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# The Better FAFSA: What Colleges and Universities Need to Know 

# The Better FAFSA: What Colleges and Universities Need to Know 

                                    -        Higher Education Opens Doors to Opportunity
The U.S. Department of Education is making transformational changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) form. The FAFSA form is an application that students and families need to complete to apply for federal student aid, such as federal grants, work-study funds, and loans. Completing and submitting the FAFSA form is free, and it gives students access to the largest source of financial aid to help pay for higher education.
Better FAFSA Timeline for the 2024-25 Award YearNOW- Students and families should complete and submit the 2024-25 FAFSA form 
MARCH- The Department begins transmitting FAFSA information to schools and state agencies for processing
THIS SPRING- Colleges review FAFSA information for students who applied for admission   
- Colleges start sending aid packages to students 
JULY 1- FAFSA award year starts 
How The Department is Helping Colleges and Universities
The Department recently announced a FAFSA College Support Strategy to help colleges prepare aid packages for students as quickly and accurately as possible. We are:
- Connecting colleges to expertise and federal personnel  to ensure institutions have the tools and information needed to process financial aid packages, understand the steps they need to take to prepare, deliver direct on-campus support, and provide ongoing consultations and trainings as needed.  
- Providing $50 million in federal funding  that will be used to recruit financial aid professionals who will provide additional technical assistance and support to under-resourced colleges—beyond the federal teams being deployed by the Department. 
- Creating a new concierge service , which will connect a broad set of colleges to financial aid experts. 
- Releasing data and tools  to help colleges prepare to quickly and accurately process student records and deliver financial aid packages. The Department is releasing test versions of institutional student information records, which will help colleges prepare their own systems and processes to efficiently assemble aid packages for students. 
- Making it easier to process student aid records  by considerably reducing verification requirements, suspending routine school compliance reviews, and providing flexibility on renewing participation in the federal student aid programs.   
College and University Officials’ Checklist
Every college and university should ensure it is ready to process student records when those records arrive in the first half of March.

 Ensure your financial aid office is adequately trained and has the most recent software.

 Utilize test versions of institutional student information records to ensure your systems are ready.

 Extend financial aid and admissions deadlines to give flexibility to students, as recommended by the American Council on Education.

 Keep new and current students updated on the process and timelines.

Last Updated: 2/16/2024
   -  Posted in: Federal AidStudent Financial AidFAFSA
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