University of Redlands
Important changes and improvements are underway for the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). These changes will simplify and streamline the process for students and families to apply for financial aid.
2024-25 FAFSA Currently Available
If you have not yet started or filed your FAFSA, go to FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid to get started.
The Department of Education has identified several issues with the 2024-2025 FAFSA process but has reported recently that thousands of corrections have successfully been submitted and processed. If you have already tried to make corrections or updates to your FAFSA and are still having trouble, we are here to help.
To set up an appointment with a Student Financial Services staff member, please contact our office at sfs@redlands.edu and let us know what problem you may be having so we can better assist you.
Additional resources: Find out how to make changes to your FAFSA information.
Key Changes
The FAFSA Simplification Act was signed by Congress in 2020 to streamline the FAFSA filing process and expand access to Federal student aid. The following includes key changes to the FAFSA but is not a comprehensive list. For more information on the FAFSA Simplification act, visit the Federal Student Aid website.
The FAFSA will be shorter and more user friendly.
The maximum number of questions has been reduced from 108 to 46.
Students may list up to 20 schools.
Students may list up to 20 colleges and universities on the FAFSA where they were previously limited to 10.
The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) is replaced with the Student Aid Index (SAI)
Students and families will see a different measure of their ability to pay for college, and they’ll experience a change in the methodology used to determine aid. The number of family members is removed from the calculation, and a separate set of criterion is used to determine eligibility for Federal Pell Grants. The SAI may be a negative number down to -1500.
The definition of custodial parent has changed.
For dependent students, financial information was previously needed from the parent(s) the student had lived with the most in the last 12 months. With the new FAFSA, financial information will be required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.
Expanded access to the Federal Pell Grant.
Eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant will now be linked to family size and the federal poverty level. Families making less than 175% and single parents making less than 225% of the federal poverty level will see their students receive a maximum Federal Pell Grant award. Minimum Pell Grants will be guaranteed to students from households below 275%, 325%, 350%, or 400% of the poverty level, depending on household structure. Pell awards between the maximum and minimum amounts will be determined by SAI.
IRS Direct Data Exchange will be required by all applicants.
Where possible, the law mandates that the IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) be used to determine SAI and Federal Pell Grant eligibility. Students must give consent to use the DDX to receive Federal financial aid. Income and tax information will be important directly from the IRS for nearly all students and families, simplifying the process of applying for financial aid and reducing the number of corrections.
What Isn’t Changing?
Questions and Contact Information
We understand that these significant changes may generate a lot of questions for you and your family. Student Financial Services will provide updated information regarding the new FAFSA as soon as it is available. We appreciate your patience as we await further guidance from the Federal Department of Education.
Click here to view the most recent update from the US Department of Education.
If you have questions at this time, please contact Student Financial Services sfs@redlands.edu or (909) 748-8047.
