An improved version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid is rolling out this year, with a much easier application.
FAFSA is a form students fill out to apply for financial aid for higher education. Universities and federal and state governments use the form to determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid.
Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act in 2020 to reduce confusion with the FAFSA form.
“[The act came] out of hearing a lot of frustration from families that the form itself was pretty cumbersome, that it took a long time to complete, and that it was a little bit confusing,” said Jenny Kimball, the College and Career Advising Program manager for the State Board of Education.
The new Better FAFSA is two thirds shorter with only 36 questions instead of the previous 108 questions.
Kimball says with expanded eligibility, nearly a million more students will be eligible for the Federal Pell Grant.
With Better FAFSA, students can list 20 colleges on the application instead of 10 on the old FAFSA.
Students and parents will both need to create an FDA ID to input information. Previously, parents and students could create their FSA ID the same day they fill out the FAFSA application. Now, Social Security Administration will verify the ID before applicants can log in.
“We’re encouraging students and parents to go ahead and create their FSA ID now,” Kimball said.
Kimball says that sometimes parents don’t fill out the FAFSA form because they assume they make too much money to qualify for aid.
“We really just want to dispel that myth,” Kimball said. “When you fill out the FAFSA form, it certainly does not obligate you to any kind of aid. It just opens the door to possible federal financial aid, but also institutional aid and scholarships.”
Applications for Better FAFSA will open in December. No specific date has been announced.
Frequently Asked Questions about Better FAFSA can be found here.
The Office of the State Board of Education will hold webinars for families with questions about financial aid, Better FAFSA and state scholarship programs.
Click here to register for the Nov. 9 webinar at 7 p.m.
Click here to register for the Dec. 7 webinar at 7 p.m.