FAFSA Updates
Students are experiencing challenges and changing timelines due to the launch of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) this year and next year. With the goal of being as helpful and transparent as possible, we have created this page to provide up-to-date information on the latest changes and items you need to know to help you prepare.
The 2024-25 FAFSA is currently available for all students to complete for the current Fall 2024 and upcoming Winter 2025 and Spring 2025 semesters if they haven't already.
2025-26 Financial aid timeline
The 2025–26 FAFSA will be delayed and available to the public on or before Dec. 1, 2024. This is the FAFSA students complete for the Fall 2025, Winter 2026 and Spring 2026 semesters. Between Oct. 1 and Dec. 1, the 2025–26 FAFSA form will be available to individuals selected to participate in a limited beta release. Participation in the beta release is by invitation only. Learn more
Now: Prepare now so you can complete the 2025–26 FAFSA form as soon as it’s available on or before Dec. 1, 2024. See step by step guide for applying for financial aid. Remember: all students must submit a FAFSA each year.
January-March: FAFSA data should begin to be sent to the student and colleges by the United States Department of Education. Students will receive an email when their FAFSA submission summary is ready to be viewed at studentaid.gov. If you have filed your FAFSA already, learn how to check on the status of your application by reading the below FAQ section.
April-May: Financial aid notifications from Delta will begin to be sent out showing your personal financial aid offer.
Students who have completed their FAFSA successfully receive their aid offer via email. If you do not receive an aid offer email, have filed the FAFSA and included Delta College on your FAFSA, take the following steps:
1. Log into Studentaid.gov to review your FAFSA status. If it states "action required" follow the steps to complete your FAFSA: How do I check the status of my FAFSA® form? | Federal Student Aid
2. Log into your Financial Aid Self-Service account to review and accept your aid offer or to view for missing documents.
3. Reach out to the Delta Financial Aid Office if you have any questions.
FAFSA Simplification
Current issues
There are a few hiccups with the new system. Visit Federal Student Aid for a complete list of the 2024–25 FAFSA issue alerts.
FAQ
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What semesters are covered by my 2024-25 FAFSA?
Fall 2024, Winter 2025 and Spring 2025 -
What semesters are covered by my 2025-26 FAFSA?
Fall 2025, Winter 2026 and Spring 2026 -
When is the priority 2024-25 FAFSA filing deadline for Delta?
June 17, 2024 -
Is a contributor required to have an FSA ID?
Yes, all contributors must have an FSA ID. -
My parents are divorced or separated. Which parent is a contributor for my FAFSA?
The parent who provides the most financial support to the student should be the contributor on the FAFSA. -
Do the invitations to contributors to provide federal tax information and consent expire?
Yes. Invitations to be contributors will be deleted when they have been inactive for 45 days. Any previously entered information will be deleted and the process must start over. -
How can I be considered an independent student?
An independent student is one of the following: born before Jan. 1, 2001, married (and not separated), a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, a person with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor, a person who is unaccompanied and homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless.
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Terms to know
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- FAFSA data calculate Student Aid Index (SAI) and will determine eligibility for student aid. This replaces the EFC that was used in previous years.
- Contributor: a parent, step-parent, student, or spouse of the student providing information to the FAFSA.
- Consent: required from all contributors for the IRS to share tax data directly to the FAFSA. Not providing consent will automatically make the student ineligible for aid.
- Direct Data Exchange (DDX): previously known as IRS Data Retrieval, this tool imports tax data directly from the IRS to your FAFSA.
- FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS): a summary of your completed FAFSA information. This replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) that was used in previous years.
The Delta College Financial Aid Office is working to provide accurate and timely updates related to the FAFSA. Due to the significant changes occurring, our website may change as updates are received from the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid. We appreciate your patience as we work to implement the changes brought by the FAFSA Simplification Act.