Paying for College

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First round of 2025-26 FAFSA testing is complete, no major problems found

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By Catherine Mueller Students are completing the beta-test version of the 2025-26 FAFSA without encountering any critical errors and students are receiving the records of those students. Along with sharing the results of the first round of the 2025-26 FAFSA beta tests, the U.S. Department of Education on Tuesday announced the launch of the second stage of […]

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Dark blue folder with FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid on the front

Updates to 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide

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By Marlene Seeklander You can make a note on your 2025-26 planning list to check out the recent additions to the 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. The Department of Education recently announced the addition of two volumes to the 2025-26 FAFSA Specifications Guide. These volumes include: Throughout the 2025-26 cycle, the Knowledge Center website will be updated

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Five tips to complete this important FAFSA first step

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Paying for College / By

By Catherine Mueller Although students and parents won’t be able to apply for financial aid until December, there are some things you can do in the meantime to prepare. The U.S. Department of Education announced several weeks ago that it would not release the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) until December 1. In

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Dark blue folder with FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid on the front

Secretary of Education letter on improving the FAFSA experience

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By Marlene Seeklander In an effort to improve communication with schools and colleges, the Department of Education recently sent an update to key leadership at postsecondary institutions, outlining their work to improve the FAFSA. On September 23, the Department announced that Secretary of Education, Miguel Cardona sent a letter to presidents and chancellors to provide an

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Magnifying glass with FAFSA being magnified

Students can complete the 2025-26 FAFSA in December

Newsroom, College preparation, Department of Education, FAFSA resources, Paying for College / By

By Catherine Mueller Students seeking financial aid for the 2025-26 academic year should plan to complete the FAFSA after December 1, 2024. Normally, the FAFSA is released on October 1, but the U.S. Department of Education is delaying the release of the FAFSA to have time for more testing. The testing is aimed at avoiding some

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Another opportunity to test the 2025-26 FAFSA now available

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By Marlene Seeklander Schools, colleges, and organizations can now apply to be a part of the next couple of rounds of testing for the 2025-26 FAFSA. The Department of Education announced that community-based organizations, high schools, school districts representing multiple schools, county and state organizations, and higher education institutions can submit an interest form to participate

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2025-2026 FAFSA information to be verified and acceptable documentation

Newsroom, Department of Education, FAFSA resources / By

By Marlene Seeklander More tools are available for your 2025-26 award year planning. A recent Dear Colleague Letter from the Department details the changes in verification for 2025-26 and provides suggested text for schools to use. According to the Department, the verification process for 2025-26 is essentially unchanged. Federal tax information (FTI) transferred via the FA-DDX

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Paper with FAFSA Free Application for Federal Student Aid on top

2025-26 FAFSA information to be verified

Newsroom, Department of Education, FAFSA resources / By

By Marlene Seeklander As you start your planning list for the 2025-26 award year, you can add verification requirements to the list. The Department of Education announced the publication of the Federal Register notice outlining the 2025-26 FAFSA information that schools and applicants may be required to verify, including the acceptable documentation.

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Five important things you should know about financial aid for graduate school

Newsroom, College preparation, FAFSA resources, Paying for College / By

By Catherine Mueller For many students, pursuing a graduate or professional degree can provide important career advantages, but for some students an advanced degree is not possible without financial aid. Whether you plan to pursue a graduate program right after completing your undergrad degree or if you’ve taken a few years off, there are some things

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