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2024-2025 FAFSA Changes

2024-25 FAFSA

The 2024-25 FAFSA form is available!

Last update: April 1, 2024

Big changes have been made to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form for the 2024-2025 aid year. Please see below on these changes and on how these changes may impact your journey at a Titan.

It is strongly recommended that students begin the FAFSA first. Once the student inputs the contact information for their contributor(s), the contributors will receive an invite. At that point the contributor should log in using their FSA ID and complete their portion of the FAFSA. The student may then need to log back in to sign and submit the FAFSA. 

Since this is a new FAFSA form, there are some known and there will be times when the FAFSA is temporarily down for the Federal Student Aid Administration to make the necessary fixes. 

2024-25 FAFSA and Financial Aid Timeline

UDM will receive FAFSA data beginning in late March/early April.

The U.S. Department of Education announced a timeline update for the 2024-25 FAFSA. Due to issues at the Department of Education, any FAFSAs that have been submitted are in a holding period until sometime in March. Even when FAFSA information is received, UDM will into be able to load FAFSA data into our system until the second half March. This means UDM will not be able to notify students that UDM has received their application until mid to late April. Additionally, no one at UDM will be able to answer specific questions about your FAFSA form until the FAFSA data is received from the Department of Education. UDM will begin processing data and creating financial aid offers as soon as we are able. 

  • December 30, 2023: FAFSA form soft launch, students and contributors begin the 2024-25 FAFSA.
  • January 4, 2024: Department of Education begins the page and resolving issues as soon as possible.
  • First Half of March 2024: 
    • Department of Education will begin testing the transmission of FAFSA information to schools and states,
    • Students with contributors without a Social Security Number will be able to begin the process of creating their FSA ID.
  • Second Half of March 2024:
    • Department of Education will increase transmission of 2024-25 FAFSA information to schools and states
    • Students will receive FAFSA Submission Summary when their FAFSA form has been processed. The Submission Summary will show any actions that the student may need to take to complete their FAFSA.
    • UDM's student information system will be updated which will allow the processing of FAFSA information.
  • First Half of April 2024:
    • UDM will be testing updated student information system with processed FAFSA information.
    • Students and contributors will be able to make corrections to FAFSA including signing the FAFSA form. 
  • Second Half of April 2024:
    • UDM will begin to create and send 2024-25 Financial Aid Offers to incoming first-year students.*
    • UDM will begin notifying students of any missing documents needed to complete FAFSA review.
    • Students will be able to make corrections to their FAFSA form online. 
  • May 2024
    • UDM will begin to create and send 2024-25 Financial Aid Offers to incoming transfer students.*
    • UDM will begin to create and send 2024-25 Financial Aid Offers to incoming graduate students.*
    • UDM will begin to create and post 2024-25 Financial Aid Offers to current Titans.*
  • June 1, 2024: Deadline to confirm admissions extended for first-year students. 
  • Mid August: Student aid pays out to students' accounts if verification and enrollment is completed. 
  • August 26, 2024: First day of 2024-25 academic year.

*UDM will create and send out Financial Aid Offers as students' FAFSA information is received at University of Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV. Students may submit a 2024-25 FAFSA throughout the 2024-25 academic year. 

FAFSA Simplification Act Impact on UDM Titans

The  was passed by Congress in 2020 and represents a significant overhaul of the processes and systems used to award federal student aid. 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.

There are a number of benefits of the FAFSA simplification act, including a more streamlined application process and a better user experience for the FAFSA, expanded eligibility for federal student aid, and reduced barriers for certain student populations (e.g., homeless and unaccompanied youth, incarcerated students, English language learners, and students from low-income backgrounds).

Some fundamental changes include, but are not limited to:

Changes to the FAFSA Form

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    The Student Aid Index (SAI) is replacing the Expected Family Contribution (EFC)

    A notable terminology update within the new FAFSA is the replacement of the term Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI). This name more accurately describes the number used to determine aid eligibility and, unlike the EFC, the SAI may be a negative number down to -1500.
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    The FAFSA will be shorter and more user friendly

    The FAFSA will reduce the maximum number of questions from 108 to 46. And because the FAFSA on the Web is dynamic, some students won't even be presented with all 46 questions. This streamlined format will simplify the application process and make it less daunting for students and their families.
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    The FAFSA will be available in more languages

    Currently, the FAFSA is only available in English and Spanish. The 2024-25 application will be expanded to include the 11 most common languages spoken by English learner students and their parents.
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    Applicants will be required to use the IRS Direct Data Exchange

    Previously, users had the option to enter their tax information manually or use the IRS Data Retrieval Tool. Beginning with 2024-25, all persons on the FAFSA must provide consent for the Department of Education to receive tax information or confirmation of non-filing status directly from the IRS. In a very small number of cases, students and families will have to enter their tax data manually, but for most, that data will be automatically transferred into the application. This change makes it easier to complete the FAFSA and reduces the number of questions to be answered.
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    All FAFSA contributors must provide financial information

    A contributor is anyone who is asked to provide information on an applicant’s FAFSA including:

    • The student
    • The student's spouse (if applicable)
    • A biological or adoptive parent; or
    • The spouse of a remarried parent who is on the FAFSA--the stepparent

    Contributors will receive an email informing them that they've been identified as such, and will need to log in using their own FSA ID (if they don't already have one) to provide the required information on the student's FAFSA.

    Being a contributor does not mean they are financially responsible for the student's education costs, but it does mean the contributor must provide information on the FAFSA or the application will be incomplete and the student will not be eligible for federal student aid.

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    The parent responsible for submitting the FAFSA in cases of divorce or separation has changed

    Effective the 2024-25 award year, parent of record on the FAFSA is noted below. You will notice that the parent with whom the student lived the most in the past 12 months prior to filing the FAFSA, is no longer a criterion in cases of divorced or separated parents. For divorced or separated parents, income and assets are reported for the parent who provides the most financial support even if the student does not live with that parent or lives with the other parent.

    Parental Income on FAFSA

    • Parents who live together
      Parental income and assets in the case of student whose parents are married and not separated, or who are unmarried but live together, shall include the income and assets of both parents.
    • Divorced or separated parents
      Parental income and assets for a student whose parents are divorced or separated, but not remarried, is determined by including only the income and assets of the parent who provides the greater portion of the student's financial support.
    • Death of a parent
      Parental income and assets in the case of the death of any parent is determined as follows:
      (A) If either of the parents has died, the surviving parent shall be considered a single parent, until that parent has remarried.
      (B) If both parents have died, the student shall not report any parental income or assets.
    • Remarried parents
      If a parent whose income and assets are taken into account under paragraph (2), or if a parent who is a widow or widower and whose income is taken into account under paragraph (3), has remarried, the income of that parent's spouse shall be included in determining the parent's assessment of adjusted available income if the student's parent and the stepparent are married as of the date of application for the award year concerned.
    • Single parent who is not divorced or separated
      Parental income and assets in the case of a student whose parent is not described in paragraph (1) and is a single parent who is not divorced, separated, or remarried, shall include the income and assets of such single parent."
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    The number in college will not be used to calculate the SAI

    Previously, the FAFSA calculated the number of household members attending college into the EFC, dividing it proportionately to determine federal aid eligibility. Beginning with the 2024-25 FAFSA, the application will still ask how many household members are in college, but your answer will not be calculated into the SAI. As such, undergraduate UDM students with siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility.
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    Family Farms and small businesses must be reported as assets

    When required, families must now report the value of their small business or family farm. If the family farm includes the principal place of residence, applicants should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets.
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    FAFSA Submission Summary replaces Student Aid Report (SAR)

    Once the FAFSA is completed students receive a report documenting a summary of the data input on the FAFSA form. It is important for students to read this as it will inform you of any errors or action steps to take.
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    Pell Grant Eligibility

    Pell Grant eligibility will be determined in three steps:

    1. Maximum Pell Grant – Applicants may qualify for a Maximum Pell Grant based on family size, adjusted gross income (AGI), and poverty guidelines. Students qualifying for a Maximum Pell Grant will have an SAI between negative $1,500 (-$,1500) and $0.

    2. Student Aid Index (SAI) – Applicants who do not qualify for a Maximum Pell Grant may still qualify if their calculated SAI is less than the maximum Pell Grant award for the award year. The applicant’s Pell Grant award for full-time enrollment will be equal to the maximum Pell Grant for the award year minus SAI. The Pell Grant will be adjusted (prorated) if an applicant enrolls in less than full time, or if the applicant’s Cost of Attendance () is less than the calculated Pell Grant award.

    3. Minimum Pell Grant – Applicants whose SAI is greater than the maximum Pell Grant award for the award year may still qualify for a Pell Grant, based on family size, AGI, and poverty guidelines.

    • Non- Filers – Independent student (and spouse, if applicable) tax non-filers and dependent children of non-filing parent (s)
    • Children of certain deceased veterans and public safety officers- Students under age 33 whose parent died in the armed forces after September 11, 2001, and or students under age 33 whose parent (s) died in the line of duty as a public safety officer

    Automatic Pell Grants based on income household and size: Families making less than 175% and single parents making less than 225% of the will see their students receive a maximum  award. Minimum Pell Grants will be guaranteed to students from households below 275%, 325%, 350%, or 400% of the federal poverty level, depending on household structure. Pell awards between the maximum and minimum amounts will be determined by SAI.

    Once the annual Federal Pell Grant is determined, half of the award will be offered in each semester of the award year and will be prorated by Enrollment Intensity instead of Enrollment Levels.

    Pell Grant Enrollment Eligibility comparing the old FAFSA with the new FAFSA
    Credit Hours Enrollment Level (Old) Enrollment Intensity (New)
    12 (or more) Full-Time (100%) 100%
    11 Three-Quarter Time (75%) 92%
    10 83%
    9 75%
    8 Half-Time (50%) 67%
    7 58%
    6 50%
    5 Less-Than-Half-Time (25%) 42%
    4 33%
    3 25%
    2 17%
    1 8%

    Year-Round Pell Grant

    Previously, a Pell Grant-eligible student must have been enrolled at least half-time in a payment period during which they received more than 100% of their scheduled award. Beginning with the 2024-2025 award year, half-time enrollment is no longer required.

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    Unusual Circumstances

    Students with unusual circumstances are defined as:

    A student for whom a financial aid administrator makes a documented determination of independence by reason of unusual circumstances which prevent the student from contacting parents. These circumstances could include—

    • human trafficking, as described in the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (22 U.S.C. 7101 et seq.)
    • legally granted refugee or asylum status and are separate from their parents, or their parents are displaced in a foreign country
    • parental abandonment or estrangement and have not been adopted
    • abusive or threatening environment or
    • student or parental incarceration and contact with parents would pose a risk to the student.

    Other students will continue to qualify as independent on their FAFSA form and not required to provide parental information if they:

    • Are active-duty military
    • Are a veteran of the U.S. Armed Forces
    • Were an orphan, ward of the court or in foster care at the age of 13 or older
    • Are or were a legally emancipated minor or in a legal guardianship as determined by a court in the student’s state of legal residence or
    • Are a student unaccompanied and either homeless or self-supporting and at risk of being homeless

    Starting with the 2024-25 Award Year, both first-time and renewal applicants who indicate on their FAFSA form that they have an unusual circumstance will be granted provisional independent status. They will be able to complete the form without providing parental information. They will also receive an estimate of their federal student aid eligibility, which will be subject to a final determination by the institution they attend. If a student's institution approves their unusual circumstances, their independent status will carry over when they renew their FAFSA form in future award years, and they will be considered independent for as long as they remain at the same institution and their circumstances remain unchanged.

What is not changing?

While the FAFSA is receiving an update and the aid eligibility calculation has been revised, there are a number of aid-related matters that will not change.

  • University of Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV school code will still be 002323
  • The FAFSA remains an annual application that continuing students will need to complete each year.
  • The FAFSA will remain required for federal aid consideration and will be used as well for institutional and state aid determination.
  • Questions introduced in 2023-24 about the applicant's sex, race, and ethnicity have no effect on federal student aid eligibility, are not shared with schools, and remain only for Department of Education statistical purposes.
  • status questions that determine if your parents complete the FAFSA with you remain the same.
  • The FAFSA will request tax information from the prior-prior year. Families with significant reductions in income levels can review the special circumstances process.
  • Degree-seeking students will be eligible for the same  assuming they complete the FAFSA and are not default on their previous student loans.
  • With the 2025-26 FAFSA, the FAFSA is again expected to be available beginning October 1 of each year.

How to Prepare for 2024-25 FAFSA

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    Items You Need to Complete the 2024-25 FAFSA

    In order to complete the 2024-25 FAFSA you will need a few things. Here is what you will need before you begin completing the FAFSA.
    • Create an FSA ID on the website and assist your contributors, such as your parent(s) or spouse in creating an FSA ID.
      • If you already have an FSA ID there is no need to create a new one. Your existing FSA ID will continue to work.
    • Gather required Information
      • Social Security Numbers (SSNs) and other personal information for all contributors
        • Parents without a SSN will be able to apply for an FSA ID and will be able to complete the form online for the first time
        • Other Information for Contributors
          • Name
          • Date of Birth
          • Email Address
      • 2022 Federal Income Tax Return: 
        • You and your contributors should have your tax returns on hand when you fill out the FAFSA form. Even though your tax information will be transferred directly into the FAFSA form, you may still need your tax records to answer certain questions.
      • Records of assets
      • Records of untaxed income
        • Child support information (if applicable)
        • Interest income (if applicable)
    • University of Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV School Code: 002323
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    StudentAid.gov Account Creation for Individuals without a Social Security Number

    This process outlines the steps needed in order for an individual without an SSN to have their identity verified and StudentAid.gov account created.

    Step 1: An individual should visit StudentAid.gov, select “” and complete all steps, including answering 1-4 knowledge-based verification questions via TransUnion®.

    Step 2: Upon completing the Create Account process, the individual will see a confirmation page with the results of their identity verification. If they fail the TransUnion® process, FSA will automatically assign a case number to the individual.

    Step 3: Once the case number is created, FSA will send them a verification email in their preferred language (English or Spanish), which will include their case number, along with guidance on how to submit copies of unexpired acceptable documentation (listed below) to verify their identity. Individuals will also be required to submit an attestation and validation of identity form along with their approved identity documentation. This form will be available on .

    Acceptable Documents to Establish an Individual’s Identity:

    Provide one (1) of the following documents to establish identity:

    • U.S. Driver’s License
    • U.S. State/City Identification Card
    • Foreign Passport
    or

    One (1) set of documents below to establish identity:

    • Municipal Identification Cards + utility bill
    • Community ID + utility bill
    • Consular Identification Cards/Matricula Consular + utility bill
    Step 4: Upon receipt of the email that FSA was unable to verify their identity, an individual is then required to submit one or a combination of their acceptable documentation from the list above and a signed attestation form to: IDVerification@ed.gov.

    Step 5: FSA will review an individual’s submitted documentation and signed attestation form to ensure it is acceptable and matches the account information provided during the Create Account process. If there is a successful match, the Department will finalize the account creation. The individual will receive an email indicating their identity has been verified and that they may now use their account username and password (FSA ID) to log in at and complete applications for student financial assistance programs.
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    Federal Student Aid Estimator

    Want to forecast your 2024-2025 eligibility before you complete the FAFSA? The  provides an estimate of how much federal student aid the student may be eligible to receive. These estimates are based on the Student Aid Index (SAI), an index to determine federal student aid eligibility.
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    Utilize UDM's Net Price Calculator

    The Net Price Calculator is designed to help you estimate your financial aid options at University of Â鶹ÃÛÌÒAV. This calculator provides information about federal, state, and UDM grants and scholarships. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Admissions at 313-993-1245 or admissions@udmercy.edu.

    If you have completed the 2024-25 FAFSA already, you can use the SAI provide to you. If you have not completed the FAFSA or received an SAI, you can either use the SAI estimator linked to above or provide more details about you and your family's financial situation. 

Additional FAFSA Resources







Disclaimer

UDM's Scholarship & Financial Aid Office is dedicated to providing timely updates to students, families, and our community. Due to the significant amount of changes that are occurring, portions of our website may not yet be 100% accurate for the 2024-2025 academic year. We'll continue to update this page as we receive more information from the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid, and appreciate your patience as we work to implement the changes brought by the FAFSA Simplification Act.