FAFSA 2025

Watch our FAFSA & Financial Aid webinar

During this webinar held on December 17, members of our Admissions and Student Financial Services teams shared tips and tricks for navigating the FAFSA and financial aid process.

Figuring out FAFSA

The Department of Education is expecting the 2025 FAFSA to open on December 1. More students than ever before are eligible for federal and state aid! We encourage you to file your FAFSA so you can see what financial aid is available for you. Here are some how-to tips for those who have never filed before:

Create your FSA ID. Go to StudentAid.gov and click on “Create Account.”
File your FAFSA at StudentAid.gov beginning December 1.
Check with your Admissions Representative to make sure we have your Social Security Number. (You won’t be able to receive your aid without it.)
Activate your MySAU Portal. If you don’t have your ID number, contact your Admissions Representative.

We’re committed to helping you throughout the FAFSA filing and financial aid process. If you have any questions, please reach out to your admissions rep!

FAFSA changed last year. Let’s talk through it!

1️⃣ What’s going on with the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)?

If you’ve previously filed a FAFSA before 2024, you may notice that some things are different with the FAFSA this year. A big reason for this is the new Simplification Act that went into effect last year.

2️⃣ What is the FAFSA Simplification Act?

The FAFSA Simplification Act, effective beginning with the 2024–25 academic year, brought significant changes to federal student aid. These include revisions to the FAFSA application process, methods for determining financial need, and regulations for institutions in federal aid programs. This impact extends beyond federal programs, affecting states using FAFSA data for grants and all schools in federal aid programs. The legislation encompasses a broad transformation in various aspects of the financial aid process.

For more detailed information visit the FAFSA Simplification information page.

3️⃣ Why is the FAFSA important?

The information provided in your FAFSA determines the amount of financial aid you are eligible for from the federal and state governments, your university, and in private grants and loans.

4️⃣ What changes will be made?

Financial aid is calculated differently than it used to be before 2024. Instead of the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), we now have the Student Aid Index (SAI). What does that mean?

Family Members in College: Before, the number of family members in college affected the calculation. Now, it’s not considered in the formula.
Minimum SAI: The SAI can now go as low as -1500, giving a bit more flexibility for those with greater financial need.
Federal Pell Grants: Federal Pell Grants have their own set of rules now. Eligibility determination for Pell Grants is handled separately. This means when you’re applying for financial aid, you’ll see changes in how your ability to pay for college is assessed. The new formula aims to provide a more nuanced and flexible approach to determine financial need.

Modifications to Family Definitions in FAFSA Formulas

Expect changes in how a student’s family size is determined, aligning more with what was reported on the student’s/parents’ tax returns.

Expanding Access to Federal Pell Grants

The FAFSA Simplification Act will make it so more students can receive the Federal Pell Grant. Now, eligibility is linked to family size and the federal poverty level, starting from the 2024–25 school year.
Students in federal and state prisons can now get a Pell Grant, starting from the 2023–24 school year.
If a school closes while a student is there or if the school misleads them, the student can still use Pell Grants, starting from the 2023–24 school year.

Streamlining the FAFSA form

Some questions about Selective Service and drug convictions are removed.
New questions about sex, race, and ethnicity are added. These won’t affect federal student aid eligibility, starting from the 2023–24 school year.

FAQs

When should I file my FAFSA?

The FAFSA is available beginning December 1. The sooner you fill it out, the sooner we will be able to send your financial aid package.

Can I make corrections to my FAFSA once I submit it?

Once your form has been processed you can make changes. For more information visit the How to Review and Correct Your FAFSA Form page.

When will SAU receive my FAFSA information?

The Department of Education has not indicated when they will begin sending schools information yet in 2025. You will be able to view if SAU has received your FAFSA through the Federal Student Aid website. For more information on where to look, see this article.

When will I receive my financial aid package from SAU?

We hope to begin sending out financial aid packages by mid-February, but that is dependent entirely on when the Department of Education begins sending us student information; FAFSA information is sent to SAU at the will for the Department of Education and not necessarily in the order that students filed their FAFSA.

Have questions?

We are here to help! Contact your Admissions Representative or email admissions@arbor.edu.