Wondering what's planned for the upcoming FAFSA® season? Or when that important document will be ready so you can use it with your students? You've come to the right place.
FAFSA® News and Enhancements
Upcoming Changes on the 2019–20 FAFSA® Form
FAFSA® and IRS VITA Tax Assistance Centers
Availability of FAFSA® Materials and Websites
2019–20 FAFSA® Materials and Websites
2018–19 FAFSA® Materials and Websites
FAFSA® News and Enhancements
In the following sections of this page, you'll find the latest scoop on enhancements to the current FAFSA forms or plans for next year's FAFSA form.
Note: We'd like to request that you encourage students and parents to create FSA IDs as soon as possible, especially if they think the Social Security Administration might have incorrect information for them in its files. Send students and parents to StudentAid.gov/fsaid for information about the FSA ID and a link to create an FSA ID. Meanwhile, we've developed several resources to help you get the word out about the FSA ID.
Upcoming Changes on the 2019–20 FAFSA® Form
The 2019–20 FAFSA changes include the following:
- The fafsa.gov website has been redesigned so that the site pages will fit the screen size and shape of any device, including desktop or laptop computers and mobile devices such as smartphones or tablets.
- The online FAFSA form will provide faster feedback. For example, students will receive error notifications as they complete the form's fields.
- The income threshold for an automatic-zero Expected Family Contribution (EFC) will be increased from $25,000 to $26,000 for the 2019–20 award year.
Learn more about the redesigned, mobile-friendly fafsa.gov website and the myStudentAid app.
FAFSA® and IRS VITA Tax Assistance Centers
The office of Federal Student Aid has partnered with the IRS to inform citizens of services available, including free help with tax filing through the VITA program.
Tell your students: the first F in "FAFSA" stands for "free!" There are websites at which students can get help filing the FAFSA® form for a fee. These sites are not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. Department of Education (ED). We urge you to advise your students not to pay these sites for assistance that is provided for free at ED's website.
Availability of FAFSA® Materials and Websites
FAFSA documents and websites become available throughout the late summer and early fall. Keep up with anticipated availability here.
2019–20 FAFSA® Materials and Websites
Below is a table showing sites, forms, worksheets, and other resources related to the FAFSA form itself. You also may want to use the Search Tools and Resources search functionality to find resources related to FAFSA outreach in general.
| FAFSA® Document or Website | Availability Estimate |
|---|---|
| fafsa.gov | Oct. 1, 2018 |
| PDF FAFSA form (English and Spanish) | Late September 2018 |
| FAFSA on the Web Worksheet PDF (English and Spanish) | Late September 2018 |
| Student Aid Report sample (English and Spanish) | Early November 2018 |
| SAR Acknowledgement sample (English and Spanish) | Early November 2018 |
| FAFSA demo site updated for 2019–20 | Sept. 30, 2018 |
| Completing the FAFSA® Form | Early October 2018 |
| fafsa.gov screen shots (aka "FAFSA on the Web Preview Presentation") | Late September 2018 | EFC Formula Guide | Available now |
| FAFSA summary of changes (Summary of Changes for the Application Processing System) | Available now |
| FAFSA4caster updated for 2019–20 (English and Spanish) | Late September 2018 |
| Federal School Code List (English and Spanish) | Updated quarterly (2/1, 5/1, 8/1, 11/1) |