When will the 2024-25 FAFSA be available?
The 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is now available.
Update as of May 22, 2024:
What Is the Status of My 2024-25 FAFSA Sent to Salem State University?
Salem State University has begun sending Fall 2024 financial aid awards to first-time incoming freshmen for whom we have received their 2024-2025 FAFSA data from the Department of Education. As of this update, 3,356 awards have been completed.
Returning undergraduate day students, continuing and professional studies, and graduate school students can expect to receive their Fall 2024 financial aid awards in June.
Students who have not received their Fall 2024 financial aid award package should verify their FAFSA information is complete by checking their Navigator account. We have sent notification requests to provide additional or missing information related to their 2024-2025 FAFSA for verification purposes. Any delay in submitting the requested information will delay their financial aid award package.
Please note that Salem State University is still experiencing delays in processing corrections made to online and paper FAFSA submissions. The Department of Education's latest FAFSA guidance states that schools can submit corrections electronically "by the end of June."
The Department of Education recommends that students complete the FAFSA online, even if they had previously submitted a paper FAFSA, unless the student filed a paper FAFSA to meet an aid or scholarship deadline. Submitting an online FAFSA will negate the filing date associated with the paper FAFSA.
Salem State University is committed to providing students with an accurate financial aid award. We recognize that a college education is a financial investment. We graciously thank you for your patience, understanding, and flexibility during this mutually frustrating situation.
When Can I Correct My 2024-25 FAFSA?
Students can now make corrections to their already submitted 2024-25 FAFSA. Please login to your studentaid.gov account to make corrections.
Salem State University must be indicated on a student's FAFSA submission so that we can receive it from the Department of Education. Our school code is 002188 if a student needs to add Salem State to their FAFSA.
According to the Department of Education, most required student corrections (95%) involve six issues:
- Missing a student's signature
- Missing a parent's signature
- Missing consent and approval from the student to retrieve federal tax information
- Missing consent and approval from the parent to retrieve federal tax information
- Dependent students choose only to be considered for eligibility for Direct Unsubsidized Loans.
- Dependent students "making selections on the FAFSA that place them in a provisionally independent status."
For more information and updates regarding the 2024-2025 FAFSA, please visit studentaid.gov.
For more information on starting the FAFSA, please visit studentaid.gov, or you can watch the following videos:
- What is FAFSA?
- Pro-Tips for the 2024-2025 FAFSA
- Applying for Financial Aid With the FAFSA Form
- Create and Access Your StudentAid.gov Account
- Gather Information Required to Completed the FAFSA Form
- Where's My Financial Aid?
- Start Your 2024-25 FAFSA Form
- What Happens After Submitting Your FAFSA Form?
- What Happens After Your FAFSA Form is Processed?
Why have there been delays with my Fall 2024 financial aid award?
Salem State University experienced delays in sending financial aid awards due to delays and data inaccuracies from the Department of Education related to the new 2024-25 FAFSA.
Reported data inaccuracies have included, but are not limited to, incorrectly calculated Student Aid Index (SAI) and tax data issues related to education tax credits and amended tax returns. An incorrect SAI would result in an inaccurate financial aid award.
The Department of Education began reprocessing FAFSA forms affected by known processing or data errors on May 1. The Financial Aid Office tested changes and sent out its first financial aid awards from the new 2024-25 FAFSA on May 13.
Why Is The FAFSA Changing?
In 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act to streamline the financial aid process, expand federal aid eligibility to more students, and reduce barriers for specific student populations, including homeless and unaccompanied youth and students from low-income backgrounds. While in some cases, FAFSA Simplification could increase students' financial aid eligibility, others may see a decrease in financial aid.
For more information on what's changed, please watch the following videos:
- What's Changed for the 2024-25 FAFSA Form
- How Do I Create a StudentAid.gov Account If I Don't Have a Social Security Number?
Fundamental Changes To The 2024-25 FAFSA
Streamlined Application
The new FAFSA will be easier to complete, with fewer questions. Applicants will be able to skip as many as 26 questions, depending on their individual circumstances. Some applicants could answer as few as 18 questions, which could take less than 10 minutes. Students can list up to 20 colleges and universities on their FAFSA.
Student Aid Index
The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution. The SAI is an index number calculated using the information provided on the FAFSA. An SAI can range anywhere from -1500 to 9999. Please note the SAI is not a dollar amount.
The SAI removes the number of family members in college from the calculation. The 2024-25 FAFSA will still ask how many household members are in college, but the answer will not be calculated into the SAI. Undergraduate students with siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility.
Expanded Pell Grant Eligibility
The FAFSA Simplification Act will expand the Federal Pell Grant to more students and will link eligibility to family size and the federal poverty level starting in the 2024–25 award year.
Even if students don't qualify for the maximum Pell Grant award, they may still be eligible for one based on other information provided on their FAFSA.
Contributors
"Contributor" is a new term on the 2024–25 FAFSA. It refers to anyone (a student, the student's biological or adoptive parent, a stepparent, or a student's spouse) who is asked to provide their information, consent, and approval to have their federal tax information transferred automatically from the IRS into the FAFSA through the IRS Direct Data Exchange and provide their signature on the FAFSA.
The answers of a student or parent on the FAFSA will determine which contributors (if any) are required to provide information. Contributors will receive an email informing them they have been identified as Contributors.
Everyone contributing to the FAFSA form online must have their own FSA ID. Each contributor, including the student, will access their account with their FSA ID (account username and password). Contributors can create an FSA ID even if they don't have a Social Security Number (SSN).
Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student's education costs.
For more information on contributors, please visit studentaid.gov, or you can watch the following videos:
- Who is a Contributor on the 2024-25 FAFSA Form?
- Why Do My Contributors and I Need Our Own StudentAid.Gov Accounts for the 2024-25 FAFSA Form?
- Understand and Prepare FAFSA Form Contributors
Financial Aid Direct Data Exchange
All students and contributors must provide consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred directly into the FAFSA form via direct data exchange with the IRS. This federal tax information will be used to determine the student's eligibility for federal student aid.
If a student or required contributor doesn't provide consent and approval, the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.
Contributors must provide consent and approval even if they don't have a Social Security Number (SSN), didn't file a tax return, or filed a tax return outside the U.S.
For more information, please watch the following videos
- What Does It Mean To Provide Consent and Approval on the 2024–25 FAFSA Form
- How Do I Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA Form If My Parent Is a Non-Citizens?
Divorced Or Separated Parents
Starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA, financial information will be required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.
Previously, financial information was needed from the parent(s)with whom the student had lived with the most in the last 12 months.
For more information, please watch How Do I Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA Form If My Parents Are Divorced or Separated?
Family Farm and Small Businesses Must Be Reported As Assets
Families must report the value of their small business or family farm when required. If the family farm includes the principal place of residence, applicants should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets.
Have Questions or Need Help Filing Out the 2024-25 FAFSA?
If you have questions or need help completing the FAFSA, please visit the 2024-25 FAFSA Help Center at studentaid.gov.
You can also call, email, or chat with an agent at the Federal Student Aid Information Center agent.
For more information on completing the FAFSA, please watch the following videos: