The FAFSA is getting a makeover with the hopes of making it even easier for students and their families to submit. Not only will there be fewer questions on the FAFSA to answer, and fewer requirements overall, your tax information will be retrieved through a direct data exchange with the IRS. The U.S. Department of Education (ED) also estimates we should see in increase to the number of students eligible to receive the Federal Pell Grant.
2024-25 FAFSA Delayed
Additionally, and importantly, the 2024-25 FAFSA has been delayed and will not be available until sometime in December 2023. UW–Madison will not have a FAFSA Priority Date for 2024-25.
FSA ID
An FSA ID is a username and password that must be used to log in to certain U.S. Department of Education (ED) websites. The FSA ID identifies an individual as someone who has the right to access their own personal information on ED websites such as the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, all users/contributors must have an FSA ID and password to fill out the FAFSA, even those without a Social Security Number (SSN). However, those without an SSN cannot yet create an FSA ID. We expect this access to be available around the same time the FAFSA is released.
Processing the FSA ID can take up to 5 business days, so we recommend students create it at least a week before they start their FAFSA. Students can even do it now!
Learn More About Applying for Financial Aid
UW-Madison’s Office of Student Financial Aid has a helpful and detailed website with the information above and more. They provide an overview of what’s changing (and what’s not), as well as related resources. You can also reach out to their team with any questions.