Latest FAFSA Hiccup Could Delay Financial Aid Disbursements This Fall

The Education Department said Tuesday that colleges cannot submit corrections to students’ financial aid records in bulk this year, a decision that could leave some students unable to pay their bills before classes start in the coming weeks. This is the latest setback in the tumultuous launch of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, an effort that has been plagued by processing errors and delays that prevented millions of students from completing the form and receiving timely aid offers. Now some of those students could face a new hurdle in getting the financial support needed to attain their degrees. Colleges have been waiting months for the department to let them send batches of corrected FAFSA records. The function is usually available when the application goes live and makes it easier for financial aid offices to move quickly through the aid process, especially those that need to send hundreds or thousands of corrected records.