November 30, 2021 — A new survey shows that more than half (52%) of respondents at US higher education institutions have not yet started to prepare for the significant changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that will go into effect in the 2024-25 school year. All college students seeking federal financial aid in the US fill out the application. The study from Oracle and the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) found that administrators are anxious about how to handle major modifications in the financial aid processes and are unsure of the Department of Education’s support in making these adjustments.
Forty-one percent of respondents are slightly or not confident that the Department of Education can provide timely, helpful guidance to help them navigate the changes. As a result, many are turning to technology and solution providers to adjust. Forty percent of respondents are completely or fairly confident in their financial aid management software provider’s ability to adapt to the new requirements.
"Following the passage of the Consolidated Appropriations Act, financial aid offices across the country are gearing up for significant federal methodology and FAFSA changes that will require adjustments to longstanding practices and processes," said NASFAA President and CEO Justin Draeger. "As this survey makes clear, there is both optimism and trepidation about our collective ability to make these changes in a way that facilitates a smooth transition for schools and students. We look forward to working with our software provider partners and the Department of Education on these changes in the coming months to ensure we have the technical details, training, and resources to implement these exciting changes seamlessly.”
The survey was distributed to primary contacts at NASFAA member institutions in September 2021 and received 435 responses. The survey asked respondents about their institution’s preparations for the implementation of the Consolidated Appropriations Act’s (CAA) FAFSA changes coming soon. Dive deeper into the findings here.
Preparations off to a slow start:
When asked how their institution is currently preparing for the Federal Methodology (FM) FAFSA changes authorized by the Consolidated Appropriations Act:
With change comes challenges:
When considering what aspects of the Consolidated Appropriations Act they expect to be most taxing:
Institutions are uncertain of the Department of Education’s ability to support:
When asked how confident they were in the implementation of certain changes and how the Department of Education would support the transition:
Administrators are looking within and turning to tech providers:
Administrators were generally more confident in themselves and their software providers to implement changes smoothly:
Institutions are seeking more support from software vendors:
When asked how financial aid management solution providers can help institutions feel more confident about their ability to implement changes:
“The need for financial aid reform has never been more pressing, with schools and students still grappling with the economic impacts of the pandemic,” said Vivian Wong, group vice president of higher education development, Oracle. “While these provisions are an important first step in expanding access to education, institutions can’t enact this change alone—they need the right systems and support in place. Teamwork between the Department of Education, NASFAA, software providers, and institutions will be key to ensure that schools and students are set up for success.”
The 2024-25 academic year will be here sooner than we think, and now is the time to start preparing. To get started, visit: https://www.oracle.com/industries/government/education/higher-education/
About NASFAA
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) provides professional development for financial aid administrators; advocates for public policies that increase student access and success; serves as a forum on student financial aid issues; and is committed to diversity throughout all activities. NASFAA’s membership includes 22,000 student financial assistance professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the U.S.
About Oracle
Oracle offers integrated suites of applications plus secure, autonomous infrastructure in the Oracle Cloud. For more information about Oracle (NYSE: ORCL), please visit us at oracle.com. Oracle, Java, and MySQL are registered trademarks of Oracle Corporation.
Contact Info
Katie Barron
Oracle Corporate Communications
[email protected]
+1 202-904-1138
Erin Powers
Director of Marketing & Communications , NASFAA
(202) 785-6959
[email protected]
Publication Date: 11/30/2021