Filling out the new FAFSA application

EL PASO, TX (KVIA) -- Completing the Federal Student Aid form is a high school graduation requirement for all Texas students. This form will determine the eligibility for federal financial aid to cover college expenses. The new 2024-25 version, launched in December, brings major changes for parents and students filling out the form.

The simplified version of the form now has fewer questions, allowing some applicants to complete it in less than 10 minutes, according to the Department of Education. Notably, parents are now responsible for submitting the final form, providing consent for their IRS information to be directly imported via the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.

Students can now list more more colleges in the application. After submitting for federal aid, each school will send a financial aid package and the amount of financial aid will depend on the institution. Funding may come in a combination of grants and loans.. However, Dianna Lujan-Enriquez, Yselta ISD High School Lead counselor, recommends students to explore additional options, "I always encourage my seniors to make sure to apply for scholarships. We have so many untapped scholarships that do not go recognized by that by students or they're not funded because students just don't apply.”

Enriquez says with the new changes in FAFSA, more students are qualifying for financial relief, “They have changed that threshold of income. So we are seeing more students that can qualify for grants and loans and some of that money that essentially they don't have to pay back.”

Ysleta ISD is actively helping parents fill out the form through FAFSA workshops until the end of February.

For more information on Yselta ISD counseling services, click here.