2023-24 Financial Aid Changes

2024-2025 FAFSA Changes

The FAFSA Simplification Act

The FAFSA Simplification Act was enacted into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act in 2021 with the goal of streamlining the process through which students apply for financial aid. These changes are being implemented for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that students will use to apply for financial aid for the 2024-25 academic year beginning in December 2023. The FAFSA Simplification Act also significantly amended the formula that informs how students qualify for the federal Pell Grant. Below are resources to help you understand these changes.

The priority deadline for Cal Grant has been extended to April 2, 2024, for FAFSA and CADAA filers.

FAFSA Simplification Overview Video

Significant changes to the 2024-25 FAFSA form

The are several changes coming with the new form:

Significant reduction in the number of questions contained in the form from 108 questions to 46 questions.
Will allow students to add up to 20 colleges.
The FAFSA will be a strictly role-based form. When the student logs in, they will only have access to student questions. When a parent or spouse logs in, they will only have access to questions that pertain to their role. Only when the final contributor finishes their section will the form be able to be submitted.
All students, parents, and spouses, regardless of whether they file a US tax return, will be required to check a box that grants the IRS permission to transfer any data they have directly into the FAFSA form. If no information is on file with the IRS, specific codes will be sent indicating that person’s status with the IRS. All contributors providing information on the form must grant permission or the student will not be eligible for any federal student aid. https://rcc.financialaidtv.com/play/fafsa-simplification/what-direct-data-exchange
If any contributor to the FAFSA form does not provide consent, submission of the form will still be allowed. However, a Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated which may lead to an incomplete applicatin.
Family size will be based on the number of tax exemptions claimed on the tax form(s) that are being transferred into the FAFSA. If the family size has changed since filing the 2022 tax forms, there will be a family size question that allows for reporting the updated family size.
Child support received has been moved to the asset section of the form and therefore will only need to be reported for those families required to report assets. Child support paid out of the household is no longer a question on the form.
The demographic survey questions regarding race, gender, and ethnicity have been moved to the student demographic section of the form. Students will still have the option to decline to answer the questions. Answers to these questions will not be used in any way to determine aid eligibility and these responses will not be sent to the state agency or any colleges listed on the form. Parents will not be able to view the answers to these questions and they will not be included on the FAFSA Submission Summary.
The Custodial Parent on your FAFSA will be the parent(s) who provided you with more financial support, instead of the parent(s) with whom you lived more during the past 12 months.
There will be two-step verification and all FAFSA contributors must have an FSA ID to log into the online form. There will be a new process to get an FSA ID for parents and spouses without a Social Security number.

When will the 2024-2025 FAFSA Application Open?

Expected to open in December of 2023. Check back later for an exact date.

Prepare for the 2024-2025 FAFSA Application

Create an FSA ID

Students, spouses, parents, and step-parents are now called contributors. All contributors can start creating their FSA ID now through https://studentaid.gov so they are prepared to complete the 2024-2025 FAFSA Application when it opens sometime in December 2023.

Changes in Calculating your Aid Eligibility

Understanding Student Aid Index (SAI)

Financial Aid Workshops, Events, and VIrtual Drop

We have workshops and daily virtual assistance drop in hours available. Click below for more information.

Upcoming Workshops, Events, and Virtual Assistance

CADAA Changes

The California Dream Act Application allows students interested in attending eligible California colleges, universities and career education programs to apply for state financial aid.

NOTE: The 2024-25 CA Dream Act is undergoing changes due to an overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). CA Dream Act applications should be available in December 2023. The priority deadline for Cal Grant has been extended to April 2, 2024, for FAFSA and CADAA filers.

Will a student or parent be able to access the 2024-25 FAFSA without an FSA ID?

No. Every student, parent, or spouse that wishes to log in and complete or sign the FAFSA will need to have a verified FSA ID. You will no longer be able to access a FAFSA with student demographic information only. It takes one-to-three days for an FSA ID to go through the verification process. Everyone should anticipate setting up their FSA ID at least one week prior to starting the FAFSA.

Will individuals without Social Security numbers (SSN) be able to secure an FSA ID to use with the 2024-25 FAFSA?

Yes. FSA is in the process of enhancing the FSA ID process so that individuals without SSNs will be able to establish an FSA ID to access and sign the FAFSA. There will be alternative steps for verifying one’s identity within the process. Complete details of those new steps have not yet been released. FSA will use TransUnion services to ask knowledge-based questions to help with identity verification. Examples of these questions may include current or former address, a previous phone number, an employer, or a home/auto loan. Answers will be multiple choice (including “none of the above”). The signature page process has been eliminated with the new form. Those without Social Security numbers will not need an ITIN to set up an FSA ID.

What if the parent cannot successfully set up an FSA ID in the new process?

If an individual’s identity cannot be verified through the online process, there will be an option to contact FSA and submit documentation (unspecified at this point) to help establish identity and therefore create an FSA ID. If both processes do not allow for establishing an FSA ID, the student and parent(s) will need to complete the paper version of the form and submit it via the regular mail process. The paper form has more pages than in previous years and may require extra postage for mailing.

The FSA ID login process requires a two-step verification (i.e., multifactor authentication) process to access the FAFSA. What if the email, text, or authenticator application verification does not work?

When establishing your FSA ID or when you last logged in, you should have been provided a one-time back up code. This code can be used when all other forms of verification fail. Make sure to write this code down and keep it in a secure location in case you need to use it. Once you have used the code, you will need to log into your FSA ID account and a new code will be generated. Keep the new code in a secure location.

What if I cannot mail in my signature page?

If you cannot mail the signature page, the Financial Aid office, at no cost, can mail the signature page for you.