MorraLee Keller, of the nonprofit National College Attainment Network (NCAN), says this year’s model looks almost identical to last year’s, but the user experience has noticeably improved.
“We really have to put out a very positive message that a lot of work has been put into this system for 2025-2026 to make it a very different experience from last year. So everyone should give the system a chance.”
What the Ministry of Education is doing differently this time
Filling out the FAFSA is the only way college students can obtain financial aid from the federal government and be considered for grants, loans, and some scholarships. Each year, more than 17 million students fill out the application.
Typically, the form becomes available to all students on October 1st. But this year, the department began testing the model with a limited number of students and institutions. The testing period was intended to “reveal and fix issues with the FAFSA form before the form becomes available to millions of students and their families,” FAFSA Executive Counsel Jeremy Singer said in an August news release.
During the recent FAFSA cycle, in addition to errors on the form, students also experienced difficulties accessing the FAFSA Call Center for assistance. According to the Government Accountability Office, “nearly three-quarters of all calls to the call center” went unanswered in the first five months of operation. This time, the Department of Education has increased its call center staff — by nearly 80% since January — and plans to extend the center’s operating hours.
“So far, the call center is working very well,” US Department of Education Undersecretary James Kvale told NPR. “At the size we’re at now, people’s calls are answered very quickly.”
He cautions that there may be times when high call volume results in wait times, but he is confident it will be a smoother experience overall.
Beth Maglione, CEO and interim president of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), says she’s been closely monitoring the department’s testing process, and she’s pleased with what she’s seen.
“Federal leaders have kind of listened and taken seriously the lessons learned from last year’s troubling rollout and used those lessons to chart a more stable path forward.”
So far, it is a less painful process
Low-income students and students whose parents or spouses do not have a Social Security number (SSN) – which the Government Accountability Office refers to as “mixed-status families” – suffered most from the previous troubled rollout of the FAFSA. One challenge mixed-status families faced was a glitch that prevented anyone who did not have a Social Security Number (SSN) from filling out the form.
Throughout the beta testing, “we made a number of changes to make the process easier for parents and spouses who don’t have Social Security numbers,” Kvale says. “These people are able to get through it now, and that wasn’t always possible six or eight months ago.”
At Cal State Los Angeles, where Cristina Martinez works, the majority of students are low-income, and many come from mixed-status families. She says most of her students had problems with the form last year, but this year is a different story.
Martinez says the form contains more informative language that helps students avoid mistakes. On average, she says it takes students about 20 minutes to complete the form, although the FAFSA website suggests setting aside about an hour. (The site also includes Checklist How to prepare for the application.)
NCAN’s Keller says that while she’s thrilled about the improvements, she’s waiting to see how the new FAFSA system will respond to the increased volume of applications now that the form is officially out of beta testing and open to all families.
Keller has one piece of advice for students and families, which Martinez and Maglione echoed: fill out your FAFSA form as soon as possible.
“Let’s not wait. Join us,” Keller says. Do your FAFSA as quickly as you can.” “Our hope is that enabling students to start their FAFSA in mid-November will lead to things like earlier award letters, more time to make decisions, and better decisions.”