2025-2026 FAFSA Changes

4/15/2024

• 
  The Department of Education has launched National FAFSA Week of Action.
• The Department of Education has updated it's list of FAFSA errors on it's page tracking resolution status.
• The Department of Education has found additional errors in data it processed for around 20%-30% of FAFSA filed across the country
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the final deadline for the Access Missouri Grant to June 1, 2024. Students who apply after the April 1 priority deadline will be eligible for the grant as funding is available at the state of Missouri.
• UCM still plans to package financial aid starting 4/17/2024 for those who have a complete FAFSA without any additional issues.

 

 

3/21/2024

• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024).
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the final deadline for the Access Missouri Grant to June 1, 2024. Students who apply after the April 1 priority deadline will be eligible for the grant as funding is available at the state of Missouri.
• UCM is scheduled to get the final update for internal systems on in late-March in preparation for distributing awards on April 17, 2024.
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families on April 17, 2024.
• The Department of Education has announced that they have a solution for FAFSA filers who are unable to file because they do not have a Social Security Number.

 

 

3/19/2024

• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application priority deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024).
• UCM is scheduled to get the final update for internal systems on in late-March in preparation for distributing awards on April 17, 2024.
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families on April 17, 2024.
• The Department of Education has announced that they have a solution for FAFSA filers who are unable to file because they do not have a Social Security Number. This will be available the first half of March.

 

2/21/2024

• The Department of Education updated their timeline in getting FAFSA information to universities. They now estimate that schools will get students FAFSA data in mid-March.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families in April 2024 (tentative and will be updated with any delays)
• The Department of Education has announced that they have a solution for FAFSA filers who are unable to file because they do not have a Social Security Number. This will be available the first half of March.

 

1/30/2024

• The Department of Education updated their timeline in getting FAFSA information to universities. They now estimate that schools will get students FAFSA data in mid-March opposed to the original estimate of late-January.
• The Department of Education provided information that 3.1 million students have successfully filed the FAFSA
• The Department of Education has discovered an oversight in calculation of certain income protections for families on the FAFSA. This will require additional changes to the FAFSA that could further delay FAFSA processing times. However this change could provide an additional $1.8 Billion in aid to students.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families in April 2024 (tentative and will be updated with any delays)

 

1/24/2024

• The Department of Education has discovered an oversight in calculation of certain income protections for families on the FAFSA. This will require additional changes to the FAFSA that could further delay FAFSA processing times. However this change could provide an additional $1.8 Billion in aid to students.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families in April 2024 (tentative and will be updated with any delays)

 

 

1/12/2024

• The Department of Education has announced two additional issues during the FAFSA launch found on the FSA issue alerts webpage.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• The FAFSA form should now be available for students and families 24/7 without windows of availability
• The Department of Education will not share any FAFSA information with UCM (or other universities) until the end of January at the earliest.
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families in March 2024 (tentative and will be updated with any delays)

1/11/2024

• The Department of Education has announced some issues they uncovered during the FAFSA launch and are tracking them on their FSA issue alerts webpage.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• The FAFSA form should now be available for students and families 24/7 without windows of availability
• The Department of Education will not share any FAFSA information with UCM (or other universities) until the end of January at the earliest.
• UCM tentatively planning to send out full award information to students and families in March 2024 (tentative and will be updated with any delays)

1/9/2024

• The FAFSA form is available for students 24/7 now, removing previously set "windows" of availability previously set with the FAFSA form.
• There is still currently no provided date for when the Department of Education plans to send FAFSA information to UCM and other universities later this month.
• Currently the estimated timeline for UCM to deliever full award offers to current and prospective students is March 2024

1/6/2024

• The Department of Education briefly closed the FAFSA form due to necessary maintenance to IRS systems for the upcoming tax season. The form will remain open for longer than planned to adjust for this outage.

1/5/2024

• UCM received the first update for their systems to begin prepping internal systems to receive FAFSA data from the Department of Education. This information is still scheduled to be sent to UCM around the end of January without a specific date set.
• The State of Missouri has pushed back the Access Missouri Grant FAFSA application deadline to April 1, 2024 (it was originally set for February 1, 2024)
• Federal Student Aid has announced that the FAFSA will be opened from 10:30 - 5:00 pm central time on 1/7/2024 and starting at 7:00 am central on 1/8/2024

1/4/2024

• FAFSA is opened up for student in block hours of around 12 hours at a time.
• FAFSA form will occasionally be down for maintenance outside of the window of time
• FAFSA opened with a "soft-launch" the end of December
• The Department of Education will not share any FAFSA information with UCM (or other universities) until the end of January at the earliest. Without this date, determining exactly when UCM will get final aid awards to students is difficult.