On November 14 2024, Federal Student Aid (FSA) announced the addition of an "Expanded Beta 4" testing phase for the 2025-26 FAFSA. NASFAA has developed the following questions and answers to help members understand this new testing phase and what it means for their students and institutions. 

All answers reflect NASFAA's understanding of the Expanded Beta 4 testing phase based on conversations with FSA officials, and will be updated as necessary.

• What is Expanded Beta 4?
• Student Experience During Expanded Beta 4
• Full Launch Details
• Reporting Issues to FSA
• Help for Applicants During Expanded Beta 4 and Beyond
• ISIRs, FAMS, and Other Institutional Concerns

What is Expanded Beta 4?

What exactly is "Expanded Beta 4" and how does it differ from regular beta testing and a full launch? 

"Expanded Beta 4" is a continuation of the beta testing period that began on October 1, during which FSA opened the 2025-26 FAFSA to a limited number of students through a special process to help FSA identify and resolve bugs that could potentially derail students, contributors, and schools. 

Starting November 13, thousands of additional students recruited by selected organizations and institutions have been able to complete and submit a 2025–26 FAFSA form as part of the originally-scheduled Beta 4 testing period. Beta 4 builds on the work done in Beta 3 with a new group of students and contributors and through the same invite-only process the Department followed in the first three beta testing periods.

Expanded Beta 4 is different from the initial beta testing periods because in this phase the 2025-26 FAFSA is open to all potential applicants simply by visiting StudentAid.gov. 

The functionality available to applicants in Expanded Beta 4 is the same as it will be after the full launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA. The difference between Expanded Beta 4 and full launch is that in Expanded Beta 4 FSA will be testing the ability of the software platform and their support operations to handle higher volumes of activity, whereas earlier testing phases were more focused on identifying bugs and ensuring schools could import ISIRs. 

FSA will fully launch the 2025-26 FAFSA only when they are confident that the system can handle high volumes of activity. 

When will Expanded Beta 4 begin? 

Expanded Beta 4 will begin before the end of November. FSA has not yet announced a specific date.

Why has FSA decided to add this Expanded Beta 4 testing phase?

The main reason FSA is expanding beta testing to all interested students in advance of the full launch is to test the system at higher levels of activity volume. An expanded beta like this one is a common practice among software organizations. The main purpose is to expand testing to a much larger group of users in order to be certain that the software is working as expected before officially releasing a product.

Will there be any differences in functionality between the Expanded Beta 4 and the full launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA? 

No, applicants will be completing a real FAFSA during all beta testing phases and after full launch. During all beta testing phases, FSA will be continuing to test and monitor performance and load to ensure a smooth transition to higher volumes of activity, but the application will have the same functionality regardless of which phase the applicant completes it in.

Is this a "soft launch"? 

No. During Expanded Beta 4, the FAFSA system will be available to anyone who wished to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA, and will be up continuously. Unlike last year's "soft launch", which included planned system outages, FSA is not anticipating system outages during Expanded Beta 4. 

Will beta testing continue beyond Expanded Beta 4?

No, FSA has referred to Expanded Beta 4 as its final testing phase.

Student Experience During Expanded Beta 4

During the Expanded Beta 4 phase, does FSA expect that the FAFSA will be open 24 hours, or will hours be limited?

FSA's expectation is that the application will be open 24 hours per day, just as it has been since October 1, when beta testing began. 

Will students who participate in Expanded Beta 4 have to complete a new 2025-26 FAFSA after the full launch?

No, as with the regular beta testing period that began in October, FAFSAs filed during Expanded Beta 4 are real FAFSAs with full functionality. Institutions will receive ISIRs after students complete the FAFSA during the Expanded Beta 4 phase, just as they have during the regular beta testing phase and as they will after the full launch.  

Will it be apparent to applicants on studentaid.gov whether they are completing the FAFSA as part of Expanded Beta 4 versus the final version of the application?

Yes, a message will appear prominently on the page where students begin their 2025-26 FAFSA indicating that the extended beta is open and applicants can submit the FAFSA now. That messaging will be removed after the full launch.

What messaging is FSA providing to students who complete the FAFSA during Expanded Beta 4 in terms of when schools will receive ISIRs and when students should expect financial aid offers? 

The 2025-26 FAFSA system has been fully operational since October 1 but only open to invited users as part of beta testing. During that time, FSA has been processing ISIRs on a typical schedule (typically 1-3 days after submission.) That will continue during Expanded Beta 4 and after official release. When students receive financial aid offers is up to colleges and universities, as in a normal cycle.

What are the benefits and risks to completing the FAFSA during Expanded Beta 4 versus waiting for the full launch? 

The main benefit of completing the FAFSA during Expanded Beta 4 is that students and families can get a head start on the financial aid process. 

The only real risk is that if the student needs to reach the call center, hold times may be longer as the Federal Student Aid Information Center (FSAIC) adapts to higher volumes of call activity. 

For individual students, the decision to apply during Expanded Beta 4 or to wait until after the full launch should be driven by their particular circumstances and needs. For instance, students who are applying to college using early action or early decision might choose to submit their FAFSA during the Expanded Beta 4 phase, whereas another student with a heavy fall schedule might choose to use the December holidays to submit the FAFSA. Students will be at no advantage or disadvantage by submitting during any of the beta testing phases.

Should financial aid administrators encourage applicants to file their 2025-26 FAFSA during the Expanded Beta 4 testing phase? 

FSA's rationale behind expanding the beta 4 testing phase instead of proceeding straight to a full launch is to achieve a critical mass of applications to adequately stress test their systems without overwhelming them with the same application volume they would expect on the first day of a full launch. 

The primary concern schools should weigh when considering whether to broadly announce the availability of the FAFSA under the Expanded Beta 4 testing period is the availability of FSAIC call center staff to assist students who need help completing the FAFSA. 

One challenge of the FAFSA system is that most people only use it once per year, and many of those people want to use it as soon as it is available, creating a large one-time spike in activity, which is difficult to address. 

Since January, FSA has added approximately 700 new agents, nearly an 80% increase in staffing. They are also adding surge capacity and evening and Saturday hours for the full launch of the form (expansion of call center hours will be during the first few months after the 2025–26 FAFSA full launch.) 

For individual students, FAAs should advise applicants based on their particular circumstances and needs. For instance, students who are applying using early action or early decision might choose to submit during Expanded Beta 4 whereas another student with a heavy fall schedule might choose to use the December holidays to submit the FAFSA. Students will be at no advantage or disadvantage by submitting during beta.

Are there any specific student populations who should wait to complete the FAFSA until the full launch? 

No. 

Can students make corrections to their FAFSA during Expanded Beta 4?

Yes, students have been able, and will continue to be able to, make corrections to their submitted FAFSAs during Expanded Beta 4.

Full Launch Details

What date is the full launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA expected, and how will that be announced?

Once the Department has determined that the FAFSA system is operating smoothly with high volumes of users, they will exit beta testing and announce the official release of the 2025-26 FAFSA form. As previously announced, this will happen by Dec. 1.

When will the 2025-26 paper FAFSA be available? 

The paper FAFSA will be made available at the same time as the full launch of the 2025-26 online FAFSA. 

Reporting Issues to FSA

What issues, if any, does FSA expect students to encounter during this Expanded Beta 4 testing phase? 

Students should not encounter any issues that are specific to beta testing. Students may continue to encounter various usability issues that FSA has not yet had time to address, such as difficulties inviting contributors (if the information they enter does not exactly match the contributor's FSA ID), searching for colleges with long names and multiple locations, or inviting contributors with a foreign address. 

There are workarounds for these issues and StudentAid.gov contains a number of resources to support users in working through these issues, but FSA understands these issues are frustrating and plans to address them after the full launch.  

Students may also encounter long call center wait times as the FSAIC adapts to higher volumes. 

Where should schools be reporting issues they identify as they begin receiving more ISIRs through Expanded Beta 4 and after the full launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA? 

Schools should report issues with ISIRs to the FPS Help Desk at [email protected] or 800-330-5947 and, if applicable, to their financial aid software vendor.  

Will FSA continue to resolve outstanding FAFSA issues? 

Yes. FSA's top priorities so far this cycle have been to fix bugs that completely block students from submitting the FAFSA and to ensure a stable, reliable experience. 

After the full launch, FSA will continue to improve the FAFSA system, including addressing usability issues that make it difficult or confusing to fill out the FAFSA. 

FSA has also indicated that as it identifies and fixes bugs in the 2025-26 FAFSA, it applies those fixes to the 2024-25 form as well. 

Help for Applicants During Expanded Beta 4 and Beyond

What will the call center's capabilities be during Expanded Beta 4 and after full launch? 

The Department has significantly increased staffing for the FSA contact center. Since January, they have added approximately 700 new agents, nearly an 80% increase in staffing. They are also adding surge capacity and evening and Saturday hours for the full launch of the form (expansion of call center hours will be during the first three months after the 2025-26 FAFSA full launch.) 

In addition, interpretation services are now easier to find. Users can call the Federal Student Aid Information Center at 1-833-610-2590 and press option 7 from the main menu to reach an interpreter for any of the 11 most commonly spoken languages in the US. 

While the Department has significantly increased staffing for the FSA contact center, they anticipate high demand when the form is initially opened during Expanded Beta 4. The Department will closely monitor traffic for both the FAFSA website and the FSAIC to ensure students and families can successfully complete and submit a FAFSA. 

The Department has implemented a number of initiatives and released and updated additional resources and materials to strengthen the user experience with the application and process. If users need additional assistance during this period, they may experience longer than usual wait times at the contact center. 

What level of FSAIC wait times would FSA expect to be reasonable during Expanded Beta 4 and early after full launch?  

One challenge of the FAFSA system is that most people only use it once per year, and many of those people want to use it as soon as it is available, creating a large one-time spike in activity, which is difficult to address. 

Since January, FSA has added approximately 700 new agents, nearly an 80% increase in staffing. They are also adding surge capacity and evening and Saturday hours for the full launch of the form (expansion of call center hours will be during the first few months after the 2025–26 FAFSA full launch.) 

FSA will be continually monitoring wait times and taking steps to mitigate them. FSA will soon have the ability, in their Interactive Voice Response system, to tell callers what their expected wait times will be. One of their top priorities is to ensure that those seeking support can get through to agents in a reasonable time frame. 

Students and families can reach agents by phone, chat, or email. They can also access in-application tips by clicking on the question mark symbol throughout the FAFSA, and they can also use the resources on StudentAid.gov for information on how to navigate the application, understand how to respond to specific questions and sections, input financial information, and more.  

ISIRs, FAMS, and Other Institutional Concerns

Should schools be holding FAFSA completion events during Expanded Beta 4?

For those thinking about scheduling FAFSA events, FSA encourages FAAs to use the extra days that Expanded Beta 4 provides to spread out events from late November on. This will allow for less of a load on organizations as well as on the FSAIC.  

Will FSA be processing FAFSAs and sending ISIRs to schools during the Expanded Beta 4 period, or will those be held until after the full launch? 

Yes. FSA has been processing FAFSAs and sending ISIRs since beta testing began in early October and will continue to do so through the Expanded Beta 4 period.  

My school was planning on a December 1 launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA for all users. Can we wait until a later date to start reviewing ISIRs received prior to then? 

Yes. Schools always have flexibility to import ISIRs and begin packaging financial aid according to their own schedules, and that is no different this year.  

Are the major financial aid management systems (FAMS) providers ready for Expanded Beta 4? 

All of the major FAMS vendors have at least one client school who is participating in the FAFSA beta testing that began in October. Different vendors have announced different schedules for the availability of their software. Some have shipped beta versions of their software, while others have provided final releases. Institutions should contact their software vendors if they are not sure about software availability. 

Will institutional corrections functionality be available via the FAFSA Partner Portal (FPP) during Expanded Beta 4?

Yes, institutions have been able to submit corrections via the FPP and will continue to be able to do so through the end of beta testing and once the 2025-26 FAFSA is fully launched.

Will institutional batch corrections functionality be available during Expanded Beta 4?

No, FSA has already announced that institutional batch corrections functionality for the 2025-26 FAFSA cycle is not currently available but is expected to open by the end of first quarter of calendar year 2025.

Will the Issues Alert pages, including the technical issues list, be fully updated to reflect outstanding issues so we can best help students? 

Yes, those pages will continue to be updated.