It may seem like there is still plenty of time for high school Seniors and their parents to complete and submit a FAFSA, but this year’s “Better” FAFSA has not been without many growing pains and challenges that could impact your FAFSA.
The state deadline for FAFSA submission is April 15.
This year, for the high school class of 2024, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), or opting out of doing so, is a requirement to graduate.
The 2024-2025 FAFSA form was officially released at the end of December in what the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) called a “soft launch” while they monitored performance and responded to issues affecting user ability to navigate the form. By the end of January, the website was stable, however, a number of issues and challenges are still being addressed.
Project Leadership has been working with students and parents at the high schools since late January, assisting in completing FAFSAs and overcoming some of the challenges that students and parents are facing.
Here is a recap of some of the most common ones:
- An FSA ID is not matched by the Social Security Administration after creation. User information must match the information listed on your Social Security Card. Check that the information on the FSA ID is identical to what is on your Social Security card.
- A Contributor has no Social Security number. The online process to create an FSA ID without a Social Security number is not yet working. The only process available is to contact the FSA information center to request a case number. The user should receive an email with the next steps including an attestation document and acceptable documents to establish identity.
- The system drops the signature of the first contributor to complete their section, then other contributors can’t complete and submit their sections. The student receives an email that there is a signature missing but at this point the form is locked until FSA sends the FAFSA submission summary.
- Once the FAFSA is submitted, it is locked, and no changes, corrections, or updates can be made. This is by design as the FSA was finalizing the Institutional Student Information Reports (ISIRs) needed by state agencies, colleges, and other postsecondary institutions. Delivery of these reports is now expected to be delayed until mid-March due to needed updates to tables used in the SAI calculations. Once these reports have been distributed students should receive emails advising that their FAFSA submission summary and SAI are available. That’s your indication that the FAFSA form can be updated.
These are the most common issues that we’ve seen during our FAFSA labs. Here are links to FAFSA and National College Attainment Network websites with comprehensive lists of the issues that have been reported and whether there is a resolution or work-around.
FAFSA
2024–25 FAFSA Issue Alerts | Knowledge Center
Pro Tips for the 2024–25 FAFSA® Form | Federal Student Aid
2024-25 FAFSA Student Aid Index Update and Timeline (Updated Feb. 13, 2024) | Knowledge Center
National College Attainment Network (NCAN)
Navigating the Challenges of the 2024-25 FAFSA – National College Attainment Network (ncan.org)
Again, don’t wait! The Indiana deadline for FAFSA is April 15, 2024.
Start by creating your FSA ID. It will take up to a week for the Social Security Administration to verify it.
Next, go to fafsa.gov and to complete, sign, and submit your FAFSA.
If you have questions or need help, contact Project Leadership at our Marion office, 765-651-0650, or our Muncie office, 765-896-8616.
