2025-2026 FAFSA information and resources to help you better understand the change.
Please note this may not be an entire list of updates and resources. Students and families are encouraged to visit the studentaid.gov website for additional information.
While in some cases FAFSA simplification could increase students’ financial aid eligibility, others may see a decrease in aid. Several important changes that can affect the application process and resulting financial aid offers for students are outlined below.
Key Changes
- Easier FAFSA application process with a reduced number of questions.
- The Federal Pell Grant expands to more students and will link eligibility to family size and the federal poverty level.
- The Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) has been replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI). The SAI is a different way to determine aid eligibility.
- Schools will use the SAI to determine eligibility for federal financial aid programs. Plymouth State University will also use the SAI to determine financial need for need-based institutional funding.
- Unlike the EFC calculation, the SAI will not include the number of family members in college. This may impact need-based aid eligibility for current students with siblings in college.
- The guidance on which parent income to report for students whose parents are separated or divorced has changed to the parent who provides the most financial support to the student, rather than the parent who lives at the student’s primary residence.
- To speed up processing time, parents without a Social Security Number will be able to apply for an FSA ID and submit their FAFSA application online. They will no longer have to print, sign and mail the form.
- Students who qualify for a dependency override due to homelessness, or not being able to access their parents’ financials, no longer need to recertify their dependency status each year (unless their situation changes).
- Male students under the age of 26 are no longer required to register with the Selective Service System to receive federal financial aid.
Additional Information
- October 2024 - Sign up for your FSA ID
- December 2024 - *New FAFSA form opens
- January 2025 - *Financial aid awarding begins for incoming students
- March 1, 2025 - PSU priority filing deadline. Students are encouraged to file their FAFSA before this date to ensure they maximize their financial aid eligibility.
- April 2025 - *Financial aid awarding begins for returning students
- April 2025 - *Financial aid awarding begins for graduate students
*Strictly dependent on the Department of Higher Education timeline. Dates are subject to change.
For more information on all things FAFSA, please visit www.studentaid.gov.
- The EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) will be replaced with the SAI (Student Aid Index)
- Families and students will encounter a modified assessment of their college affordability and witness a shift in the approach used to calculate financial assistance.
- Increased Federal Pell Grant Eligibility
- The FAFSA Simplification Act is set to broaden the reach of the Federal Pell Grant program, connecting eligibility with family size and the federal poverty level. This change has the potential to expand the pool of Pell-eligible students.
The updated formula excludes the count of family members attending college from the equation and permits a minimum Student Aid Index (SAI) of negative 1,500. This adjustment aims to provide financial aid administrators with greater clarity when evaluating students facing particularly complex financial circumstances.
Followed by portal announcement for all financial aid recipients to check the Student Financial Services website for important updated information concerning the 2024-2025 FAFSA process.
