FAFSA Simplification

The new FAFSA was revamped with the goal of making the process even easier for you and your family to apply to get funding for college. 

Not only are there fewer questions on the FAFSA to answer, and fewer requirements overall, your tax information is retrieved through a direct data exchange with the IRS. 

Here are a few benefits with the new form: 

• Shorter, Easier FAFSA Form  
  • Fewer questions are asked, and federal tax data is automatically transferred from the IRS starting with the 2024-25 FAFSA.
• More Money 
  • The average grant is expected to be larger. 
  • Say goodbye to “EFC” (expected family contribution) and hello to “SAI” (student aid index).  
    • This number measures the student and/or family’s ability to pay for college. The new need analysis formula allows for a potential SAI as low as -1500 and implements a separate eligibility benchmark for determining Federal Pell Grants.   
  • Generous state aid: The FAFSA form you fill out will also help Washington state determine your eligibility for the Washington College Grant. The Washington College Grant gives eligible people more money for more types of education like certificate programs, job training, apprenticeships, or college.  
• More Access to Federal Pell Grant 
  • With expanded eligibility based on family size (not including number in college) and federal poverty level, the FAFSA allows for more students to receive Federal Pell Grants.  
  • Incarcerated students in federal and state penal facilities may be able to receive Federal Pell Grants.
  • Federal Pell Grant lifetime eligibility is restored to students whose school closed when they were enrolled or if the school is found to have misled the student. 

• Apply for 2024-25 financial aid online using the FAFSA form. The FAFSA opened three months later than normal, but it’s now available for all. The sooner you complete your 2024-25 FAFSA, the sooner we’ll get it after the U.S. Department of Education starts sending applications to colleges in March. This is especially important for students who plan to enroll for summer quarter. 
  
  In your application, please be as accurate as possible. The U.S. Department of Education informs us that you won’t be able to update a submitted FAFSA or fix any errors until mid-March. 
• If you’re ineligible to use the FAFSA (for example, due to citizenship or immigration status), submit a Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) financial aid application instead.  
• Beware of phishing attempts to capture your financial aid login information, for both you and your “contributors.” 
• Reminder: Bellevue College’s Financial Aid office is here to help you answer questions. Contact them to get your questions answered. 

The U.S. Department of Education won’t provide colleges FAFSA data until June 8, much later than usual. These delays at the federal level will cause delays at the state level as college and university financial aid offices work overtime to process applications in a short timeframe.     

Additionally, all colleges and universities across the nation will need to make updates to software for the new FAFSA data. Here in Washington, community and technical colleges use ctcLink PeopleSoft software for financial aid processing. The Washington State Board for Community and Technical Colleges (SBCTC) manages this software for all 34 colleges.  

Before SBCTC can update and test the software, Oracle, the parent company of PeopleSoft, must revise the code based on changes from the U.S. Department of Education. Then, SBCTC needs to test and ensure the technical adjustments are correct and FAFSA data is processed accurately. (The data file for each student is called an “Institutional Student Information Record,” or ISIR.) 

The sample ISIR records received from the U.S. Department of Education so far have been flawed or insufficient. As a result, SBCTC has informed our financial aid office it will not be able to complete its work with confidence until June. Until the SBCTC updates and tests the software, no community or technical college in Washington can process ISIRs to provide students financial aid awards.  

All higher education institutions are facing this predicament, regardless of which software they use to deliver and process financial aid. 

Bellevue College is here for you. Contact the Financial Aid office at 425-270-8022 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Staff are available in person until 5 p.m. on those days as well. The Financial Aid office is on the U-Building’s first-floor lobby. Students can also submit a Student Central Request. Students who need more immediate funding are encouraged to connect with the college’s Benefits Hub, which can provide support through emergency grants.  

The Washington Application for State Financial Aid (WASFA) is for people who are undocumented or who do not qualify for federal financial aid but may qualify for state financial aid (the Washington College Grant). It can also be used by others in certain limited situations. The 2024-25 WASFA is open now and, like the FAFSA, it will have fewer questions and a simpler form. However, the FAFSA delays are also causing WASFA delays. 

We understand the stress financial aid delays are causing and are exploring all options to help financial aid applicants through these difficult times. We will continue to provide updates on this webpage as we learn more.