By: James Bergeron, Deputy Underneath Secretary and Performing Federal Pupil Assist Chief Working Workplacer
Every year, greater than 17 million college students full and submit the Free Utility for Federal Pupil Assist (FAFSA®) type, unlocking entry to greater than $120 billion in federal scholar help and billions extra in class, state, and personal funding. The FAFSA type is a vital instrument that helps college students and households throughout the nation pursue increased training and construct higher futures.
The U.S. Division of Training (Division) understands the significance of the FAFSA type, and we’re dedicated to delivering an expertise that’s easy and dependable.
A New Period of Simplicity and Assist
The FAFSA Simplification Act and FUTURE Act, signed into regulation by President Trump throughout his first time period, have been landmark, bipartisan efforts to streamline the federal monetary help course of. These legal guidelines laid the groundwork for a FAFSA type that’s simpler to finish and extra aligned with the wants of scholars and households.
The launch and rollout of the redesigned type in December 2023 confronted important challenges. College students skilled delays, faculties couldn’t bundle help provides on time, and greater than 2 million calls to our assist middle have been dropped earlier than reaching an agent between January and August 2024.
Progress in 2025: An Improved FAFSA Expertise
Right now, the FAFSA type is in a a lot stronger place. Our ongoing investments are making an actual distinction within the lives of American college students and households. As of April 11, 2025:
- 92% of customers report satisfaction with the FAFSA expertise
- 10 million 2025–26 varieties have been submitted because the type launched in fall 2024
- 2.7 million extra varieties have been submitted this cycle in comparison with final yr (39% progress), in addition to 400,000 extra functions (4.3% progress) over the 2023–24 cycle, final time the shape launched on Oct. 1
- 85% of questions at the moment are resolved by our newly improved digital assistant, Aidan.
These beneficial properties are a direct results of listening to the individuals who depend on the FAFSA type and responding with focused, significant enhancements.
What’s Subsequent: Constructing Towards a Higher Expertise
Our purpose is a FAFSA type that takes minutes—not hours—to finish. To get there, we’re investing in key areas based mostly on suggestions from college students, households, and monetary help companions:
- Simplifying mother or father invites: The commonest frustration we hear about is the method of inviting dad and mom to finish their portion of the FAFSA type. The Division is redesigning this course of for readability and velocity, with enhancements set to launch this fall.
- Fixing identification verification: The Division is working with the Social Safety Administration to implement a real-time verification of identification, which is able to streamline information imports straight from the IRS beginning this fall.
- Strengthening FAFSA stability: The devoted civil servants behind the FAFSA type have labored tirelessly over the previous a number of years to get to this stage. To help their efforts and enhance our oversight of distributors and infrastructure, we’re including engineers and technical product managers to make sure long-term stability and responsiveness.
Continued Enhancements for the FAFSA Type
The long run is brilliant for the FAFSA type. Ten million college students have already submitted a 2025–26 type. Final Thursday (a typical day with regular exercise), 48,500 submitted a FAFSA type and 226,000 FAFSA data have been despatched to establishments of upper training and states. These numbers mirror a easy reality—the FAFSA type is working, and we’re dedicated to creating positive it retains working for college students and households.
Training modifications lives, and the FAFSA type is the gateway. We’re pleased with the progress we’ve made and stay targeted on the street forward.
James Bergeron is the Division’s Deputy Underneath Secretary and Performing Federal Pupil Assist Chief Working Officer. He’s a proud College of Louisiana at Lafayette alum, and a first-generation faculty scholar.
