2024-25 FAFSA Changes
How the FAFSA Simplification Act Affects You
**PLEASE NOTE ALL INFORMATION DISCUSSED ON THIS PAGE APPLIES TO THE 2024–25 ACADEMIC YEAR**
The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to offer federal student aid starting with the 2024-25 academic year. This includes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), needs analysis (means of determining aid eligibility), and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in federal student aid programs. The law will affect every school that offers assistance from the federal student aid programs.
Additionally, the law has the potential to affect eligibility for state financial aid programs that use FAFSA® data to determine whether certain criteria are met.
**2024-25 FAFSA® Available by December 31, 2023**
Historically, the FAFSA® has been available beginning October 1 each year. For the 2024-25 academic year, the FAFSA® will be available by December 31, 2023.
Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) Changes
The benefits of the FAFSA Simplification Act include:- Streamlined application process
- Better user experience for the FAFSA®
- Expanded eligibility for federal student aid
- Reduced barriers for certain student population (e.g., homeless and unaccompanied youth, incarcerated students, English language learners, and students from low-income backgrounds)
What is NOT changing?
- The general types of aid available to students and federal student loan limits.
- The FAFSA® will still be required for consideration of federal financial aid every year as well as for certain state and institutional aid programs.
- NOTE: Though the release of the FAFSA® is delayed for 2024-25, the Department of Education will continue to make it available on October 1 starting again with the 2025-26 FAFSA®.
- Dependency status questions that determine if your parent(s) must complete the FAFSA® remain the same.
- The FAFSA® will still request tax information from the prior-prior year, which means students will report 2022 income and assets on the 2024-25 application. Families with significant reductions in income levels can review the special circumstance process.
- The questions regarding a student's gender, race, and ethnicity will continue to have no effect on federal student aid eligibility and are included for statistical purposes and data collection only. This information is collected by the Department of Education and is not shared with Texas A&M University.
- Admission application deadlines will not change.