to Submit a FAFSA
In a normal year, the common advice is to fill out your FAFSA as soon as possible. However, this is not a normal year. "I would not be volunteering – if it were me – for this test FAFSA process beginning in October," Vasconcelos says. "We’ve just seen so many issues this past year that as a student or family, I would wait until the kinks have been worked out, which is hopefully by December 1."
2. Create an FSA ID Now
If you are eager to get your FAFSA in as soon as you can, one step you can take ahead of time is creating an account on the Federal Student Aid website. This will be known as your FSA ID.
3. Stay on Top of School-Specific Deadlines and Requirements
Colleges set their own deadlines for financial aid applications, and students should pay close attention to those as the season approaches. There’s a good chance some schools will push their deadlines back, given the news about the latest FAFSA delays.
Conclusion
The FAFSA delay is unfortunate news for students and their families, but experts believe that a delayed-yet-functional application is better than an on-time and glitchy one. By following these tips, students can minimize the impact of the delay and ensure a smoother financial aid process.
FAQs
Q: When will the 2025-26 FAFSA be available?
A: Some families will be invited to fill out the form beginning on October 1, 2024, as part of a testing group, with the form opening to everyone on December 1.
Q: Who will be able to fill out the FAFSA first?
A: A small group of users will be invited to fill out the form starting October 1, 2024.
Q: What can I do to ensure a smooth FAFSA process?
A: Follow the tips provided by Shannon Vasconcelos: don’t rush to be first to submit a FAFSA, create an FSA ID now, and stay on top of school-specific deadlines and requirements.
Q: Is there anything I can do to mitigate the impact of the FAFSA delay?
A: Yes, by creating an FSA ID now and staying on top of school-specific deadlines and requirements, you can minimize the impact of the delay.
