2024–25 FAFSA Changes, Resources and New Timeline
As you may have heard, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the financial aid process have significantly changed for the 2024–25 aid year following Congress’s passing of the FAFSA Simplification Act. In fact, this is the biggest overhaul of financial aid in more than 40 years! For a summary of the key changes to the 2024–25 FAFSA, please see here.
While these changes should eventually streamline the financial aid application process and expand access to the Federal Pell Grant, there have been some unexpected delays and problems with the 2024–25 FAFSA form and website. Since the 2024–25 FAFSA was “soft launched” in early January 2024, there have been a fair number of issues with the form, with many students unable to submit it via the FAFSA website. Although the U.S. Department of Education (DOED) is working as quickly as possible to resolve the outstanding issues, it was recently announced that the DOED does not plan to send the 2024–25 FAFSA results to colleges until mid-March 2024. The list of open issues with the 2024–25 FAFSA and their recommended workarounds can be viewed here.
To accommodate students who may be experiencing difficulties with submitting the 2024–25 FAFSA, NOVA has pushed back the priority application filing date for submitting the 2024–25 FAFSA from March 1, 2024, to May 1, 2024. This decision was also made to allow time for the DOED to resolve most if not all of the remaining issues with the FAFSA website.
Students are encouraged to try submitting the 2024–25 FAFSA now via the website. If they are unable to do so, they may wait and try submitting the FAFSA again later. As always, students may contact NOVA’s Financial Aid Office for assistance. Eligible students who successfully submit the 2024–25 FAFSA with NOVA’s school code (003727) and who turn in all items that may be requested on their myNOVA Student Information System (SIS) To-Do List by May 1, 2024, can expect to be awarded financial aid for Fall 2024 and Spring 2025 by mid-May. More information on applying for financial aid is available here.
How to create an FSA ID account without a Social Security Number:
One question that is frequently asked about the new FAFSA process is how an individual without a Social Security Number (SSN) can create an account on StudentAid.gov. Applicants must have an SSN to apply for federal student aid, and now all individuals who enter information on a student’s FAFSA (i.e., contributors), including spouses and parents, must also have a StudentAid.gov account. If a contributor does not have an SSN, they will need to follow the steps outlined in this tutorial to create a StudentAid.gov account to enter their information and electronically sign the 2024–25 FAFSA.
Virginia Alternative State Aid Application (VASA):
Virginian students who are ineligible to submit the FAFSA are encouraged to submit the Virginia Alternative State Aid (VASA) application if they are eligible to do so to be considered for Virginia state aid. For more information on the VASA application and eligibility requirements, please visit www.VASAapp.org. Note that this website now redirects to the Level Up Virginia website, where eligible students may now submit the 2024–25 VASA application.
We understand that all these changes may feel a bit overwhelming, but help is available! NOVA’s Financial Aid team is prepared to assist students with navigating the new financial aid process and will provide all possible support. Please stop by a campus Financial Aid Office or email us at FinAidSupport@nvcc.edu if you have any questions.
Submitted by:
Clint Young, Financial Aid, JCYoung@nvcc.edu