The FAFSA Simplification Act is a law that was passed in 2020 and will make significant changes to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form starting with the 2024-2025 award year. 

The FAFSA Simplification Act will: 

• Reduce the number of questions on the FAFSA from 108 to 36.
• Make the FAFSA easier to complete by requiring the use of the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.
• Link eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant to family size and the federal poverty level.
• Allow incarcerated students to receive Federal Pell Grants.
• Restore Federal Pell Grant lifetime eligibility to students whose school closed while they were enrolled or if the school is found to have misled the student. 

The FAFSA Simplification Act is a major step towards making the FAFSA more accessible and user-friendly for students and families. It is expected to save students and families an average of $1,000 in time and effort each year. 

Here are some additional things to keep in mind about the FAFSA Simplification Act: 

• The 2024-2025 FAFSA will not be available until December 2023.
• The FAFSA will still be available to students, regardless of their income.
• The FAFSA will still be used to determine eligibility for federal student aid, including grants, loans and work-study.
• The FAFSA Simplification Act does not change the eligibility requirements for federal student aid. 

For more information about these changes, please visit our FAFSA information website or contact the Financial Aid Office.