How the FAFSA Got Back on Track - Commentary

James Kvaal, U.S. Under Secretary of Education, writes:

As millions of families have already learned, this year’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid may be the easiest ever. Many people complete it in 15 minutes or less. Families who need help connect to our call center quickly. In the first six weeks of availability, 3.5 million students have already submitted their forms.

The story was very different a year ago. When the 2024–25 FAFSA form launched in December 2023, many students and parents struggled to complete it due to bugs, delays and confusing instructions. Our call center was overwhelmed. The U.S. Department of Education was not ready to process FAFSA forms, forcing many colleges to delay financial aid offers and admissions deadlines.