Republicans introduced a bill on Monday to require this year's forms Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) be released in October after the revamped applications' botched rollout last academic year.
While the forms typically go out on Oct. 1, Democratic and Republican lawmakers have raised concerns after the Department of Education did not release the 2024-2025 ones until late December, giving students, families and colleges far less time to deal with the process.
“The Department of Education has had more than 3 years to properly implement the new FAFSA. Yet, the Department is once again behind on making the FAFSA form available to students by October 1,” said Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-L.a.), ranking member of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) committee. “Another class of students may skip college altogether because they don’t know if they can afford it. This bill holds [Education] Secretary [Miguel] Cardona accountable to ensure students have their financial offers in time to choose the best, affordable college option for them.”
Rep. Erin Houchin (R-Ind.) introduced a similar bill in the House.
Following the late rollout last year, issues with data calculations arose and colleges had to move back their acceptance dates, leaving a time crunch for applicants.
The Department of Education has taken criticisms from all sides over the fiasco but has insisted the forms will be ready by October this year.
