2024-25 FAFSA & ORSAA Changes

The 2024-25 FAFSA and 2024-25 ORSAA are now open.

The biggest overhaul of the processes, systems, and application for FAFSA (and ORSAA, for Oregon) in decades occurred for the 2024-25 FAFSA and ORSAA application - known as the FAFSA Simplification Act.

There are many new changes on the FAFSA, and the ORSAA will be updated to align with the FAFSA. As OSAC learns of new information, we will update this webpage. Please bookmark this page to check in on updates from OSAC, along with checking the Federal Student Aid resources.

FAFSA Rollout Issues/Alerts:

For a full list of known issues that Federal Student Aid (FSA) is working through, please visit their Issue Alert page often for updates.

How can I get help from OSAC regarding FAFSA/ORSAA Changes?

There are many ways OSAC can support you during this new season for FAFSA/ORSAA applications:

If you are a counselor/staff member at a high school, college, or community-based organization and want OSAC to come talk with your staff or your students/families, submit an outreach request form. We offer both in-person and virtual outreach presentations. Our calendar is filling up fast, so request now!
OSAC is offering FAFSA/ORSAA webinars. Register for free on our webinar page, or check out our recorded FAFSA/ORSAA Update Training.
If you are a student or family member of a student who will submit a 2024-25 FAFSA, we recommend reviewing the resources (in the side bar) first before contacting OSAC. Email PublicPrograms@hecc.oregon.gov with any OSAC questions about the FAFSA.
If you are a student or family member of a student who will submit a 2024-25 ORSAA, please email ORSAAHelp@hecc.oregon.gov for assistance and questions.
Regardless of your role, follow OSAC on social media for updates and reminders:

When do students need to submit the 2024-25 FAFSA/ORSAA?

The 2024-25 FAFSA/ORSAA will be open from January 2024 to June 30, 2025. We advise students to submit their FAFSA/ORSAA each year as soon as possible after the application opens. The FAFSA/ORSAA deadline will vary. In additional to general application deadlines, scholarships, grants, and colleges may have their own FAFSA/ORSAA submission deadlines. Students should research deadlines for scholarships, grants, and colleges they are interested in attending.

How do my parents apply for an FSA ID without a Social Security Number (SSN)?

Updated April 24, 2024:

Our guidance to students and families has been to complete the FAFSA/ORSAA as soon as they are able. We understand that the rollout has been frustrating for many students and families.

When setting 2024-25 grant awarding parameters, we will work to avoid negatively impacting any specific student population or students who were not able to file due to reasons outside their control. However, some of our grants do award based on submission date. To ensure students are considered for the most financial aid and admission opportunities available to them, students should complete their FAFSA/ORSAA as soon as they are able and utilize the resources and workarounds that FSA has provided.

The U.S. Department of Education (the Department) committed to resolving the known issues within the 2024-25 FAFSA online form impacting students who have a contributor(s) without a Social Security number (SSN) in the first half of March. They made technical updates that enable students with contributors without an SSN to now successfully submit the form. Some students in this scenario may still be encountering trouble submitting the form – the Department is aware of these issues and is working on resolutions.

Remaining Issues

As part of the implementation of this fix, the Department uncovered separate issues that still need to be resolved:

All users without an SSN, including those with an Individual Taxpayer Identification Number (ITIN), have to manually enter their financial information. We still encourage all impacted users to enter an ITIN, if they have one. Once a permanent fix is identified and implemented, the Department will attempt to retrieve federal tax information via the direct data exchange with the IRS and will reprocess the FAFSA, as necessary, to reflect any changes. There is currently no estimated timeline for resolution of this issue.
Some applicants and their contributors are encountering an error message when inviting contributors without an SSN to participate in their form. This occurs when there is a mismatch of personally identifiable information (PII) that is entered on the invitation compared to the PII attached to the contributor’s StudentAid.gov account, or the person sending the invitation to participate in the FAFSA form sends multiple invitations, often with different variations of PII. Right now, we are advising impacted families to wait to invite any contributors without an SSN to their form. We are working to resolve this issue in the coming days and will provide updates as they are available.

The Department is releasing a new tips document for students who have a contributor without an SSN to help ensure they can successfully navigate the form. Individuals may access the new tips document and sign up to receive updates from the Department on issues impacting students who have contributors without an SSN at https://www.ed.gov/FAFSAContributorUpdates

What changes are occurring to the Pell Grant?

Federal Student Aid (FSA) is estimating that more students will be Pell Grant eligible with the new application.

For students who enroll less than full time, their Pell Grant will be calculated based on the number of credits they are enrolled. This calculation is called Enrollment Intensity.

FAFSA Changes

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation is being replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI) - the measure of the ability for a student to pay for college.
Federal Pell Grant eligibility formula is changing.
Federal Tax Information (FTI) directly linked to the FAFSA form.
Students can select up to 20 colleges.
Everyone must have an FSA ID in order to complete the FAFSA form (student, parent(s), and parent or student spouse, if applicable).
- Paper FAFSA/paper signatures are only available to incarcerated students and other extenuating circumstances.
Parents/Spouses will be known as “Contributors” on the FAFSA form. Contributors will need to consent to provide their financial information in order for the student to be considered for aid.

ORSAA Changes

The Expected Family Contribution (EFC) calculation is being replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI) - the measure of the ability for a student to pay for college.
Students can select up to 20 colleges
Everyone must have an ORSAA account to e-sign the ORSAA application. At this time, OSAC recommends students wait to create accounts until the 2024-25 application launches.
The 2024-25 ORSAA will look/feel the same as the 2023-24 ORSAA.