Dear Faculty and Staff,
You have likely been reading and hearing much about the FAFSA Simplification Act and the delays and frustrations that the new process has caused. Please know that the Office of Financial Aid knows this is a stressful situation and we are following all developments closely and doing all we can to ease the impact on students and families during this transition. We will continue to keep the DePaul community informed about any additional changes or delays and wanted to share updates since our
previous message, which was sent on Dec.12.
FAFSA simplification effortAs noted previously, the Department of Education launched a major simplification effort of the
Free Application for Federal Student Aid, which we know as FAFSA, starting in the 2024-25 academic year. The new FAFSA opened with a soft launch on Dec. 31, 2023, almost three months later than usual. We expected to begin receiving FAFSA Institutional Student Information Records at the end of January. These records allow us to develop and send financial aid packages to students. Prospective students use these packages from us and other schools to aid in their college decision-making process.
However, on Jan. 30, 2024, the Department of Education announced a delay in sharing information in order to correct a calculation. According to the announcement, this correction will likely result in a nationwide $1.8 billion dollar increase in federal grant money for the students who demonstrate the most need. We are now anticipating that students, state agencies and universities will begin to receive the records in the first half of March.
This unfortunate news affects all schools, not just DePaul. And while this delay further affects when schools can begin awarding financial aid packages, it does mean our students will receive accurate financial aid offers.
Actions DePaul is takingWe know this situation is stressful for our prospective and continuing students and their families, and we are actively looking for ways to help. DePaul will continue to make every effort to ease the effects of the updated process and associated delays. In addition to our planned communication, outreach and programming for applicants and admitted students, here are a few examples of additional actions DePaul is taking:
- We are extending the Admissions deposit date to June 1, 2024. This announcement will go out to applicants and admits soon. We will continue to monitor and assess if our students and families need more time to make their college decision.
- We are working with internal departments, such as housing and new student orientation, advising and academic affairs to adjust their timelines and deadlines as appropriate.
- We are in communication with applicants and admitted students not only with information about the FAFSA simplification, but also to offer additional, targeted opportunities for students and families to receive empathetic support from DePaul, so that we're living our mission of Vincentian charism.
- We're also in early stages of assessing and modeling financial support for students and families in need. We will release more information regarding this as it becomes available.
While this additional delay is frustrating, we encourage prospective and continuing students to remain proactive and stay informed throughout the financial aid planning process.
We are actively communicating with all students to encourage them to complete the 2024-25 FAFSA as soon as possible and stay updated on any announcements or changes from the Federal Department of Education. This will help students navigate through any further delays more effectively.How you can helpSpread the word! As members of the DePaul University community, we all play a crucial role in supporting our students. Please share this information and encourage students to:
- File their FAFSA
- Watch for updates on their FSA Dashboard
- Watch for updates and resources from the Office of Financial Aid
Thank you for your attention to this important update. Your support in spreading awareness about the simplified FAFSA application process is greatly appreciated.