FAFSA Simplification

Latest updates: 

• The 2024-25 FAFSA is live and can be completed at fafsa.gov. Periodically, the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) will initiate pauses for updates as needed to create a better FAFSA experience for students and families. If you access the site during a temporary pause, please check back at a later time to complete the form. For a list of known issues with the FAFSA system, you can check here.
• The Department of Education is now sharing Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) data with colleges and universities. Dominican University is actively awarding students as information is received.

You can expect the following changes:

• The FAFSA application process will be streamlined and easier for students to complete.
• New terminology will be added to the FAFSA.
• Eligibility for federal financial aid will be expanded.

FAQS 

When can I complete my FAFSA?  

Instead of opening in October as usual, the 2024–2025 FAFSA did not open until the end of 2023. This is only temporary. After the 2024–2025 aid year, the FAFSA will be available in October as usual.

How will the FAFSA be simplified?  

The FAFSA will feature fewer questions and retrieve tax information more easily using a direct data exchange from the IRS. 

What does the new terminology include?  

Contributor: The FAFSA is introducing the new term contributor, which refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student’s FAFSA form, including the student, the student’s spouse, a biological or adopted parent, or the parent’s spouse. Being a contributor does not imply responsibility for the student's college costs.  

• Students will need the contributor’s name, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), and email address to invite them to complete the required portion of the FAFSA.
• Contributors will need to provide personal and financial information on their section of the FAFSA.  

Student Aid Index (SAI): The need analysis formula to determine financial aid, formerly known as the Expected Family Contribution (EFC), will now be referred to as the Student Aid Index (SAI). Unlike the EFC, the SAI may be a negative number. 

FAFSA Submission Summary: The Student Aid Report (SAR) will now be referred to as the FAFSA Submission Summary. This is the summary submission document you receive after completing the FAFSA. 

What other changes should I expect?  

• Small businesses and family farms are now considered assets. The Department of Education will provide more details in the coming months.  
• The number of family members in college will still be asked on the FAFSA, but it will be excluded from the federal, state, and institutional financial aid calculation. 
• If your parents are divorced or separated, the contributing parent(s) is the parent (and their spouse, if remarried) who provided the greater portion of your financial support during the 12 months immediately prior to filing the FAFSA. It is not automatically the parent you primarily lived with during the past 12 months. 
• All Contributors—student, student's spouse (if married), and student's parents(s) (if a dependent student)—must provide consent to have tax data transferred directly from the IRS to the FAFSA. If consent is not provided by all parties, the student will not be eligible for federal financial aid. In previous years, transferring IRS data was optional. It is now required. 

How can I prepare for the FAFSA? 

• Create an FSA ID on the  Federal Student Aid website  and assist contributors, such as your parent(s) or spouse, in creating an FSA ID. An FSA ID gives you access to the Federal Student Aid’s online system and serves as your electronic signature. You’ll need an FSA ID to fill out the FAFSA when it’s available. 
• 2022 tax information is required by you and your contributors (parent(s) or spouse) to complete the FAFSA. The easiest way to complete the FAFSA is by using correct tax information. You can determine tax filing requirements on the IRS website.   
• Use the  Federal Student Aid Estimator  to find out how much federal student aid you may be eligible for starting with the 2024–2025 award year.  

How do I submit my 2024-2025 FAFSA?

Watch a webinar for guidelines on completing and submitting the 2024–25 FAFSA form. Please note, this link opens YouTube in a new window.

En español

Vea un seminario web sobre cómo presentar el nuevo formulario FAFSA 2024-25, en español con subtítulos en inglés.

How do I complete the 2024–25 FAFSA® form if my parent Is a noncitizen?

If your contributor does not have a Social Security Number (SSN), please follow these step-by-step instructions to submit within the new FAFSA system. You can learn more here.

How can I check on the status of my FAFSA once submitted?

You can check on the status of your FAFSA by:

1. Logging in with your account username and password (FSAID).
2. Navigating to the account Dashboard.
3. Selecting "2024-25 FAFSA Form" from the "My Activity" page. The application status will be one of the following:
   • Draft: Your section of the FAFSA form is incomplete.
   • In Progress: You provided your consent, approval, and signature to your section of the FAFSA form, but the FAFSA form has not been submitted yet.
   • In Review: You have submitted your form and your application is still processing.
   • Processed: Your application was processed successfully. No further action is needed.
   • Action Required: Your application requires further action from you or your contributor(s). 
   • Closed: Your FAFSA form was never submitted and can no longer be submitted because the federal FAFSA deadline passed.

Please review your status closely and complete any necessary steps to ensure we can send you a financial aid award letter as soon as information becomes available.

If your application status is processed, then you are all set for now. Dominican University will send you an award letter, or request for additional information, once your FAFSA results are received from the Department of Education.

If you haven’t yet completed the 2024-2025 FAFSA, please do so as soon as possible using Dominican’s school code: 001750.

Check back often for updates.