FAFSA updates
Get the latest news, resources and tips for the 2024-25 FAFSA form.
ASU, NAU and UArizona have extended FAFSA priority dates to May 1.
Students are encouraged to submit their 2024-25 FAFSA as soon as they are able. Early submission will increase the likelihood of students receiving their financial aid package promptly.
Frequently asked questions
Federal Student Aid has announced that students now have the ability to make updates and corrections to their FAFSA.
The correct answer to question 8 for most students is “No.” Checking “Yes” will exclude students from Pell Grants and most other federal student aid. If students want to change this answer, they will not be able to correct it until after the ISIR has been sent to their school(s) and is eligible for corrections. It has been suggested to Federal Student Aid that they change the wording of the question and that they reach out to each student who checked “Yes” and ensure that their answer is correct. Until these changes are made, individuals assisting students with completing the FAFSA are advised to ensure that students answer this question correctly.
Families are receiving emails indicating that their FSA ID information has changed after every time they log in to their account, even though no ID information was changed. This email is intentional as a security feature to alert users to a login. Federal Student Aid is aware that the wording of the email may be confusing or concerning to some users.
Students without a social security number can create a CSS Profile. If students are not eligible for federal student aid due to their citizenship status, Arizona law provides for an alternative way to determine a students’ eligibility for need-based financial aid at Arizona’s public universities. It’s called a CSS Profile, an online application used by colleges to award nonfederal institutional aid. CSS Profile is available to qualifying students who are living in the U.S. but are not citizens who are unable to complete the FAFSA. Learn more here.
2024-25 FAFSA pro tips
Starting the FAFSA
Fix available for contributors without an SSN.
As of March 12, contributors without a Social Security Number (SSN) can now fill out their part of the FAFSA. A contributor is a term used on the FAFSA to describe the student, parent, or spouse.
Pro Tip: With this fix there are a few things students and families need to keep in mind:
1. Make sure to enter your personal information on the FAFSA form exactly how you list it on your FSA ID for matching purposes.
2. The FAFSA system can't grab IRS data for contributors without an SSN so they'll need to manually input their information.
The system drops the signature of the first contributor to complete their section.
Pro Tip: The student or parent should re-sign the FAFSA form upon returning to the application, even if the student or parent is not making any changes to the form.
Error messages are preventing applicants from moving forward.
When attempting to complete the FAFSA form, contributors are receiving error messages that prevent them from moving forward. This can happen at various places and be random.
Pro Tip: Try using a different browser, clearing your cache, and logging in and out of the system several times. It may be advantageous to delete the form entirely and start over.
FSA ID support
Applicants are having issues with FSA ID matching.
Many individuals have received error messages that the information they entered does not match what is in the FSA ID despite the information seeming identical.
Pro Tip: The matching system is extremely detailed. An extra space before or after a name or the street address not written exactly the same can create issues. Examples include:
– If a contributor’s address linked to their FSA ID is “123 First Street” but they wrote “123 First St” in the form, this may present an issue.
– If a contributor’s name linked to their FSA ID is “Jane Doe” (note the lack of an extra space before or after the name) yet they wrote “Jane Doe “ (note the extra spaces after the name) in the form, this may present an issue.
Invitations to contributors cannot be emailed.
Invitations to contributors may not be sent via email despite a valid address being provided.
Pro Tip: FAFSA experts recommend that contributors whose FSA IDs have been verified login to their StudentAid.gov accounts to see if they can access the form via their dashboard.
FAFSA Summary Submission
SAI not calculated due to missing family size (as of March 20, 2024).
If a student has missing family size information on the 2024-25 FAFSA form, the form may be submitted but the student’s Student Aid Index (SAI) is not calculated. Currently, the FAFSA Submission Summary does not show why the SAI has not been calculated (i.e., due to missing family size information).
Pro Tip: In this case, the 2024-25 FAFSA form did not properly collect the parent household size. When corrections are available in the coming weeks, the parent will need to initiate a correction to input their family size information manually.
The parent should navigate to the financial section and select YES to the question “Has your family size changed since you last filed your taxes?” and then manually enter their family size number. Once the parent has made this change, the parent can submit the correction and the student’s SAI will be calculated.
The FAFSA Submission Summary homepage does not display messaging to students who are not Pell-eligible (as of March 20, 2024).
The FAFSA Submission Summary homepage provides information to students eligible for Pell Grants but does not display messaging to students who are not eligible.
Pro Tip: To find this information after submission, students should navigate to the “Next Steps” section in the FAFSA Submission Summary and check the “For Your Awareness” info card to see your Pell Grant eligibility status. Students can also see this information when they submit the FAFSA. The confirmation page will correctly display that the student is not eligible for Pell Grants.
FAFSA support
The Arizona Board of Regents and the state’s public universities have resources available to help families navigate through the 2024-25 FAFSA application issues.
1:1 virtual appointments
ASU offers 1:1 appointments Monday-Friday each week to assist students with their FAFSA or understanding their Financial Aid Package. Book your appointments below.
1:1 virtual appointments
NAU has one-on-one appointments offered to students in a virtual format. Schedule an appointment by calling 928-523-9501 or emailing at Service.Center@nau.edu.
Weekly virtual workshops
University of Arizona offers virtual FAFSA Filling Workshops every Thursday at 5:30 p.m. (Arizona Time), from Feb. 29 to March 28.
1:1 virtual appointments
ABOR offers Arizona students and families one-on-one virtual appointments with a local FAFSA expert.
Additional Arizona resources
Arizona college access experts are available now via text, phone or virtually to assist Arizona students and families with the FAFSA form.
