December 21, 2023
2024-25 FAFSA Details and Timelines
Federal Student Aid (FSA) recently announced a few important updates regarding the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Application. Below, please find a few highlights we wanted to bring to your attention:
- The newly overhauled 2024-25 FAFSA will be open to students and families by December 31, 2023.
- FSA announced that the days before and after December 31 will serve as a “soft launch” period to “monitor and respond in real time to potential issues” with the 2024-25 FAFSA application.
- FSA stressed that users do not need to rush to complete the application as soon as the soft launch is available.
- Because they are expecting large volumes of applicants applying at one time, and to ensure optimal performance and to control web traffic, FSA will include a waiting room feature during the soft launch period.
- If a student completes their form during this soft launch period, their information will be stored for processing. They do NOT need to return to resubmit their application after the soft launch concludes.
- FSA will initiate planned pauses for site maintenance and to make updates as needed to create a better FAFSA experience for students and families.
- If FSA initiates site maintenance while an applicant (student or contributor) is completing an application, they will be able to continue until they have completed the application.
- Students will not receive a FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) until FSA process the FAFSA, beginning in late January.
- Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) to schools will not be transmitted until late in January 2024. Which means award notifications will not be sent to students until possibly late February
2024-25 FAFSA Soft Launch Details and Timelines: 2024–25 FAFSA Soft Launch Details and Timelines | Knowledge Center