Kent State University officials are offering reassurance and support to students, prospective students and parents in the wake of Tuesday’s announcement from the U.S. Department of Education that the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is facing yet another delay.
The federal government revised the application this year to simplify it. However, since the new application went online just before the first of the year, it has been frought with glitches and other issues.
The education department announced Tuesday that colleges will not begin receiving applicants’ federal student financial aid information at least until March.
When a student submits the FAFSA form, they are required to list what universities and colleges they are applying to or considering. In the past, once a school was listed on an application, that university had access to the form so they could monitor where students were in the application process and offer help and guidance along the way.
It was hoped those results would be sent soon, but yesterday’s announcement makes it clear that it will be at least March before that information is shared.
“We are going to continue to keep you updated,” said Sylvia Bustard, Kent State’s director of University Scholarships and Student Financial Aid. “Our goal is the same as students and parents: to get financial aid offers to them as soon as possible. Whatever happens, this is our No. 1 goal.”
Bustard said the delays are most problematic for incoming students who may be waiting on their financial aid offers from several universities before deciding where they will attend.
To accommodate problems with the new form that many students have been experiencing, Kent State already has extended its FAFSA filing deadline to March 1 for incoming students, to allow more time for the Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid to troubleshoot the issues.
Bustard offered the following advice in the wake of the new delay:
For students who already have submitted their FAFSA, Bustard said to sit tight while the federal government continues its work and be assured that Kent State is monitoring the situation intensely.
“Contact us and we will work with you to try to get any issues resolved,” she said.
A new section of frequently asked questions also is being added to Kent State’s FAFSA website, to offer even more guidance to parents and students through this rocky process, Bustard said.
“We will continue to enhance the website with information that will be helpful to students and parents who have issues with FAFSA,” Bustard said.
LEARN MORE ABOUT THE 2024-25 FAFSA FROM KENT STATE
LEARN MORE ABOUT FAFSA CHANGES FROM THE FEDERAL STUDENT AID OFFICE
- The university’s FAFSA website is continuously being updated as the latest information becomes available, so students and parents are encouraged to check the site frequently to be armed with the most current information.
- The university is reaching out to students directly, so be vigilant about checking emails to make sure you have the latest news.
- Students who have not filled out the FAFSA yet are encouraged to file by March 1, to avoid even further delays.
- Report any problems you are having with the application.