There have been several long-standing concerns about the length and complexity of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), the application for students to apply for federal, state, and institutional need-based financial aid. Beginning with the 2024-25 academic year, the FAFSA Simplification Act will represent a significant overhaul of the FAFSA processes and systems used to award federal aid and is a step towards a better FAFSA and a better future for students.
Typically, the FAFSA launches every October 1, prior to the start of the academic year. Due to the significant changes to the FAFSA, the Department of Education (ED) has officially announced that the 2024-25 FAFSA will not be open until sometime in December 2023. Moving forward to future years, ED plans to be back on track for an October 1 launch.
Federal Student Aid announced that they will launch a communications plan to families in September, explaining what applicants should anticipate when completing the new FAFSA form and what they can do to get ready. Stay tuned! We will also communicate with students via their Wright State University email address as information is available.
