How the FAFSA change will impact students for 2024-2025

By now, you probably know that this year’s FAFSA® has been delayed until December to give the government time to enact several big, anticipated changes, including:

• The FAFSA® is projected to open in December (delayed from the usual Oct 1 open date)
• The new FAFSA® form will be shorter (fewer questions)
• The language on the FAFSA® is more closely aligned with the language on income tax returns
• The SAI (Student Aid Index) replaces the EFC (Expected Family Contribution), and contains new formulas for calculating eligibility. In particular: 
• Eligibility for the Pell Grant is expanded to families earning 225% of the poverty line (so about $67,500 for a family of four)
• For divorced parents, families will need to report the higher-earning parent (previously, they reported the parent that the child resided with more often)