"The new version of the Free Application of Student Aid might not be ready by Oct. 1, Federal Student Aid officials said Tuesday, though the agency is planning to launch the application in the fourth quarter of this year," Inside Higher Ed reports.

"Melanie Storey, deputy director of policy implementation and oversight for the Office of Federal Student Aid, told attendees at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ leadership conference that the agency wouldn’t commit to a launch date this fall, though it is working aggressively toward an Oct. 1 launch. Tuesday’s conference was the first time officials publicly disclosed that the application might not open Oct. 1, as it has since 2016. Legally, the agency has until Jan. 1 to release the application.

The conference was not open to the press, but NASFAA staff shared Storey’s quotes with Inside Higher Ed and published a recap of the panel discussion.

Pushing back the FAFSA’s launch could be 'massively disruptive,' NASFAA president Justin Draeger said."

..."Draeger said knowing that Oct. 1 isn’t locked in helps colleges and universities plan for the 2024–25 award year.

'Knowing now that there is going to be a potential delay is more helpful than knowing in September, and now we just need the federal partners to really zero in on what is the precise date that the FAFSA will be launching,' Draeger said. 'Even though we received some disappointing news today at our conference, I think most people were leaving with some relief that they are starting to finally have some basic questions answered.'"

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 2/8/2023