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Office of Financial Aid

2024-25 FAFSA Changes

There are major changes coming to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2024-25 aid year. Historically, the FAFSA has been available beginning October 1 each year. Although it is now available, the 2024-25 FAFSA was delayed because of significant changes to the application and the rebuild of the FAFSA processing system. We will continue to monitor this progression and provide updates as they become available.

The 2024-25 FAFSA is now available and all students are encouraged to complete the application as soon as possible.

FAFSA Simplification

The FAFSA Simplification Act was passed by Congress in 2020 and represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid starting with the 2024-25 award year. This includes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, the need analysis that determines federal aid eligibility, changes in terminology, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in federal student aid programs. These changes, outlined below, are aimed at making it easier for students and their families to apply for financial aid with a more streamlined application process.

What has changed?

Change in date FAFSA becomes available

Historically, the FAFSA has been available beginning October 1 each year. However, because of significant changes to the application and the rebuild of the FAFSA processing system, the 2024-25 FAFSA was not available until December 2023. 

Streamlined application process

The FAFSA features fewer questions, fewer requirements, and retrieves tax information using a direct data exchange from the IRS instead of the previous IRS Data Retrieval Tool. The number of questions on the FAFSA has decreased from over 100 to less than 50.

The parent responsible for submitting the FAFSA in cases of divorce or separation 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 is required from the parent(s) who provided the most financial support to the student.

New terminology and information

The formula used to determine your Expected Family Contribution (EFC) has changed. The EFC has been renamed the Student Aid Index (SAI) because it helps to clarify that it is simply an index to determine your eligibility for aid. The new formula removes the number of family members in college from the calculation, better reflects the FAFSA results, and implements a separate eligibility determination criterion for Federal Pell Grants. Also, small businesses and family farms are now considered assets. Please note that Loyola University Maryland will continue to consider the number of family members in college when determining institutional aid.

The FAFSA has introduced the new term "contributor" which refers to anyone who is required to provide information on a student’s FAFSA form, including the student, the student’s spouse, a biological or adopted parent, or the parent’s spouse. Being a contributor does not imply responsibility for the student's college costs.

Terminology changes

  • Contributor: anyone who is asked to provide information on the FAFSA – student, student spouse, parent(s), and stepparent(s) for example.
  • Consent: each contributor will now need to provide their consent to their Federal Tax Information (FTI) being included in the FAFSA, even if they did not file a U.S. tax return.
  • SAI: Student Aid Index (SAI) replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
  • FTI: Federal Tax Information (FTI) transferred directly from the IRS.
Expanding Pell Grant eligibility

The adjustments to the new Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation will expand Federal Pell Grant eligibility to more students.

What has not changed?

While the FAFSA has received an update and the aid eligibility calculation has been revised, there are several aid-related matters that will not change.

  • Loyola will continue to consider the number of siblings enrolled in college for eligibility for institutional forms of aid for undergraduate students.
  • The general types of aid available to Loyola students and federal student loan limits will not change.
  • The FAFSA will still be required for consideration of institutional, federal, and state financial aid every year.
  • Dependency status questions that determine if your parent(s) must complete the FAFSA has remained the same.
  • The FAFSA still requests tax information from the prior-prior year, which means you'll report 2022 income and current assets on your 2024-25 application. Families who experience special or unusual financial circumstances should contact their financial aid counselor in the Office of Financial Aid to discuss next steps.
  • The questions regarding an applicant's gender, race, and ethnicity will have no effect on federal student aid eligibility and are included for statistical purposes and data collection only.

I heard the 2024-25 FAFSA will no longer consider the number of siblings in college. Will this reduce the amount of aid I’m able to receive?

While the FAFSA will ask about siblings enrolled in college, the analysis will not adjust for this. Therefore, this could impact the amount of federal aid you are eligible to receive. However, Loyola will continue to consider the number of siblings enrolled in college at the same time for eligibility for institutional forms of aid for undergraduate students.

Application Process for First-Year Applicants Application Procedures for Returning Students