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    The FAFSA rollout has been rough on students. The biggest problem is yet to come

    The Education Department has made a big mistake with this year's FAFSA — one that could cost students financial aid they're entitled to. It's now grappling with how to implement a fix.
    by Cory Turner Jan 09, 2024 4 minutes
    Since the new FAFSA launched on Dec. 30, 2023, the form has only been available for short periods of time. That changed this week. On Tuesday, the U.S. Education Department said applicants will now have 24-hour access.

    College hopefuls are already waiting longer than usual for their financial aid offers this year, due to the delayed release of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). But what applicants may not realize is that this year's FAFSA also comes with a big mistake – one that will lower the amount of federal financial aid many receive unless it's remedied soon.

    The U.S. Department of Education is wrestling with whether to fix this mistake in time for this year's financial aid applicants. A last-minute FAFSA change of this magnitude could further delay college aid offers, but it would also mean many students would qualify for more help.

    More than Normally released on Oct. 1, the latest FAFSA was repeatedly delayed, and many applicants have struggled to access or complete the form online since it was intermittently opened to the public, three months late, on Dec. 30.

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