Applying for student aid in California? What to know about new FAFSA form and deadlines
The 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid is back — and different.
The new FAFSA soft-launched at the end of 2023, delayed from the usual October launch date, but will only be available periodically while the Office of Federal Student Aid continues to monitor performance and make technical updates.
It’s not clear yet how long the soft launch will last or what times the form will be online.
The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators reported people trying to apply have dealt with glitches and other issues.
“Even by soft-launch standards, this weekend’s rollout was challenging, and students, families, and financial aid administrators who have been waiting for this release for months are understandably frustrated,” NASFAA President Justin Draeger said in a statement.
As the soft launch of 2024-25 FAFSA form is underway, the form is available for short periods of time to ensure a better experience for students and families.
We will not share information submitted during this soft launch period with schools, states and scholarship…— Federal Student Aid (@FAFSA) January 1, 2024
What’s FAFSA?
The FAFSA form puts you in the consideration for federal student aid for the upcoming school year. Plus, states and colleges use the information to award grants, scholarships and loans.
The federal deadline to complete the application is June 30, 2025. But states and schools set their own deadlines — and California’s is this coming April.
If you apply during the soft launch, you won’t have to resubmit your form because your information will be saved.
When do you need to apply in California?
In California, for most state financial aid programs, you need to submit or postmark your application by April 2. The Cal Grant requires a school-certified GPA submission by the same date. For additional community college Cal Grants, you need to apply by Sept. 2.
What’s new?
The new form expands eligibility for federal student aid, according to the office.
The application will also be streamlined, with some applicants able to skip up to 26 questions. And some could answer just 18 questions, meaning the application could take less than 10 minutes.
The changes are the result of the FAFSA Simplification Act, which Congress passed in December 2020, as an overhaul of the federal student aid systems and processes.
It replaced the Expected Family Contribution with the Student Aid Index as a measure of a student and their family’s ability to pay for college. As part of that change, the number of family members in college, which affected aid eligibility, was removed from the calculation.
With updates to how student aid is calculated, 610,000 new students from low-income backgrounds will be eligible for Pell Grants.
What happens when you apply?
After applying, you’ll get a confirmation email that will include your estimated Student Aid Index and estimated eligibility for Pell Grants.
Information on your eligibility for federal student aid will be sent to your school and state in late January. Once your school has your information, they’ll provide personalized information in the coming weeks, according to the Office of Federal Student Aid, plus you’ll receive an email from the office.
“You will have ample time to fill out the form and do not need to rush to complete the form during the soft launch,” the office wrote in the launch announcement.
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