"The long-awaited Simplified FAFSA form, delayed three months from when students and parents traditionally receive it, made its official launch on New Year’s Eve. However, glitches, crashes, and extremely limited available windows to use the website have caused some experts to claim the Department of Education missed the deadline and advise families to wait up to another month before trying again," University Business reports.

"The Department implemented a “soft launch” of the form on its website last week, but its headaches have bled past its official launch date and into the new year, and it’s yet unclear how long they will last. While Federal Student Aid conceded the form has experienced 'minor' issues, NASFAA President Justin Draeger said this is a challenging time '[e]ven by soft launch standards.'

'Frustration will likely continue because even if students fill out the FAFSA today, we still don’t have an exact date of when schools will receive FAFSA applicant data, so financial aid administrators can begin building and communicating financial aid package,' said Draeger in a statement yesterday."

NASFAA's "Notable Headlines" section highlights media coverage of financial aid to help members stay up to date with the latest news. Articles included under the notable headlines section are not written by NASFAA, but rather by external sources. Inclusion in Today's News does not imply endorsement of the material or guarantee the accuracy of information presented.

Publication Date: 1/3/2024