NASFAA Statement on What Should Students and Families Do Now to Prepare for the 2025 FAFSA Launch
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Hugh Ferguson
Managing Editor, NASFAA
[email protected]
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 4, 2024 — This year, students and families will face a delayed start to the FAFSA process due to updates to the application system. Traditionally available on October 1, the 2025-26 FAFSA is expected to launch by December 1, significantly shortening the time available to complete and submit the application before state and institutional aid deadlines. The Department of Education (ED) recently announced that it has implemented technical fixes to address reported bugs from the 2024-25 FAFSA cycle and bugs found during recent beta testing of the 2025-26 FAFSA.
“While NASFAA appreciates the Department’s extended testing period for the 2025-26 FAFSA, it creates a compressed timeline for students and families to submit their financial information, which can lead to missed opportunities for aid,” said Beth Maglione, interim president and CEO of NASFAA. “I would encourage families to start gathering their financial documents and information now, so they’re ready to apply as soon as the application becomes available. Taking these steps early will help ensure they don’t miss out on vital financial support for college.”
There are several things that students and parents can do to prepare for their application as soon as it becomes available:
- Set up a studentaid.gov account: Both the student and a parent (if the student is a dependent) will need to set up a username and password, commonly called the FSAID, to access and sign the FAFSA electronically.
- Gather Personal Information: Students (and parents, if the student is a dependent, and student spouses—if applicable) will need to provide a Social Security Number (SSN). If a student spouse, parent, or stepparent does not have an SSN, they can still register for an FSAID. Here is a helpful guide. If the student has a driver’s license, they will need to provide that number. Non-citizens should have their Alien Registration Number handy.
- Federal Tax Information: Students and parents (if dependent) should gather tax information for the prior-prior tax year (for example, for the 2025-26 FAFSA, the student should use 2023 tax returns).
- Records of Child Support Received: Have information handy on child support received, which is considered untaxed income.
- Bank Statements and Investment Records: This includes records of the student’s (and the parents', if applicable) bank accounts, stocks, bonds, real estate (not including the family home), and other investments.
- List of Schools: FAFSA applicants should have a list of schools the student is applying to or attending, as they will need to list these on the FAFSA application.
You can find more resources on how families can prepare in advance for their unique situations here.
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About NASFAA
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid 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. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.
Publication Date: 11/4/2024
