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"content": "\u003cp>Applying for student aid can be a stressful, fraught process at the best of times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the past two years, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fafsa\">FAFSA\u003c/a>) has been a particular source of anxiety for mixed-status families — when the college applicant has a Social Security number, but one or both parents don’t, due to their immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to 2023 numbers from \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">the California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>, 20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And after this group faced the challenge of a glitch in the 2024-25 FAFSA that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">locked many students from mixed-status families out of their applications\u003c/a> entirely, a new concern has emerged for this year’s applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration crackdown\u003c/a> and news of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12035735/what-we-now-know-about-the-irs-ice-tax-data-deal\">an agreement\u003c/a> between the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, some \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/07/financial-aid-immigration-deportation-fears/\">mixed-status students are concerned\u003c/a> that filling out the FAFSA can put their family members at risk of deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">National College Attainment Network\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/2020-2021/appendices/appx-g-higher-education-act-1965-table-contents-august-26-2020\">Higher Education Act\u003c/a> prohibits the use of data for any purposes other than financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968720\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration showing a pair of hands holding a yellow sheet of paper that reads FAFSA. In the background, a number of figures representing family members talk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-800x517.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1536x992.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Completing FAFSA nearly always means involving your family in discussions about finances. For many students, that’s far from a simple conversation. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the network warned students and their families that it can no longer “assure” them that data submitted through the FAFSA “will continue to be protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) has confirmed that ED has not and will not share information that breaks the law, we understand many families’ confidence in this statement may not be as certain under the current administration,” the network’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">guidance reads\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education did not respond to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The priority application deadline for most colleges and institutions is just a few months away, on March 2, 2026. Keep reading to see what guidance is available for mixed-status families — while bearing in mind that this is not legal advice, and you should consult with an expert on your specific situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Wherecanmixedstatusfamiliesfindmoreinformationorsupport\">Where can mixed-status families find more information or support?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What advice do California officials have for mixed-status families about financial aid?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) maintains that students from mixed-status families, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a>, can apply to the state-based \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">California DREAM Act\u003c/a> (CADAA). This application allows access to state aid but not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage all mixed-status families to use that application,” said Daisy Gonzales, the Executive Director of CSAC, during a Dec. 3 press conference. “That is California’s solution to access financial aid.”[aside postID=news_12059007 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg']According to \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">the California Dream Act website\u003c/a>, “any information you provide on a CA Dream Act Application (CADAA) is only used to determine eligibility for state financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your information is never shared with the federal government or used for immigration enforcement,” the notice reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a mixed-status family chooses to complete the FAFSA, the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">emphasized\u003c/a> that they “should be prepared to provide consent to direct data exchange with the IRS.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since “direct data exchange does not yet work for non-SSN contributors,” these applicants “will also be asked to manually enter their tax information from 2024,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">the California Dream Act website\u003c/a> explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What advice do advocates have for mixed-status families?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, there isn’t one simple answer for a student and a family, said Catherine Marroquín, senior director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.missiongraduates.org/\">Mission Graduates\u003c/a>, a San Francisco-based organization that helps immigrant and low-income students go to college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really just comes down to individually talking to families and figuring out what they feel the most secure doing,” she said. She recommends families decide how much of their own information they are willing to share with state and federal agencies — and identify what they have already shared in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11987761\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11987761 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6.png 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-800x517.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-1020x659.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-1536x993.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">According to 2023 numbers from the California Immigrant Data Portal, 20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If a student was born here, their parents are undocumented, but the parents have done taxes before or have an ITIN number, then the IRS already has their information,” Marroquín said. If families have never filed taxes or requested an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/tin/itin/individual-taxpayer-identification-number-itin\">Individual Taxpayer Identification Number\u003c/a>, they may choose to skip FAFSA and avoid any interaction with the federal system for now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s still possible to receive financial aid for college by only completing CADAA and not FAFSA, but students may need to put in extra work and look for private scholarships to make up for the loss in federal financial aid. In fact, Mission Graduates is even “encouraging students to also apply for private schools, just because their funding can be more generous,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students could also go to institutions that offer free tuition to eligible students — like \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccsf.edu/free-city\">City College of San Francisco\u003c/a> — and transfer in the future if federal policy changes. In all this uncertainty, Marroquín said that programs like hers want to emphasize “power, not panic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do we prepare our families?” she said. “For them to feel safe [with] their kids going to college and the college choices they’re making … this is all part of the universe of concerns that the families are having right now with this administration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Wherecanmixedstatusfamiliesfindmoreinformationorsupport\">\u003c/a>Where can mixed-status families find more information or support?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Marroquín recommended consulting a spreadsheet of \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EDEaggHiMvXk1Vdg-34T_Njwgfw9GzXzaklS_mgP0LE/edit?gid=0#gid=0\">aid available to mixed-status and undocumented families\u003c/a> created by the Northern California College Promise Coalition. The group Immigration Rising also has a list of \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/list-of-scholarships-and-fellowships/\">scholarships and fellowships\u003c/a> that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places you can find support include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://firstgenempower.org/advising-students-ca\">First Gen Empower\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">National College Attainment Network\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">California Student Aid Commission’s guidance\u003c/a> for mixed-status families\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://contigoed.org/blog/supportingmixedstatusfamilies\">ContingoEd\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resources?_sft_topics=higher-education\">Immigrants Rising\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.missiongraduates.org/\">Mission Graduates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Applying for student aid can be a stressful, fraught process at the best of times.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in the past two years, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fafsa\">FAFSA\u003c/a>) has been a particular source of anxiety for mixed-status families — when the college applicant has a Social Security number, but one or both parents don’t, due to their immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to 2023 numbers from \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">the California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>, 20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And after this group faced the challenge of a glitch in the 2024-25 FAFSA that \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">locked many students from mixed-status families out of their applications\u003c/a> entirely, a new concern has emerged for this year’s applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Between President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/immigration\">immigration crackdown\u003c/a> and news of \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12035735/what-we-now-know-about-the-irs-ice-tax-data-deal\">an agreement\u003c/a> between the Internal Revenue Service and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, some \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/07/financial-aid-immigration-deportation-fears/\">mixed-status students are concerned\u003c/a> that filling out the FAFSA can put their family members at risk of deportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">National College Attainment Network\u003c/a>, the \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/fsa-handbook/2020-2021/appendices/appx-g-higher-education-act-1965-table-contents-august-26-2020\">Higher Education Act\u003c/a> prohibits the use of data for any purposes other than financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968720\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration showing a pair of hands holding a yellow sheet of paper that reads FAFSA. In the background, a number of figures representing family members talk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-800x517.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1536x992.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Completing FAFSA nearly always means involving your family in discussions about finances. For many students, that’s far from a simple conversation. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>However, the network warned students and their families that it can no longer “assure” them that data submitted through the FAFSA “will continue to be protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“While the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) has confirmed that ED has not and will not share information that breaks the law, we understand many families’ confidence in this statement may not be as certain under the current administration,” the network’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">guidance reads\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education did not respond to KQED’s request for comment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The priority application deadline for most colleges and institutions is just a few months away, on March 2, 2026. Keep reading to see what guidance is available for mixed-status families — while bearing in mind that this is not legal advice, and you should consult with an expert on your specific situation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#Wherecanmixedstatusfamiliesfindmoreinformationorsupport\">Where can mixed-status families find more information or support?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What advice do California officials have for mixed-status families about financial aid?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission (CSAC) maintains that students from mixed-status families, as well as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_application_1.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a>, can apply to the state-based \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">California DREAM Act\u003c/a> (CADAA). This application allows access to state aid but not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage all mixed-status families to use that application,” said Daisy Gonzales, the Executive Director of CSAC, during a Dec. 3 press conference. “That is California’s solution to access financial aid.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>According to \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">the California Dream Act website\u003c/a>, “any information you provide on a CA Dream Act Application (CADAA) is only used to determine eligibility for state financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Your information is never shared with the federal government or used for immigration enforcement,” the notice reads.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If a mixed-status family chooses to complete the FAFSA, the state \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">emphasized\u003c/a> that they “should be prepared to provide consent to direct data exchange with the IRS.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Since “direct data exchange does not yet work for non-SSN contributors,” these applicants “will also be asked to manually enter their tax information from 2024,” \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">the California Dream Act website\u003c/a> explains.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What advice do advocates have for mixed-status families?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Ultimately, there isn’t one simple answer for a student and a family, said Catherine Marroquín, senior director at \u003ca href=\"https://www.missiongraduates.org/\">Mission Graduates\u003c/a>, a San Francisco-based organization that helps immigrant and low-income students go to college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It really just comes down to individually talking to families and figuring out what they feel the most secure doing,” she said. She recommends families decide how much of their own information they are willing to share with state and federal agencies — and identify what they have already shared in the past.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11987761\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11987761 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1241\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6.png 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-800x517.png 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-1020x659.png 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-160x103.png 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/05/image-6-1536x993.png 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">According to 2023 numbers from the California Immigrant Data Portal, 20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“If a student was born here, their parents are undocumented, but the parents have done taxes before or have an ITIN number, then the IRS already has their information,” Marroquín said. If families have never filed taxes or requested an \u003ca href=\"https://www.irs.gov/tin/itin/individual-taxpayer-identification-number-itin\">Individual Taxpayer Identification Number\u003c/a>, they may choose to skip FAFSA and avoid any interaction with the federal system for now.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s still possible to receive financial aid for college by only completing CADAA and not FAFSA, but students may need to put in extra work and look for private scholarships to make up for the loss in federal financial aid. In fact, Mission Graduates is even “encouraging students to also apply for private schools, just because their funding can be more generous,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students could also go to institutions that offer free tuition to eligible students — like \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccsf.edu/free-city\">City College of San Francisco\u003c/a> — and transfer in the future if federal policy changes. In all this uncertainty, Marroquín said that programs like hers want to emphasize “power, not panic.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“How do we prepare our families?” she said. “For them to feel safe [with] their kids going to college and the college choices they’re making … this is all part of the universe of concerns that the families are having right now with this administration.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Wherecanmixedstatusfamiliesfindmoreinformationorsupport\">\u003c/a>Where can mixed-status families find more information or support?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Marroquín recommended consulting a spreadsheet of \u003ca href=\"https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1EDEaggHiMvXk1Vdg-34T_Njwgfw9GzXzaklS_mgP0LE/edit?gid=0#gid=0\">aid available to mixed-status and undocumented families\u003c/a> created by the Northern California College Promise Coalition. The group Immigration Rising also has a list of \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resource/list-of-scholarships-and-fellowships/\">scholarships and fellowships\u003c/a> that don’t require proof of U.S. citizenship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places you can find support include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://firstgenempower.org/advising-students-ca\">First Gen Empower\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/713255/Updated-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">National College Attainment Network\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">California Student Aid Commission’s guidance\u003c/a> for mixed-status families\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://contigoed.org/blog/supportingmixedstatusfamilies\">ContingoEd\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://immigrantsrising.org/resources?_sft_topics=higher-education\">Immigrants Rising\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.missiongraduates.org/\">Mission Graduates\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003c/div>\u003c/p>",
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"slug": "student-loan-repayment-changes-save-plan-repayments-income-driven-default-trump-administration",
"title": "What to Know About Repaying Student Loans, as Delinquency in California Skyrockets",
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"headTitle": "What to Know About Repaying Student Loans, as Delinquency in California Skyrockets | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>More than 350,000 Californians are now behind on their student loan payments — the highest delinquency rate for any type of debt in over two decades, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/news/student-loan-delinquencies-surging-especially-for-older-borrowers/\">California Policy Lab\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also the highest rate of delinquencies that UC Berkeley California Policy Lab executive director Evan White said he’s seen in the data “for any credit product, including student loans, auto loans, mortgage loans, credit cards” since 2004.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The missed payments are a symptom of a financial safety net that was already frayed before the COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted loan repayments. And now, that safety net is unravelling as \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/resource/obbba-increased-costs-fact-sheet/\">borrowers face higher bills\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-court-actions\">fewer repayment options\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/31/2025-19729/william-d-ford-federal-direct-loan-direct-loan-program\">limited eligibility for loan forgiveness programs\u003c/a> amid a system that even experts call confusing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The federal student loan system is broken,” said Mike Pierce, Executive Director and co-founder of the legal advocacy group \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/\">Protect Borrowers\u003c/a>. “It’s been broken for decades, and lawmakers have failed to deal with that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid this uncertainty, here’s what to know if you’re a borrower in the process of paying off student debt — from the changes to federal loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment plans to the latest legal proceedings and how they might affect you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Whataremyoptionsforincomedrivenrepayment\">What are my options for income-driven repayment?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#IworkforanonprofitorganizationCanIstillqualifyforPublicServiceLoanForgivenessPSLF\">I work for a nonprofit organization. Can I still qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ImenrolledintheSAVEplanWhatshouldIbedoing\">I’m enrolled in the SAVE plan. What should I be doing?\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowwilltheOneBigBeautifulBillimpactmyloans\">How will the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ impact my loans?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#IthinkmyloanservicermadeamistakeWhatshouldIdo\">I think my loan servicer made a mistake. What should I do?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How did my student loans get so complicated?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/politics/coronavirus-student-loans-education-testing.html\">the federal government paused student loan payments and interest\u003c/a>, giving borrowers an unprecedented break that lasted over three years. Many Californians used that breathing room to pay down credit card debt, build up savings, and even open new lines of credit. Financial wellness metrics improved across the board, according to White and the California Policy Lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as pandemic-era supports ended and loan payments restarted, that relief has now given way to widespread confusion. Borrowers faced mixed messages about repayment deadlines, forgiveness options and which income-driven plans they could actually enroll in. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/business/biden-student-loans.html\">Federal loan forgiveness became a political hot potato during and after the 2020 election\u003c/a>, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/05/business/student-loan-pause-pandemic.html\">repayment deadlines rescheduled under President Donald Trump’s first term … and again\u003c/a> under President Joe Biden. And each delay created more uncertainty about when payments would resume and whether borrowers might qualify for relief, said Mike Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco State University on March 11, 2020. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then the legal battles began. The SAVE plan used by millions of student loan borrowers — along with several income-driven repayment options that predated this Biden-era plan — became embroiled in court challenges that have continued to drag on for months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, student loan borrowers have found themselves stuck in limbo for most of 2025: unable to enroll in affordable repayment plans, unsure whether they qualify for loan forgiveness and unclear about the latest and most accurate guidance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result is a system where even borrowers who \u003cem>want \u003c/em>to pay are struggling to get a handle on their loans, according to Jonathan Glater, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-founder of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.slli.org/\">Student Loan Law Initiative\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the criticisms of this whole complicated edifice that we’ve got is that it’s very, very difficult for borrowers to navigate,” said Glater. “It is way too complicated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which borrowers are most affected right now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lower-income student loan borrowers are “mostly worse off than they were before the pandemic happened,” said the California Policy Lab’s White, who’s also a member of the research team that created and maintains the \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/california-credit-dashboard/\">California Credit Dashboard\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Older borrowers are the most likely to be impacted in California, White added. According to the California Policy Lab. \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Student-Loan-Delinquencies-Surging.pdf\">One possible reason for higher delinquency rates among older borrowers is that they typically owe a larger monthly payment\u003c/a> on their student loans. [aside postID=mindshift_65377 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/03/capossela-npr-book-education-v2-final-1020x680.jpeg']The average Boomer with student debt owes $150 per month in student loan payments — 2.4 times that of the average Millennial ($62/month) and 5.8 times that of the average Gen Zer ($26/month). These loans may have been used to pay for their own education, one or more children’s education — or a combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The financial burden hitting older borrowers might also be attributed in part to the way the federal loan repayment system works, said White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loan repayment plans are designed to limit the amount of payments borrowers make to a fixed period of time. But after a long pandemic pause, borrowers may be resuming their payments with fewer monthly payments remaining — and a balance that hasn’t diminished, or has actually grown from interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result: higher monthly payments than what borrowers may have been paying even prior to pandemic assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Whataremyoptionsforincomedrivenrepayment\">\u003c/a>What are my options for income-driven repayment?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After a two-month freeze, \u003ca href=\"https://studentloanborrowerassistance.org/idr-application-is-back-up/#2\">the Department of Education is now processing applications for income-driven repayment (IDR) plans again\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are currently four IDR plans available to borrowers with federal student loans. (Federal loans generally include “direct” or “federal” in the title, but you can find \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven#eligibility\">a complete list of eligible loan types here\u003c/a>, to make sure yours qualifies.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047499\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12047499 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Department of Education is seen before the Safeguard Students, Empower Education Rally & Press Conference on April 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s important to carefully compare plans, as each borrower’s situation is different. You can use this \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/\">Federal Student Loan Simulator\u003c/a> to calculate and compare your monthly payments under each of the available federal IDR plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All IDR plans base your monthly loan payment on a percentage of your discretionary income, in combination with your family size. The exact percentage of your income and how long you will have to repay varies by plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can find \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven#repayment-period\">detailed information about all federal IDR plans here\u003c/a>, but here are the highlights at a glance:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Capped at 10% of discretionary income, repaid over 20 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>For eligible loans borrowed \u003cem>after \u003c/em>July 1, 2014\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Capped at 10% of discretionary income, repaid over 20 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>For eligible loans borrowed \u003cem>before \u003c/em>July 1, 2014\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Capped at 15% of discretionary income, repaid over 25 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Capped at 20% of discretionary income, repaid over 25 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/idr/\">Apply for an income-driven plan for the first time, or switch between plans, here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The benefits of income-driven repayment plans\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For some people, payments on an IDR plan can be as low as $0 per month. Others may be able to take advantage of another perk — exemption from interest on their loans — if their income-adjusted payments wouldn’t cover the interest accruing on their student loans each month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>IDR plans also operate on a fixed schedule, meaning you’re committed to repaying them over a period of 20 or 25 years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/65643/how-is-your-student-loan-repayment-affected-by-the-one-big-beautiful-bill\">although the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will offer a 30-year repayment period \u003c/a>beginning in 2028. While paying several decades of loan payments may not sound like your idea of a great time, any remaining loan balance could be forgiven outright if your federal student loans aren’t fully repaid by the end of this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The drawbacks of income-driven repayment plans\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Before you celebrate loan forgiveness, be sure to read the fine print. Loan balances forgiven at the end of an IDR repayment period are actually subject to income tax — leading savvy borrowers to save for the \u003ca href=\"https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/news/changes-ahead-for-taxpayers-with-discharged-student-loan-debt/\">“tax bomb” that will accompany their emancipation from student debt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you enroll in an IDR plan, you should also set a reminder to update, or “recertify,” your income and family size every year, even if there has been no change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12049948\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12049948\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/AP25195724697543-scaled-e1764803931499.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. \u003ccite>(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The consequences for borrowers on IDR plans who don’t recertify their incomes are strict, as you could be removed from your plan and placed on an alternative plan where monthly payments are \u003cem>not \u003c/em>based on income, leading to higher monthly payments and resumed interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while you can reapply for your preferred IDR plan, recertification issues can cause delays in loan forgiveness, not to mention financial stress. The Department of Education warns that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/status-of-idr-plan-application\">new applications for IDR plans typically take 30 days to process\u003c/a> – leaving you on the hook for any student loan payments and interest accrued in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/idr/\">Apply for an income-driven plan for the first time, or switch between plans, here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"IworkforanonprofitorganizationCanIstillqualifyforPublicServiceLoanForgivenessPSLF\">\u003c/a>I work for a nonprofit organization. Can I still qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you work for a nonprofit or government employer, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) can be a powerful tool for managing your student debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s how it works: make 120 qualifying monthly payments over a 10-year period while working full-time for a qualifying employer, and any remaining federal student loan debt gets forgiven — without that “tax bomb” of income-driven repayment plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PSLF was created by Congress in 2007 specifically to help recruit and retain talented people in public service jobs that often pay less than private sector positions. More than 1 million public servants, from teachers, nurses and social workers to librarians and public defenders, had their loans forgiven through this program under the Biden administration. [aside postID=news_11963857 hero='https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/10/GettyImages-1364803352-qut-1020x680.jpg']Now, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/trump-executive-order-student-loan-forgiveness.html\">President Donald Trump’s second administration is seeking to change who qualifies\u003c/a>. An executive order signed by Trump in March and set to take effect July 1, 2026, would allow the education secretary — not the courts or Congress — to deny loan forgiveness to workers whose employers engage in activities deemed to have a “substantial illegal purpose.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/31/2025-19729/william-d-ford-federal-direct-loan-direct-loan-program\">examples listed in the rule include\u003c/a> “aiding and abetting violations of Federal immigration laws” and providing certain types of gender-affirming care. San Francisco and several other cities are suing to block this rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protect Borrowers has been involved in filing several of these lawsuits, claiming that restricting public service loan forgiveness is “an attempt to target organizations and jurisdictions whose missions and policies do not align with [the Trump administration’s] political positions on immigration, race, gender, free speech, and public protest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Trump administration recognized that there’s real power in the federal government, because it is the creditor for 40 million people,” Pierce said. He is concerned that public service workers could lose access to loan forgiveness simply because their employer resisted federal immigration enforcement or maintained diversity, equity and inclusion programs — even though those local policies may be perfectly legal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So amid this legal action, what should you do if you’re working toward PSLF forgiveness?\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Don’t wait\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Submit your employment certification forms now to get credit for the payments you’ve already made.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"2\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Keep meticulous records \u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Your employment, every loan payment you’ve made — collect screenshots, confirmation emails, everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"3\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Work extra-fast if you’re close to hitting that 120-payment mark\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Prioritize reaching that threshold before the July 2026 deadline when this rule takes effect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re currently enrolled in SAVE, consider switching to another income-driven repayment plan to resume qualifying PSLF payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You should also pay attention to how this lawsuit unfolds, said Pierce. \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/litigation/pslf-lawsuit/\">The plaintiffs argue the Education Department is overstepping its authority and rewriting what Congress clearly defined as “public service” — any government job or 501(c)(3) nonprofit\u003c/a>. The courts will ultimately decide whether the secretary has the power to add political litmus tests to a program Congress designed to support all public service workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, protect yourself by documenting everything and staying informed about your rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ImenrolledintheSAVEplanWhatshouldIbedoing\">\u003c/a>I’m enrolled in the SAVE plan. Should I switch to another income-driven repayment option?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE plan was designed to be a lifeline — the most affordable income-driven repayment option the federal government had offered to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Promising shorter repayment periods, more generous income calculations that would lower monthly payments and a faster path to loan forgiveness for low-income borrowers, \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/#:~:text=Background,district%20court%20for%20further%20proceedings.\">the SAVE plan had eight million enrollees\u003c/a> as of May 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11955722\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11955722\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED.jpg\" alt='People hold signs reading \"Cancel Student Debt Now!\" in front of the columned facade of the supreme court.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1302\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-800x521.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1536x1000.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1920x1250.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student debt relief activists participate in a rally at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Missouri and several other Republican-led states filed lawsuits challenging the SAVE repayment plan and arguing that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority beginning in spring 2024 — and \u003ca href=\"https://studentloanborrowerassistance.org/part-2-the-current-impact-on-borrowers-of-lawsuits-challenging-the-save-plan-and-the-removal-of-idr-applications/\">SAVE has been frozen in legal limbo ever since\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re enrolled in SAVE, here’s what’s happening with your loans right now: You haven’t been required to make payments since last summer while the case winds through the courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’re in what’s known as “forbearance,” and while those months do count toward eventual income-driven repayment forgiveness (typically after 20 to 25 years), they don’t count as qualifying payments toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as of August, interest has resumed accruing — which means your balance will continue to grow each month, unless you make payments to offset the interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For borrowers working toward PSLF who are close to the 120-payment finish line, staying in SAVE means you’re losing time: those paused months won’t count, and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">you may need to use a “buy back” option later to pay for these months retroactively\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? You have options. Applications for other income-driven repayment plans — Income-Based Repayment, Pay as You Earn, and Income-Contingent Repayment — are now open again after a months-long delay. If you’re pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness, switching to one of these plans means your payments will start counting toward that 120-payment requirement again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re simply trying to stop your balance from ballooning, moving to an active repayment plan gives you more control. The application process may take a few weeks, but for many borrowers — especially those close to PSLF eligibility or watching their interest pile up — making the switch may be worth it to get back on track.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowwilltheOneBigBeautifulBillimpactmyloans\">\u003c/a>How will the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ impact my loans?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a federal student loan borrower, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text\">H.R.1 budget, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act\u003c/a>, that passed in July, included changes to the federal loan system that could impact you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAVE plan is being shut down by July 1, 2028 — but so are two other income-driven repayment plans: Pay as You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR). If you’re currently enrolled in either of these plans, you’ll need to switch before that deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047827\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047827\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Trump bangs a gavel after signing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the White House on July 4. \u003ccite>(Brendan Smialowski/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, a Reagan-era program that was implemented by Congress, will remain available for current borrowers. Pierce said it’s worth considering now, especially since it offers loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years instead of the 30 years required under the Trump administration’s proposed replacement plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) won’t be ready until next year, and key details haven’t been revealed yet — leaving borrowers with limited information to plan ahead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spending bill includes provisions that also affect future students: new borrowers taking out loans after July 1, 2026, will not have access to traditional income-driven repayment plans at all. They’ll be limited to the new RAP or a standard fixed-payment plan, both with far less flexibility than previous options. [aside postID=mindshift_65643 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/23/2025/07/gettyimages-1676464096-2000x1220.jpeg']The law also introduces borrowing caps for graduate and professional degree students ($20,500 annually, $100,000 lifetime) and parents taking out loans to assist with a child’s education ($20,000 per year, $65,000 per child).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Student loan experts worry these caps will push more borrowers toward private lenders, which charge higher interest rates, offer less favorable terms and don’t qualify for any income-driven repayment or forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re pushing people into the private student loan market and away from safe federal student loans with good consumer protections,” said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Jonathan Glater, H.R.1 does nothing to address why student debt became a crisis in the first place: skyrocketing college tuition costs. By capping federal borrowing without tackling affordability, the law may simply shift the burden from federal loans to private debt, he warned — or price students out of higher education entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My fear is that what we are seeing is a lifting of the ladder of higher ed opportunity higher, so it’ll be out of reach for more people,” said Glater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re planning for graduate school or helping a child pay for college, factor these new limits into your timeline and consider whether starting \u003cem>before \u003c/em>July 2026 would give you access to more generous borrowing options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And document everything — experts caution that, considering the sheer volume of changes, and the Education Department operating with reduced staff, keeping detailed records of your loans, payments, and applications is more important than ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"IthinkmyloanservicermadeamistakeWhatshouldIdo\">\u003c/a>I think my loan servicer made a mistake. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Your federal student loans might be owned by the government, but they’re managed by private loan servicing companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a black mark on the student loan system that people need to know what a student loan servicer is,” Pierce said. These are companies contracted to administer and collect your loans, handle your payments, process paperwork for income-driven repayment plans and answer your questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11955727\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11955727 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED.jpg\" alt='A person with long hair and a black t-shirt holds up a bright yellow sign reading \"Cancel Student Debt\" amidst others doing similar.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a “Cancel Student Debt” sign outside of the Supreme Court of the United States after the nation’s high court stuck down President Biden’s student debt relief program in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2023. \u003ccite>(Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The problem? In their role as the middleman between you and the Department of Education, several \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-bans-navient-from-federal-student-loan-servicing-and-orders-the-company-to-pay-120-million-for-wide-ranging-student-lending-failures/\">loan servicers have made serious administrative errors\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2024/AFT%20v.%20MOHELA_Complaint%2007.22.2024.pdf\">have been targets of class action lawsuits for mishandling borrower accounts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We hear the worst stories about lost paperwork, changing balances, the rules being rewritten for people right in the middle of paying their loans back when those loan companies change,” said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’ve been repaying loans for a while, you’ve probably experienced at least one transfer of your debt from one servicer to another. According to Pierce, each transfer creates an opportunity for information to get lost, payment counts to be recorded incorrectly or for the servicer to lose contact with you entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think your loan servicer made a mistake — whether it’s incorrect payment counts, wrong balance information, or problems with your repayment plan — don’t just accept it, urged Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protect Borrowers has detailed resources on their website explaining what steps to take when your servicer gets it wrong, which include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Start by documenting everything\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take screenshots of your account, save emails and letters, and keep records of every phone call, said Pierce — including the date, time, and name of the representative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>File a formal complaint with your servicer first\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>…but be ready to escalate to the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman\">Federal Student Aid Ombudsman\u003c/a> if the issue isn’t resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California borrowers have an additional resource: the state’s dedicated \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/contact-us/\">Student Loan Ombudsman\u003c/a>, who can help navigate disputes and advocate on your behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be proactive and persistent\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loan servicers handle millions of accounts, and mistakes happen — but those mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars or years of progress toward forgiveness if they’re not caught and corrected, said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Don’t assume your servicer has correct information for you\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>…especially after a transfer. Regularly check your account, verify your payment counts match your records, and if something looks off, speak up immediately. The more documentation you have, the easier it will be to prove an error and get it fixed, said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His advice for borrowers “that are just stuck” is to go to your lawmaker and \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/resource/protect-borrowers-congressional-casework-tool/\">open up a case with your local member of Congress or your state senator\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s only so much you can do with the current law, but for people that are stuck waiting on hold … or feel like they’ve been lied to by a student loan company, often going to your member of congress and opening up a case with them is the best way forward here,” he said, adding that Congressional casework can cut through red tape when the Education Department is overwhelmed or unresponsive.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I need help navigating my student loans, but I’m not hearing back. Why?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">The Department of Education has been hit hard by cuts under the Trump administration;\u003c/a> its workforce was slashed in half earlier this year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\">dropping from about 4,100 employees to roughly 2,200\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the dismissed employees worked within the Federal Student Aid department and assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including handling disputes between borrowers and loan servicers and answering FAFSA questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12058099\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12058099\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students walk on campus at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Sept. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The recent government shutdown has only made things worse, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058230/government-shutdown-affect-student-loans-fafsa-education-department-2025\">furloughing about 87% of the department’s remaining workforce\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The practical impact? Expect longer wait times for processing income-driven repayment applications, employment certification for PSLF and responses to borrower disputes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is you’re not on your own. While the federal government has scaled back support, there are still nonprofit organizations and state resources available to help you navigate your loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Consumer Law Center offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.nclc.org/issue/student-loans/\">Student Loan Borrower Assistance\u003c/a>, providing free information for people struggling with payments or dealing with default. Protect Borrowers focuses on existing pathways to debt cancellation through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cancelmystudentdebt.org/\">Cancel My Student Debt campaign\u003c/a>. And California borrowers have access to the state’s dedicated \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/contact-us/\">Student Loan Ombudsman\u003c/a>, who can help resolve disputes with loan servicers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These big structural problems, the fact that [borrowers] can’t afford their loan payment or that nobody will return their phone calls, this isn’t because they did something wrong,” Pierce added. “It’s scary for people that are staring down a bill they can’t afford. But this is a function of public policy. It’s not an individual failing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "More than 350,000 Californians are now behind on their student loan payments. Here's what to know if you're paying off student debt, from changes to income-driven repayment plans to the latest legal proceedings.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>More than 350,000 Californians are now behind on their student loan payments — the highest delinquency rate for any type of debt in over two decades, according to the \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/news/student-loan-delinquencies-surging-especially-for-older-borrowers/\">California Policy Lab\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s also the highest rate of delinquencies that UC Berkeley California Policy Lab executive director Evan White said he’s seen in the data “for any credit product, including student loans, auto loans, mortgage loans, credit cards” since 2004.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The missed payments are a symptom of a financial safety net that was already frayed before the COVID-19 pandemic greatly disrupted loan repayments. And now, that safety net is unravelling as \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/resource/obbba-increased-costs-fact-sheet/\">borrowers face higher bills\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/idr-court-actions\">fewer repayment options\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/31/2025-19729/william-d-ford-federal-direct-loan-direct-loan-program\">limited eligibility for loan forgiveness programs\u003c/a> amid a system that even experts call confusing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The federal student loan system is broken,” said Mike Pierce, Executive Director and co-founder of the legal advocacy group \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/\">Protect Borrowers\u003c/a>. “It’s been broken for decades, and lawmakers have failed to deal with that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Amid this uncertainty, here’s what to know if you’re a borrower in the process of paying off student debt — from the changes to federal loan forgiveness and income-driven repayment plans to the latest legal proceedings and how they might affect you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to:\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#Whataremyoptionsforincomedrivenrepayment\">What are my options for income-driven repayment?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#IworkforanonprofitorganizationCanIstillqualifyforPublicServiceLoanForgivenessPSLF\">I work for a nonprofit organization. Can I still qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#ImenrolledintheSAVEplanWhatshouldIbedoing\">I’m enrolled in the SAVE plan. What should I be doing?\u003c/a> \u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#HowwilltheOneBigBeautifulBillimpactmyloans\">How will the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ impact my loans?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#IthinkmyloanservicermadeamistakeWhatshouldIdo\">I think my loan servicer made a mistake. What should I do?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>How did my student loans get so complicated?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in 2020, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/03/20/us/politics/coronavirus-student-loans-education-testing.html\">the federal government paused student loan payments and interest\u003c/a>, giving borrowers an unprecedented break that lasted over three years. Many Californians used that breathing room to pay down credit card debt, build up savings, and even open new lines of credit. Financial wellness metrics improved across the board, according to White and the California Policy Lab.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But as pandemic-era supports ended and loan payments restarted, that relief has now given way to widespread confusion. Borrowers faced mixed messages about repayment deadlines, forgiveness options and which income-driven plans they could actually enroll in. \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/13/business/biden-student-loans.html\">Federal loan forgiveness became a political hot potato during and after the 2020 election\u003c/a>, with \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/05/business/student-loan-pause-pandemic.html\">repayment deadlines rescheduled under President Donald Trump’s first term … and again\u003c/a> under President Joe Biden. And each delay created more uncertainty about when payments would resume and whether borrowers might qualify for relief, said Mike Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12061284\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1999px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12061284\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1999\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed.jpg 1999w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/10/033_KQED_SanFrancisco_SFSU_03112020_6923_qed-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1999px) 100vw, 1999px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">San Francisco State University on March 11, 2020. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Then the legal battles began. The SAVE plan used by millions of student loan borrowers — along with several income-driven repayment options that predated this Biden-era plan — became embroiled in court challenges that have continued to drag on for months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, student loan borrowers have found themselves stuck in limbo for most of 2025: unable to enroll in affordable repayment plans, unsure whether they qualify for loan forgiveness and unclear about the latest and most accurate guidance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result is a system where even borrowers who \u003cem>want \u003c/em>to pay are struggling to get a handle on their loans, according to Jonathan Glater, a law professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-founder of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.slli.org/\">Student Loan Law Initiative\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the criticisms of this whole complicated edifice that we’ve got is that it’s very, very difficult for borrowers to navigate,” said Glater. “It is way too complicated.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Which borrowers are most affected right now?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Lower-income student loan borrowers are “mostly worse off than they were before the pandemic happened,” said the California Policy Lab’s White, who’s also a member of the research team that created and maintains the \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/california-credit-dashboard/\">California Credit Dashboard\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Older borrowers are the most likely to be impacted in California, White added. According to the California Policy Lab. \u003ca href=\"https://capolicylab.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/Student-Loan-Delinquencies-Surging.pdf\">One possible reason for higher delinquency rates among older borrowers is that they typically owe a larger monthly payment\u003c/a> on their student loans. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The average Boomer with student debt owes $150 per month in student loan payments — 2.4 times that of the average Millennial ($62/month) and 5.8 times that of the average Gen Zer ($26/month). These loans may have been used to pay for their own education, one or more children’s education — or a combination.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The financial burden hitting older borrowers might also be attributed in part to the way the federal loan repayment system works, said White.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loan repayment plans are designed to limit the amount of payments borrowers make to a fixed period of time. But after a long pandemic pause, borrowers may be resuming their payments with fewer monthly payments remaining — and a balance that hasn’t diminished, or has actually grown from interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The result: higher monthly payments than what borrowers may have been paying even prior to pandemic assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"Whataremyoptionsforincomedrivenrepayment\">\u003c/a>What are my options for income-driven repayment?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>After a two-month freeze, \u003ca href=\"https://studentloanborrowerassistance.org/idr-application-is-back-up/#2\">the Department of Education is now processing applications for income-driven repayment (IDR) plans again\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There are currently four IDR plans available to borrowers with federal student loans. (Federal loans generally include “direct” or “federal” in the title, but you can find \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven#eligibility\">a complete list of eligible loan types here\u003c/a>, to make sure yours qualifies.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047499\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-12047499 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/DepartofEducation-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The U.S. Department of Education is seen before the Safeguard Students, Empower Education Rally & Press Conference on April 29, 2025, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Pete Kiehart for The Washington Post via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>It’s important to carefully compare plans, as each borrower’s situation is different. You can use this \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-simulator/\">Federal Student Loan Simulator\u003c/a> to calculate and compare your monthly payments under each of the available federal IDR plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All IDR plans base your monthly loan payment on a percentage of your discretionary income, in combination with your family size. The exact percentage of your income and how long you will have to repay varies by plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can find \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven#repayment-period\">detailed information about all federal IDR plans here\u003c/a>, but here are the highlights at a glance:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Capped at 10% of discretionary income, repaid over 20 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>For eligible loans borrowed \u003cem>after \u003c/em>July 1, 2014\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Capped at 10% of discretionary income, repaid over 20 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>For eligible loans borrowed \u003cem>before \u003c/em>July 1, 2014\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Capped at 15% of discretionary income, repaid over 25 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/strong>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Capped at 20% of discretionary income, repaid over 25 years\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/idr/\">Apply for an income-driven plan for the first time, or switch between plans, here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The benefits of income-driven repayment plans\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For some people, payments on an IDR plan can be as low as $0 per month. Others may be able to take advantage of another perk — exemption from interest on their loans — if their income-adjusted payments wouldn’t cover the interest accruing on their student loans each month.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>IDR plans also operate on a fixed schedule, meaning you’re committed to repaying them over a period of 20 or 25 years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/65643/how-is-your-student-loan-repayment-affected-by-the-one-big-beautiful-bill\">although the new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) will offer a 30-year repayment period \u003c/a>beginning in 2028. While paying several decades of loan payments may not sound like your idea of a great time, any remaining loan balance could be forgiven outright if your federal student loans aren’t fully repaid by the end of this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>The drawbacks of income-driven repayment plans\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Before you celebrate loan forgiveness, be sure to read the fine print. Loan balances forgiven at the end of an IDR repayment period are actually subject to income tax — leading savvy borrowers to save for the \u003ca href=\"https://tax.thomsonreuters.com/news/changes-ahead-for-taxpayers-with-discharged-student-loan-debt/\">“tax bomb” that will accompany their emancipation from student debt\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Once you enroll in an IDR plan, you should also set a reminder to update, or “recertify,” your income and family size every year, even if there has been no change.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12049948\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12049948\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/AP25195724697543-scaled-e1764803931499.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Education Secretary Linda McMahon speaks during a Senate Appropriations hearing, Tuesday, June 3, 2025, on Capitol Hill in Washington. \u003ccite>(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The consequences for borrowers on IDR plans who don’t recertify their incomes are strict, as you could be removed from your plan and placed on an alternative plan where monthly payments are \u003cem>not \u003c/em>based on income, leading to higher monthly payments and resumed interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while you can reapply for your preferred IDR plan, recertification issues can cause delays in loan forgiveness, not to mention financial stress. The Department of Education warns that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/status-of-idr-plan-application\">new applications for IDR plans typically take 30 days to process\u003c/a> – leaving you on the hook for any student loan payments and interest accrued in the meantime.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/idr/\">Apply for an income-driven plan for the first time, or switch between plans, here\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"IworkforanonprofitorganizationCanIstillqualifyforPublicServiceLoanForgivenessPSLF\">\u003c/a>I work for a nonprofit organization. Can I still qualify for Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you work for a nonprofit or government employer, Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) can be a powerful tool for managing your student debt.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Here’s how it works: make 120 qualifying monthly payments over a 10-year period while working full-time for a qualifying employer, and any remaining federal student loan debt gets forgiven — without that “tax bomb” of income-driven repayment plans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>PSLF was created by Congress in 2007 specifically to help recruit and retain talented people in public service jobs that often pay less than private sector positions. More than 1 million public servants, from teachers, nurses and social workers to librarians and public defenders, had their loans forgiven through this program under the Biden administration. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Now, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/07/us/politics/trump-executive-order-student-loan-forgiveness.html\">President Donald Trump’s second administration is seeking to change who qualifies\u003c/a>. An executive order signed by Trump in March and set to take effect July 1, 2026, would allow the education secretary — not the courts or Congress — to deny loan forgiveness to workers whose employers engage in activities deemed to have a “substantial illegal purpose.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/10/31/2025-19729/william-d-ford-federal-direct-loan-direct-loan-program\">examples listed in the rule include\u003c/a> “aiding and abetting violations of Federal immigration laws” and providing certain types of gender-affirming care. San Francisco and several other cities are suing to block this rule.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protect Borrowers has been involved in filing several of these lawsuits, claiming that restricting public service loan forgiveness is “an attempt to target organizations and jurisdictions whose missions and policies do not align with [the Trump administration’s] political positions on immigration, race, gender, free speech, and public protest.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The Trump administration recognized that there’s real power in the federal government, because it is the creditor for 40 million people,” Pierce said. He is concerned that public service workers could lose access to loan forgiveness simply because their employer resisted federal immigration enforcement or maintained diversity, equity and inclusion programs — even though those local policies may be perfectly legal.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So amid this legal action, what should you do if you’re working toward PSLF forgiveness?\u003c/p>\n\u003col>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Don’t wait\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Submit your employment certification forms now to get credit for the payments you’ve already made.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"2\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Keep meticulous records \u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Your employment, every loan payment you’ve made — collect screenshots, confirmation emails, everything.\u003c/p>\n\u003col start=\"3\">\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong> Work extra-fast if you’re close to hitting that 120-payment mark\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ol>\n\u003cp>Prioritize reaching that threshold before the July 2026 deadline when this rule takes effect.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re currently enrolled in SAVE, consider switching to another income-driven repayment plan to resume qualifying PSLF payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You should also pay attention to how this lawsuit unfolds, said Pierce. \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/litigation/pslf-lawsuit/\">The plaintiffs argue the Education Department is overstepping its authority and rewriting what Congress clearly defined as “public service” — any government job or 501(c)(3) nonprofit\u003c/a>. The courts will ultimately decide whether the secretary has the power to add political litmus tests to a program Congress designed to support all public service workers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the meantime, protect yourself by documenting everything and staying informed about your rights.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"ImenrolledintheSAVEplanWhatshouldIbedoing\">\u003c/a>I’m enrolled in the SAVE plan. Should I switch to another income-driven repayment option?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE plan was designed to be a lifeline — the most affordable income-driven repayment option the federal government had offered to date.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Promising shorter repayment periods, more generous income calculations that would lower monthly payments and a faster path to loan forgiveness for low-income borrowers, \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/new-court-filing-reveals-backlog-of-2-million-borrower-payment-plan-applications/#:~:text=Background,district%20court%20for%20further%20proceedings.\">the SAVE plan had eight million enrollees\u003c/a> as of May 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11955722\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11955722\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED.jpg\" alt='People hold signs reading \"Cancel Student Debt Now!\" in front of the columned facade of the supreme court.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1302\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-800x521.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1020x664.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-160x104.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1536x1000.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KD-KQED-1920x1250.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Student debt relief activists participate in a rally at the U.S. Supreme Court on June 30, 2023, in Washington, D.C. \u003ccite>(Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>But Missouri and several other Republican-led states filed lawsuits challenging the SAVE repayment plan and arguing that the Biden administration had overstepped its authority beginning in spring 2024 — and \u003ca href=\"https://studentloanborrowerassistance.org/part-2-the-current-impact-on-borrowers-of-lawsuits-challenging-the-save-plan-and-the-removal-of-idr-applications/\">SAVE has been frozen in legal limbo ever since\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re enrolled in SAVE, here’s what’s happening with your loans right now: You haven’t been required to make payments since last summer while the case winds through the courts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You’re in what’s known as “forbearance,” and while those months do count toward eventual income-driven repayment forgiveness (typically after 20 to 25 years), they don’t count as qualifying payments toward Public Service Loan Forgiveness.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And as of August, interest has resumed accruing — which means your balance will continue to grow each month, unless you make payments to offset the interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For borrowers working toward PSLF who are close to the 120-payment finish line, staying in SAVE means you’re losing time: those paused months won’t count, and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">you may need to use a “buy back” option later to pay for these months retroactively\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? You have options. Applications for other income-driven repayment plans — Income-Based Repayment, Pay as You Earn, and Income-Contingent Repayment — are now open again after a months-long delay. If you’re pursuing Public Service Loan Forgiveness, switching to one of these plans means your payments will start counting toward that 120-payment requirement again.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you’re simply trying to stop your balance from ballooning, moving to an active repayment plan gives you more control. The application process may take a few weeks, but for many borrowers — especially those close to PSLF eligibility or watching their interest pile up — making the switch may be worth it to get back on track.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"HowwilltheOneBigBeautifulBillimpactmyloans\">\u003c/a>How will the ‘One Big Beautiful Bill’ impact my loans?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a federal student loan borrower, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.congress.gov/bill/119th-congress/house-bill/1/text\">H.R.1 budget, known as the One Big Beautiful Bill Act\u003c/a>, that passed in July, included changes to the federal loan system that could impact you.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAVE plan is being shut down by July 1, 2028 — but so are two other income-driven repayment plans: Pay as You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR). If you’re currently enrolled in either of these plans, you’ll need to switch before that deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12047827\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1800px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12047827\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1800\" height=\"1200\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7.jpg 1800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/07/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-7-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1800px) 100vw, 1800px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">President Trump bangs a gavel after signing the One Big Beautiful Bill Act at the White House on July 4. \u003ccite>(Brendan Smialowski/Pool/AFP via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The Income-Based Repayment (IBR) plan, a Reagan-era program that was implemented by Congress, will remain available for current borrowers. Pierce said it’s worth considering now, especially since it offers loan forgiveness after 20 or 25 years instead of the 30 years required under the Trump administration’s proposed replacement plan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That new Repayment Assistance Plan (RAP) won’t be ready until next year, and key details haven’t been revealed yet — leaving borrowers with limited information to plan ahead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The spending bill includes provisions that also affect future students: new borrowers taking out loans after July 1, 2026, will not have access to traditional income-driven repayment plans at all. They’ll be limited to the new RAP or a standard fixed-payment plan, both with far less flexibility than previous options. \u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>The law also introduces borrowing caps for graduate and professional degree students ($20,500 annually, $100,000 lifetime) and parents taking out loans to assist with a child’s education ($20,000 per year, $65,000 per child).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Student loan experts worry these caps will push more borrowers toward private lenders, which charge higher interest rates, offer less favorable terms and don’t qualify for any income-driven repayment or forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“You’re pushing people into the private student loan market and away from safe federal student loans with good consumer protections,” said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to Jonathan Glater, H.R.1 does nothing to address why student debt became a crisis in the first place: skyrocketing college tuition costs. By capping federal borrowing without tackling affordability, the law may simply shift the burden from federal loans to private debt, he warned — or price students out of higher education entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“My fear is that what we are seeing is a lifting of the ladder of higher ed opportunity higher, so it’ll be out of reach for more people,” said Glater.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’re planning for graduate school or helping a child pay for college, factor these new limits into your timeline and consider whether starting \u003cem>before \u003c/em>July 2026 would give you access to more generous borrowing options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And document everything — experts caution that, considering the sheer volume of changes, and the Education Department operating with reduced staff, keeping detailed records of your loans, payments, and applications is more important than ever.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"IthinkmyloanservicermadeamistakeWhatshouldIdo\">\u003c/a>I think my loan servicer made a mistake. What should I do?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Your federal student loans might be owned by the government, but they’re managed by private loan servicing companies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is a black mark on the student loan system that people need to know what a student loan servicer is,” Pierce said. These are companies contracted to administer and collect your loans, handle your payments, process paperwork for income-driven repayment plans and answer your questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11955727\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11955727 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED.jpg\" alt='A person with long hair and a black t-shirt holds up a bright yellow sign reading \"Cancel Student Debt\" amidst others doing similar.' width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/07/230714-SUPREME-COURT-STUDENT-DEBT-Getty-KN-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">A demonstrator holds a “Cancel Student Debt” sign outside of the Supreme Court of the United States after the nation’s high court stuck down President Biden’s student debt relief program in Washington, D.C. on June 30, 2023. \u003ccite>(Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The problem? In their role as the middleman between you and the Department of Education, several \u003ca href=\"https://www.consumerfinance.gov/about-us/newsroom/cfpb-bans-navient-from-federal-student-loan-servicing-and-orders-the-company-to-pay-120-million-for-wide-ranging-student-lending-failures/\">loan servicers have made serious administrative errors\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/media/documents/2024/AFT%20v.%20MOHELA_Complaint%2007.22.2024.pdf\">have been targets of class action lawsuits for mishandling borrower accounts\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We hear the worst stories about lost paperwork, changing balances, the rules being rewritten for people right in the middle of paying their loans back when those loan companies change,” said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you’ve been repaying loans for a while, you’ve probably experienced at least one transfer of your debt from one servicer to another. According to Pierce, each transfer creates an opportunity for information to get lost, payment counts to be recorded incorrectly or for the servicer to lose contact with you entirely.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you think your loan servicer made a mistake — whether it’s incorrect payment counts, wrong balance information, or problems with your repayment plan — don’t just accept it, urged Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Protect Borrowers has detailed resources on their website explaining what steps to take when your servicer gets it wrong, which include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Start by documenting everything\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Take screenshots of your account, save emails and letters, and keep records of every phone call, said Pierce — including the date, time, and name of the representative.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>File a formal complaint with your servicer first\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>…but be ready to escalate to the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/feedback-ombudsman\">Federal Student Aid Ombudsman\u003c/a> if the issue isn’t resolved.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California borrowers have an additional resource: the state’s dedicated \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/contact-us/\">Student Loan Ombudsman\u003c/a>, who can help navigate disputes and advocate on your behalf.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Be proactive and persistent\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Loan servicers handle millions of accounts, and mistakes happen — but those mistakes can cost you thousands of dollars or years of progress toward forgiveness if they’re not caught and corrected, said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Don’t assume your servicer has correct information for you\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>…especially after a transfer. Regularly check your account, verify your payment counts match your records, and if something looks off, speak up immediately. The more documentation you have, the easier it will be to prove an error and get it fixed, said Pierce.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>His advice for borrowers “that are just stuck” is to go to your lawmaker and \u003ca href=\"https://protectborrowers.org/resource/protect-borrowers-congressional-casework-tool/\">open up a case with your local member of Congress or your state senator\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There’s only so much you can do with the current law, but for people that are stuck waiting on hold … or feel like they’ve been lied to by a student loan company, often going to your member of congress and opening up a case with them is the best way forward here,” he said, adding that Congressional casework can cut through red tape when the Education Department is overwhelmed or unresponsive.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I need help navigating my student loans, but I’m not hearing back. Why?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">The Department of Education has been hit hard by cuts under the Trump administration;\u003c/a> its workforce was slashed in half earlier this year, \u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\">dropping from about 4,100 employees to roughly 2,200\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the dismissed employees worked within the Federal Student Aid department and assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including handling disputes between borrowers and loan servicers and answering FAFSA questions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12058099\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12058099\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/09/20250929_UCBERKELEY_GC-1-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students walk on campus at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Sept. 29, 2025. \u003ccite>(Gina Castro/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The recent government shutdown has only made things worse, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12058230/government-shutdown-affect-student-loans-fafsa-education-department-2025\">furloughing about 87% of the department’s remaining workforce\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The practical impact? Expect longer wait times for processing income-driven repayment applications, employment certification for PSLF and responses to borrower disputes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news is you’re not on your own. While the federal government has scaled back support, there are still nonprofit organizations and state resources available to help you navigate your loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The National Consumer Law Center offers \u003ca href=\"https://www.nclc.org/issue/student-loans/\">Student Loan Borrower Assistance\u003c/a>, providing free information for people struggling with payments or dealing with default. Protect Borrowers focuses on existing pathways to debt cancellation through the \u003ca href=\"https://www.cancelmystudentdebt.org/\">Cancel My Student Debt campaign\u003c/a>. And California borrowers have access to the state’s dedicated \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/contact-us/\">Student Loan Ombudsman\u003c/a>, who can help resolve disputes with loan servicers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“These big structural problems, the fact that [borrowers] can’t afford their loan payment or that nobody will return their phone calls, this isn’t because they did something wrong,” Pierce added. “It’s scary for people that are staring down a bill they can’t afford. But this is a function of public policy. It’s not an individual failing.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "2026-2027-fafsa-open-deadlines-student-aid-application-cadaa",
"title": "The 2026-27 FAFSA Is Open. Mark These Deadlines on Your Calendar",
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"headTitle": "The 2026-27 FAFSA Is Open. Mark These Deadlines on Your Calendar | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>For the first time since \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">its glitchy revamp\u003c/a> two years ago, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/home/\">open to students on time\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The application launched last week on Oct. 1, on the same day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/government-shutdown\">the federal government shut down\u003c/a> after Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s good news for prospective college students: The shutdown doesn’t impact applying for FAFSA. Daisy Gonzales, Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), said students can \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-10-01/government-lapse-appropriations-federal-student-aid-processing-and-customer-service-guidance\">still submit their forms\u003c/a>, and the agency “does not anticipate any disruption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“CSAC encourages students to be ready to apply for financial aid through the FAFSA,” Gonzales said in a statement. “Call centers will be open to answer any calls from both the Federal Student Aid and CSAC.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California DREAM Act, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">state-based application\u003c/a> for undocumented students and students from mixed-status families, is also open. The state said that student\u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\"> “information is never shared with the federal government or used for immigration enforcement.” \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11982309\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11982309\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students outside of the University of California College of the Law in San Francisco on April 8, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While you have plenty of time to complete and submit the application, deadlines can creep up on you, especially after two cycles of delayed rollouts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for all the FAFSA and CADAA application deadlines to know for 2025, as well as other financial aid applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the financial aid deadlines to know for 2025?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What deadlines you should keep track of largely depends on what type of college or university you are hoping to enroll in. You should check directly with the school you’re interested in attending to make sure of their specific timings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the FAFSA, March 2, 2026, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/important-dates-and-deadlines\">the priority deadline\u003c/a> for most colleges and institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students applying for state-based aid like CADAA, March 2, 2026, is the strict deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11968720 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration showing a pair of hands holding a yellow sheet of paper that reads FAFSA. In the background, a number of figures representing family members talk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-800x517.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1536x992.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The FAFSA is now open on time. Here are the major student aid deadlines students need to know. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The financial aid deadline for students going to community college is Sept. 2, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some people may qualify for free community college through the California Promise Grant, they can only access this program by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccsf.edu/california-college-promise-grant-ccpg\">applying to the FAFSA or CADAA\u003c/a> along with \u003ca href=\"https://home.cccapply.org/index.php/us/money/california-college-promise-grant\">the grant’s own application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students hoping to go to a private institution should consider filling out the \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/getting-started\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> in addition to the FAFSA. The deadline for the CSS Profile, which is a separate aid application, is dependent on the \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questionshttps:/cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questions\">private school’s own priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I’m not sure I’m going to college. Should I follow these deadlines anyway?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018723/fafsa-2025-california-deadlines\">a 2024 interview with KQED\u003c/a>, Gonzales said that the biggest misconception people can make about the FAFSA is believing that they don’t qualify — whether that’s because their family is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/middle-class-scholarship\">middle class\u003c/a>, they’re thinking about joining the military or they’re going on a gap year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you’re uncertain about going to college at all, Gonzales said you should apply for FAFSA anyway. That way, you’ll have it completed in case they change your mind about your plans, and you’ll be sure you haven’t missed any deadlines.[aside postID=news_12058230 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-copy-1-1020x681.jpg']“It’s never a bad idea to apply,” she said. And because “the aid here in California is very generous, very diverse,” many students — especially first-year college students — will qualify for some form of aid like grants, scholarships, subsidized loans or work-study, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among those programs is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programshttps:/www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programs\">the Cal Grant\u003c/a> — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">state-specific aid program\u003c/a> that California students can apply for through the FAFSA. Other programs include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The Cal-HBCU program, which provides aid for California students transferring from California Community Colleges to a partnering Historically Black College.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A grant for foster youth under 26 that funds five years of schooling\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Aid for undocumented students who also participate in community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Grants for students who are also parents\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Students planning to enter the teaching profession.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What tax documents do I need to complete the FAFSA on time?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A W-2 form is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A 1040 form is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much the worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12011586\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12011586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Northeastern University campus in Oakland on Oct. 29, 2024, formerly Mills College. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask parents to share information from last year’s documents. If the parents do not have this information, it could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for Grubhub; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The parents did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. In this case, the state government will have sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student’s parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see their taxes, and applicants should ask their parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many community organizations offer free tax filing services year-round. In the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">United Way can connect people\u003c/a> to online and in-person tax help — and parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Resources for students applying for financial aid:\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For students and family members who still have questions, FAFSA resources state-wide and nationally include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687244/NCANs-2025-26-FAFSA-Page-A-How-To-Guide.htm\">The National College Attainment Network’s 2025–26 FAFSA Page: A How-To Guide\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help\">FAFSA’s official FAQ\u003c/a> (with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact\">the help center’s contact information\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/spanish_paper_better_cadaa_2024-2025.pdf\">Solicitud Dream Act de California\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cash-college\">CSAC’s Cash for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.casfaa.org/\">California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>For the first time since \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">its glitchy revamp\u003c/a> two years ago, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/home/\">open to students on time\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The application launched last week on Oct. 1, on the same day \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/government-shutdown\">the federal government shut down\u003c/a> after Congress failed to pass a stopgap funding bill.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But there’s good news for prospective college students: The shutdown doesn’t impact applying for FAFSA. Daisy Gonzales, Executive Director of the California Student Aid Commission (CSAC), said students can \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-10-01/government-lapse-appropriations-federal-student-aid-processing-and-customer-service-guidance\">still submit their forms\u003c/a>, and the agency “does not anticipate any disruption.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“CSAC encourages students to be ready to apply for financial aid through the FAFSA,” Gonzales said in a statement. “Call centers will be open to answer any calls from both the Federal Student Aid and CSAC.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California DREAM Act, the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">state-based application\u003c/a> for undocumented students and students from mixed-status families, is also open. The state said that student\u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\"> “information is never shared with the federal government or used for immigration enforcement.” \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11982309\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11982309\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-010-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Students outside of the University of California College of the Law in San Francisco on April 8, 2024. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>While you have plenty of time to complete and submit the application, deadlines can creep up on you, especially after two cycles of delayed rollouts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for all the FAFSA and CADAA application deadlines to know for 2025, as well as other financial aid applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What are the financial aid deadlines to know for 2025?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>What deadlines you should keep track of largely depends on what type of college or university you are hoping to enroll in. You should check directly with the school you’re interested in attending to make sure of their specific timings.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the FAFSA, March 2, 2026, is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/important-dates-and-deadlines\">the priority deadline\u003c/a> for most colleges and institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students applying for state-based aid like CADAA, March 2, 2026, is the strict deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968720\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-11968720 size-full\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg\" alt=\"An illustration showing a pair of hands holding a yellow sheet of paper that reads FAFSA. In the background, a number of figures representing family members talk.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1240\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-800x517.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-160x103.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1536x992.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The FAFSA is now open on time. Here are the major student aid deadlines students need to know. \u003ccite>(Anna Vignet/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>The financial aid deadline for students going to community college is Sept. 2, 2026.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While some people may qualify for free community college through the California Promise Grant, they can only access this program by \u003ca href=\"https://www.ccsf.edu/california-college-promise-grant-ccpg\">applying to the FAFSA or CADAA\u003c/a> along with \u003ca href=\"https://home.cccapply.org/index.php/us/money/california-college-promise-grant\">the grant’s own application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students hoping to go to a private institution should consider filling out the \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/getting-started\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> in addition to the FAFSA. The deadline for the CSS Profile, which is a separate aid application, is dependent on the \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questionshttps:/cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questions\">private school’s own priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>I’m not sure I’m going to college. Should I follow these deadlines anyway?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12018723/fafsa-2025-california-deadlines\">a 2024 interview with KQED\u003c/a>, Gonzales said that the biggest misconception people can make about the FAFSA is believing that they don’t qualify — whether that’s because their family is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/middle-class-scholarship\">middle class\u003c/a>, they’re thinking about joining the military or they’re going on a gap year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you’re uncertain about going to college at all, Gonzales said you should apply for FAFSA anyway. That way, you’ll have it completed in case they change your mind about your plans, and you’ll be sure you haven’t missed any deadlines.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>“It’s never a bad idea to apply,” she said. And because “the aid here in California is very generous, very diverse,” many students — especially first-year college students — will qualify for some form of aid like grants, scholarships, subsidized loans or work-study, she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Among those programs is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programshttps:/www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programs\">the Cal Grant\u003c/a> — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">state-specific aid program\u003c/a> that California students can apply for through the FAFSA. Other programs include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The Cal-HBCU program, which provides aid for California students transferring from California Community Colleges to a partnering Historically Black College.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A grant for foster youth under 26 that funds five years of schooling\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Aid for undocumented students who also participate in community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Grants for students who are also parents\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Students planning to enter the teaching profession.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>What tax documents do I need to complete the FAFSA on time?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A W-2 form is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A 1040 form is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much the worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12011586\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2000px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12011586\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2000\" height=\"1333\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED.jpg 2000w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/241029-OAKLANDSCHOLARSHIPSTUDENTS-01-BL-KQED-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2000px) 100vw, 2000px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">The Northeastern University campus in Oakland on Oct. 29, 2024, formerly Mills College. \u003ccite>(Beth LaBerge/KQED)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask parents to share information from last year’s documents. If the parents do not have this information, it could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for Grubhub; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The parents did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. In this case, the state government will have sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student’s parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see their taxes, and applicants should ask their parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many community organizations offer free tax filing services year-round. In the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">United Way can connect people\u003c/a> to online and in-person tax help — and parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Resources for students applying for financial aid:\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For students and family members who still have questions, FAFSA resources state-wide and nationally include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687244/NCANs-2025-26-FAFSA-Page-A-How-To-Guide.htm\">The National College Attainment Network’s 2025–26 FAFSA Page: A How-To Guide\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help\">FAFSA’s official FAQ\u003c/a> (with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact\">the help center’s contact information\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/spanish_paper_better_cadaa_2024-2025.pdf\">Solicitud Dream Act de California\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cash-college\">CSAC’s Cash for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.casfaa.org/\">California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "california-students-with-immigrant-parents-seek-financial-aid-despite-deportation-risks",
"title": "California Students With Immigrant Parents Seek Financial Aid Despite Deportation Risks",
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"headTitle": "California Students With Immigrant Parents Seek Financial Aid Despite Deportation Risks | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While witnessing a rise in deportations across the country, college-bound high school seniors with immigrant parents in California had to decide this spring whether to submit a federal financial aid application. Their fear: The federal government will use sensitive personal information from the application to identify people in the country who lack legal status. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/04/08/g-s1-59056/irs-dhs-information-sharing-deal-immigrants-tax-records\">An agreement\u003c/a> between the IRS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share tax information is already in motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the latest data available from the California Student Aid Commission shows that the number of high school senior applicants from mixed-status families has not decreased as much as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/02/financial-aid-2/\">some financial aid advocates feared\u003c/a> it would. In fact, the number of high school senior applicants with at least one parent lacking legal status has nearly rebounded to the 2023 number after the revised financial aid form last year kept them from being able to apply without parental Social Security numbers for several months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the risk of exposing their parents to a deportation dragnet, 35% more college-bound high school seniors from mixed-status families have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid as of the May 2 deadline compared to applications submitted by the same date last year. However, 9% fewer high school seniors from mixed-status families submitted their FAFSA compared to the same date two years ago. Community college students are notably excluded from these numbers as they have a separate deadline of Sept. 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who choose not to submit a financial aid application lose potential federal aid through grants, work study and loans. While the federal deadline is not until the end of the academic year for which a student applies, California sets its own early deadline for the FAFSA to determine state aid such as Cal Grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=forum_2010101909645 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/43/2025/04/GettyImages-2205113389-1-1020x574.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California officials gave students a one-month extension from April 2 to May 2 to submit the FAFSA after the U.S. Department of Education opened the application in December 2024 rather than the usual launch of October.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/about\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a> administers financial aid programs for students in California and helps organizations that counsel students on their financial aid applications. The commission’s spokesperson, Shelveen Ratnam, said the federal student aid application should have been a little easier for mixed-status families this time around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the concern this year has kind of been the federal landscape, the federal administration, given… all the increased immigration enforcement (and) the unprecedented data sharing between federal agencies,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the federal financial aid application, parents must submit personal details such as their Social Security numbers. If parents do not have them due to their legal status, they need to click a box that says “I do not have a SSN.” Although Ratnam and fellow staff at the commission are not currently aware of any efforts by immigration enforcement to access the personal information of FAFSA applicants, some students said they are concerned about the possibility that the personal details of their parents might be used to deport them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Students and parents face a tough choice\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>College-bound high school seniors in California who spoke to CalMatters for this story say the importance of going to college outweighs fears of their parents being deported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A graduate of Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles, Janet said she and her parents were antsy as they filled out the application together for the first time. Due to her family’s mixed legal status, she asked to go by her first name only. Janet recalls the concern from one of her parents who lacks permanent legal status that by submitting the application to the federal government they would be exposing themselves to immigration enforcement. However, her parents decided it was more important that their daughter receive financial aid for college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we submitted the application together, they said to me, ‘This is for you Janet. This is for the future generations and I hope we stay together,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/032725_CJN-FAFSA_AJ_05-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\">\u003cfigcaption>Janet, a high school senior, outside of Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles on March 27, 2025. Janet is hoping to study theatre in college. \u003cem>(Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Alondra, a graduate of University High School Charter in Los Angeles, says she feels stress because most of her family does not have permanent legal status. Alondra also requested to use only her first name to protect her family from potential deportation. Alondra said it surprised her family when she informed them of the possible risk if they apply. However, a counselor in the One Voice Scholars Program, which works with low-income, first-generation students, pointed out that Alondra’s parents already share their personal information with the federal government when they file taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, it’s like we already know that my parents are already in the system, so we just kind of hope that me submitting my FAFSA isn’t adding on to that risk,” Alondra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students from mixed-status families who have older siblings may already have shared their data with the U.S. Department of Education, according to Alison De Lucca, executive director of the Southern California College Access Network. She said each family has to determine the pros and cons of the implications when applying for financial aid. Mixed-status families are also likely sharing their data with the state and federal government when they file taxes, get a driver’s license, or adjust their immigration status.[aside postID=news_12024593 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/01/20250129_UcBerkeleyRally_GC-1-1020x680.jpg']Angela, a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts who also requested to use her first name only due to her family’s mixed legal status, said she started grappling with the decision of whether to apply for federal student aid during her sophomore year. At the time, her parents were still in the process of obtaining their citizenship and did not know if they would receive it in time for Angela’s financial aid application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They just really wanted me to be able to go (to college) for as cheap as possible,” Angela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angela’s parents were able to obtain citizenship recently. However, she feels some of her college options are “off the table,” including Cornell University, which had offered her a scholarship that would have funded her first year at the university. Angela grew concerned about attending universities in New York after hearing reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement “targeting” students that led pro-Palestinian protests, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-ice-deportation-rcna199814\">Mahmoud Khalil\u003c/a> at Columbia and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/momodou-taal-cornell-student-activist-surrender-ice-rcna197604\">Momodou Taal\u003c/a> at Cornell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also feels guilt as some of her extended family and friends who are applying for financial aid do not have parents with permanent legal status in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m happy for myself but that feels selfish,” Angela said. “I know that I can help my family in that sense, but it’s really upsetting. You worry for your friends that might not be able to do it, might not be able to get that future that they really dream of.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Federal financial aid application faces new problems\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Following President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-education-outcomes-by-empowering-parents-states-and-communities/\">executive order \u003c/a>to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, the department’s spokesperson James Bergeron wrote \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-03-17/acting-under-secretary-james-bergeron-letter-education-stakeholders-march-14-2025\">in a letter on March 14\u003c/a> that those working directly with the federal financial aid application or student loan servicing were not affected by the staff reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Bergeron’s letter addressed the department’s staff reduction, De Lucca said that she and fellow staff at the College Access Network are concerned that layoffs at the department could lead to less support available for students and families when they call for assistance with their financial aid applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_22-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\">\u003cfigcaption>FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003cem>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s less staff at the Department of Education to consult with community-based organizations like SoCal CAN (College Access Network) and our members,” De Lucca said. “So for us, it’s been more difficult to reach folks at the department when we do have questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/27/how-education-department-cuts-could-jeopardize-fafsa\">Inside Higher Ed reported\u003c/a> in March that the staff reductions in the Office of Federal Student Aid would impact the staff’s ability to fix technical issues with the form, which were prevalent last year. Additional cuts were made to the FAFSA call center and training for financial aid practitioners, according to the same story by Inside Higher Ed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/education-department-court-ruling-firings-00365170\">federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order\u003c/a> that led to the massive staff reduction at the education department in May. However, on July 14 \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-education-layoffs-9370415531185092341b16a6bfea9344\">the U.S. Supreme Court allowed for the president’s plan to continue\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The education department’s press office did not respond to repeated requests from CalMatters about the number of staff cuts at the Office of Federal Student Aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During last year’s updated FAFSA rollout, students faced technical issues with the application’s overhaul, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/blog/botched-fafsa-rollout-leaves-uncertainty-students-seeking-financial-aid-college\">prompting a review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office\u003c/a>. Revisions to the application included reducing the number of questions by pulling students’ and parents’ financial information straight from the IRS. If parents were missing Social Security numbers then students could not submit a financial aid application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students had to wait until March 12, 2024 for the glitch on the website to be fixed before completing their submission, still ahead of the state’s extended deadline of May 2. The issues with the application last year resulted in 9,642 fewer federal financial aid applications submitted by May 2 from students in mixed-status families in the state compared to this year, according to the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacramento State senior Fernanda Arteaga spent four months trying to submit a FAFSA last year due to her parents not having Social Security numbers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arteaga tried calling the office about six times to ensure that her application had the necessary information to be submitted, but each time she had to wait for assistance, leading her to hang up and try again at another time. Finally, Arteaga was able to reach a staff member and submit her application. Experts from the federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/blog/botched-fafsa-rollout-leaves-uncertainty-students-seeking-financial-aid-college\">Governmental Accountability Office\u003c/a> testified before Congress in the fall of 2024 that 74% of the calls to the department’s call center went unanswered due to understaffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/032025-Fernanda-FAFSA-CM-01-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A person with dark hair pulled back by a headband stands in front of a colorful mural featuring Indigenous and cultural motifs. They wear a floral-patterned dress with a square neckline and gold hoop earrings. Their expression is calm and confident, with soft lighting highlighting their face. Lush greenery surrounds the scene, and a modern glass building is visible in the background.\">\u003cfigcaption>Cal State Sacramento senior Fernanda Arteaga stands by Lassen Hall, where students can access assistance with their financial aid and scholarships, on Jan. 16, 2025. Arteaga, who comes from a mixed-status family, faced difficulties when applying for federal financial aid last year due to glitches on the site. \u003cem>(Mercy Sosa/CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I would mainly say that I just overcame those obstacles by just constantly checking in with the (Office of Federal Student Aid) and making sure that everything I could do on my end was done, and that everything I had was there,” Arteaga said. She finally received her financial aid a month into the fall 2024 semester and was granted an extension to pay for her tuition by the university while the funds were disbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With this year’s federal financial aid application, Arteaga did not encounter any website glitches, and had an easier process applying. Instead, Arteaga was concerned about the implications of applying for federal student aid given the political climate. Arteaga and her parents accepted the risk of immigration enforcement accessing their personal information through the application and ultimately applied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously it is a federal organization,” Arteaga said. “So we were concerned that … our information wasn’t going to be protected. But my parents, since we’ve already done applications … in the past, they were like just do it. We really need the money, and we want to get you to finish your last year in college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>California offers alternative financial aid application\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Students who lack permanent legal status themselves are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, since 2013, the state has administered the California Dream Act Application, also known as CADAA, for those students to apply for state and campus-based aid. When students from mixed-status families were unable to submit a federal application in 2024, California opened its financial aid application temporarily to those students so they could at least apply for state aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission again opened the Dream Act application to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">students from mixed-status families\u003c/a> this year to provide them a state-protected way to apply for financial aid. California \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=7284.8.\">state law\u003c/a> protects students and families by not sharing their personal information with immigration officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now a state senator is proposing to open the financial aid application permanently to students from mixed-status families. State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat from Pasadena, proposed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb323\">Senate Bill 323\u003c/a>, which would require the California Student Aid Commission to ensure that the state application can be used by “any student eligible for state financial aid programs,” according to the bill text.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is crucial we provide California college bound students with a stable, safe, and alternative state-based financial aid application to feel safe in applying for financial aid and choosing to go to college,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/259431?t=1593&f=ac41f44fc0a8b5d4e237cc540187d245\">Pérez said on the Senate floor June 2\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emmanuel Rodriguez, senior director of policy and advocacy at The Institute for College Access and Success, said California’s Dream Act application adds a level of security for applicants as the information they receive is only shared with the campuses listed on a student’s application to determine whether the student is eligible for financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Financial aid advocates say that each family applying for financial aid must make a decision based on their specific situation and whether they should submit the federal application, the state Dream Act application, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Samantha Yee contributed to this story. Mercy Sosa is a fellow with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/07/financial-aid-immigration-deportation-fears/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Despite fears the federal government will use personal information from financial aid applications to identify immigrant parents who lack legal status, the number of high school senior applicants from mixed-status families has not decreased as much as some thought it would, according to the California Student Aid Commission.",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003c!-- Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ -->\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This story was originally published by \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/\">CalMatters\u003c/a>. \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/subscribe-to-calmatters/\">Sign up\u003c/a> for their newsletters.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While witnessing a rise in deportations across the country, college-bound high school seniors with immigrant parents in California had to decide this spring whether to submit a federal financial aid application. Their fear: The federal government will use sensitive personal information from the application to identify people in the country who lack legal status. \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/04/08/g-s1-59056/irs-dhs-information-sharing-deal-immigrants-tax-records\">An agreement\u003c/a> between the IRS and U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to share tax information is already in motion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the latest data available from the California Student Aid Commission shows that the number of high school senior applicants from mixed-status families has not decreased as much as \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/02/financial-aid-2/\">some financial aid advocates feared\u003c/a> it would. In fact, the number of high school senior applicants with at least one parent lacking legal status has nearly rebounded to the 2023 number after the revised financial aid form last year kept them from being able to apply without parental Social Security numbers for several months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Despite the risk of exposing their parents to a deportation dragnet, 35% more college-bound high school seniors from mixed-status families have submitted a Free Application for Federal Student Aid as of the May 2 deadline compared to applications submitted by the same date last year. However, 9% fewer high school seniors from mixed-status families submitted their FAFSA compared to the same date two years ago. Community college students are notably excluded from these numbers as they have a separate deadline of Sept. 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students who choose not to submit a financial aid application lose potential federal aid through grants, work study and loans. While the federal deadline is not until the end of the academic year for which a student applies, California sets its own early deadline for the FAFSA to determine state aid such as Cal Grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California officials gave students a one-month extension from April 2 to May 2 to submit the FAFSA after the U.S. Department of Education opened the application in December 2024 rather than the usual launch of October.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/about\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a> administers financial aid programs for students in California and helps organizations that counsel students on their financial aid applications. The commission’s spokesperson, Shelveen Ratnam, said the federal student aid application should have been a little easier for mixed-status families this time around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Now the concern this year has kind of been the federal landscape, the federal administration, given… all the increased immigration enforcement (and) the unprecedented data sharing between federal agencies,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the federal financial aid application, parents must submit personal details such as their Social Security numbers. If parents do not have them due to their legal status, they need to click a box that says “I do not have a SSN.” Although Ratnam and fellow staff at the commission are not currently aware of any efforts by immigration enforcement to access the personal information of FAFSA applicants, some students said they are concerned about the possibility that the personal details of their parents might be used to deport them.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Students and parents face a tough choice\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>College-bound high school seniors in California who spoke to CalMatters for this story say the importance of going to college outweighs fears of their parents being deported.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A graduate of Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles, Janet said she and her parents were antsy as they filled out the application together for the first time. Due to her family’s mixed legal status, she asked to go by her first name only. Janet recalls the concern from one of her parents who lacks permanent legal status that by submitting the application to the federal government they would be exposing themselves to immigration enforcement. However, her parents decided it was more important that their daughter receive financial aid for college.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we submitted the application together, they said to me, ‘This is for you Janet. This is for the future generations and I hope we stay together,’” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/07/032725_CJN-FAFSA_AJ_05-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\">\u003cfigcaption>Janet, a high school senior, outside of Hawthorne High School in Los Angeles on March 27, 2025. Janet is hoping to study theatre in college. \u003cem>(Alisha Jucevic for CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Alondra, a graduate of University High School Charter in Los Angeles, says she feels stress because most of her family does not have permanent legal status. Alondra also requested to use only her first name to protect her family from potential deportation. Alondra said it surprised her family when she informed them of the possible risk if they apply. However, a counselor in the One Voice Scholars Program, which works with low-income, first-generation students, pointed out that Alondra’s parents already share their personal information with the federal government when they file taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So, it’s like we already know that my parents are already in the system, so we just kind of hope that me submitting my FAFSA isn’t adding on to that risk,” Alondra said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Some students from mixed-status families who have older siblings may already have shared their data with the U.S. Department of Education, according to Alison De Lucca, executive director of the Southern California College Access Network. She said each family has to determine the pros and cons of the implications when applying for financial aid. Mixed-status families are also likely sharing their data with the state and federal government when they file taxes, get a driver’s license, or adjust their immigration status.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Angela, a graduate of the Los Angeles County High School of the Arts who also requested to use her first name only due to her family’s mixed legal status, said she started grappling with the decision of whether to apply for federal student aid during her sophomore year. At the time, her parents were still in the process of obtaining their citizenship and did not know if they would receive it in time for Angela’s financial aid application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They just really wanted me to be able to go (to college) for as cheap as possible,” Angela said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Angela’s parents were able to obtain citizenship recently. However, she feels some of her college options are “off the table,” including Cornell University, which had offered her a scholarship that would have funded her first year at the university. Angela grew concerned about attending universities in New York after hearing reports of Immigration and Customs Enforcement “targeting” students that led pro-Palestinian protests, such as \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/mahmoud-khalil-columbia-ice-deportation-rcna199814\">Mahmoud Khalil\u003c/a> at Columbia and \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/momodou-taal-cornell-student-activist-surrender-ice-rcna197604\">Momodou Taal\u003c/a> at Cornell.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She also feels guilt as some of her extended family and friends who are applying for financial aid do not have parents with permanent legal status in the U.S.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’m happy for myself but that feels selfish,” Angela said. “I know that I can help my family in that sense, but it’s really upsetting. You worry for your friends that might not be able to do it, might not be able to get that future that they really dream of.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Federal financial aid application faces new problems\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Following President Donald Trump’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/improving-education-outcomes-by-empowering-parents-states-and-communities/\">executive order \u003c/a>to dismantle the U.S. Department of Education, the department’s spokesperson James Bergeron wrote \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/knowledge-center/library/electronic-announcements/2025-03-17/acting-under-secretary-james-bergeron-letter-education-stakeholders-march-14-2025\">in a letter on March 14\u003c/a> that those working directly with the federal financial aid application or student loan servicing were not affected by the staff reductions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Although Bergeron’s letter addressed the department’s staff reduction, De Lucca said that she and fellow staff at the College Access Network are concerned that layoffs at the department could lead to less support available for students and families when they call for assistance with their financial aid applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/101423_Collge-Info-Berkeley_JY_CM_22-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"\">\u003cfigcaption>FAFSA fact sheets are displayed at College Information Day at UC Berkeley in Berkeley on Oct. 14, 2023. \u003cem>(Juliana Yamada for CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“There’s less staff at the Department of Education to consult with community-based organizations like SoCal CAN (College Access Network) and our members,” De Lucca said. “So for us, it’s been more difficult to reach folks at the department when we do have questions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/27/how-education-department-cuts-could-jeopardize-fafsa\">Inside Higher Ed reported\u003c/a> in March that the staff reductions in the Office of Federal Student Aid would impact the staff’s ability to fix technical issues with the form, which were prevalent last year. Additional cuts were made to the FAFSA call center and training for financial aid practitioners, according to the same story by Inside Higher Ed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A \u003ca href=\"https://www.politico.com/news/2025/05/22/education-department-court-ruling-firings-00365170\">federal judge blocked Trump’s executive order\u003c/a> that led to the massive staff reduction at the education department in May. However, on July 14 \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/supreme-court-trump-education-layoffs-9370415531185092341b16a6bfea9344\">the U.S. Supreme Court allowed for the president’s plan to continue\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The education department’s press office did not respond to repeated requests from CalMatters about the number of staff cuts at the Office of Federal Student Aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During last year’s updated FAFSA rollout, students faced technical issues with the application’s overhaul, \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/blog/botched-fafsa-rollout-leaves-uncertainty-students-seeking-financial-aid-college\">prompting a review by the U.S. Government Accountability Office\u003c/a>. Revisions to the application included reducing the number of questions by pulling students’ and parents’ financial information straight from the IRS. If parents were missing Social Security numbers then students could not submit a financial aid application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students had to wait until March 12, 2024 for the glitch on the website to be fixed before completing their submission, still ahead of the state’s extended deadline of May 2. The issues with the application last year resulted in 9,642 fewer federal financial aid applications submitted by May 2 from students in mixed-status families in the state compared to this year, according to the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Sacramento State senior Fernanda Arteaga spent four months trying to submit a FAFSA last year due to her parents not having Social Security numbers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Arteaga tried calling the office about six times to ensure that her application had the necessary information to be submitted, but each time she had to wait for assistance, leading her to hang up and try again at another time. Finally, Arteaga was able to reach a staff member and submit her application. Experts from the federal \u003ca href=\"https://www.gao.gov/blog/botched-fafsa-rollout-leaves-uncertainty-students-seeking-financial-aid-college\">Governmental Accountability Office\u003c/a> testified before Congress in the fall of 2024 that 74% of the calls to the department’s call center went unanswered due to understaffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure>\u003cimg decoding=\"async\" src=\"https://calmatters.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/032025-Fernanda-FAFSA-CM-01-1024x682.jpg\" alt=\"A person with dark hair pulled back by a headband stands in front of a colorful mural featuring Indigenous and cultural motifs. They wear a floral-patterned dress with a square neckline and gold hoop earrings. Their expression is calm and confident, with soft lighting highlighting their face. Lush greenery surrounds the scene, and a modern glass building is visible in the background.\">\u003cfigcaption>Cal State Sacramento senior Fernanda Arteaga stands by Lassen Hall, where students can access assistance with their financial aid and scholarships, on Jan. 16, 2025. Arteaga, who comes from a mixed-status family, faced difficulties when applying for federal financial aid last year due to glitches on the site. \u003cem>(Mercy Sosa/CalMatters)\u003c/em>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>“I would mainly say that I just overcame those obstacles by just constantly checking in with the (Office of Federal Student Aid) and making sure that everything I could do on my end was done, and that everything I had was there,” Arteaga said. She finally received her financial aid a month into the fall 2024 semester and was granted an extension to pay for her tuition by the university while the funds were disbursed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With this year’s federal financial aid application, Arteaga did not encounter any website glitches, and had an easier process applying. Instead, Arteaga was concerned about the implications of applying for federal student aid given the political climate. Arteaga and her parents accepted the risk of immigration enforcement accessing their personal information through the application and ultimately applied.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Obviously it is a federal organization,” Arteaga said. “So we were concerned that … our information wasn’t going to be protected. But my parents, since we’ve already done applications … in the past, they were like just do it. We really need the money, and we want to get you to finish your last year in college.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>California offers alternative financial aid application\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Students who lack permanent legal status themselves are not eligible for federal financial aid. However, since 2013, the state has administered the California Dream Act Application, also known as CADAA, for those students to apply for state and campus-based aid. When students from mixed-status families were unable to submit a federal application in 2024, California opened its financial aid application temporarily to those students so they could at least apply for state aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission again opened the Dream Act application to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">students from mixed-status families\u003c/a> this year to provide them a state-protected way to apply for financial aid. California \u003ca href=\"https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=7284.8.\">state law\u003c/a> protects students and families by not sharing their personal information with immigration officials.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now a state senator is proposing to open the financial aid application permanently to students from mixed-status families. State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, a Democrat from Pasadena, proposed \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/bills/ca_202520260sb323\">Senate Bill 323\u003c/a>, which would require the California Student Aid Commission to ensure that the state application can be used by “any student eligible for state financial aid programs,” according to the bill text.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is crucial we provide California college bound students with a stable, safe, and alternative state-based financial aid application to feel safe in applying for financial aid and choosing to go to college,” \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.digitaldemocracy.org/hearings/259431?t=1593&f=ac41f44fc0a8b5d4e237cc540187d245\">Pérez said on the Senate floor June 2\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Emmanuel Rodriguez, senior director of policy and advocacy at The Institute for College Access and Success, said California’s Dream Act application adds a level of security for applicants as the information they receive is only shared with the campuses listed on a student’s application to determine whether the student is eligible for financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Financial aid advocates say that each family applying for financial aid must make a decision based on their specific situation and whether they should submit the federal application, the state Dream Act application, or both.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Samantha Yee contributed to this story. Mercy Sosa is a fellow with the College Journalism Network, a collaboration between CalMatters and student journalists from across California. CalMatters higher education coverage is supported by a grant from the College Futures Foundation.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>This article was \u003ca href=\"https://calmatters.org/education/2025/07/financial-aid-immigration-deportation-fears/\">originally published on CalMatters\u003c/a> and was republished under the \u003ca href=\"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/\">Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives\u003c/a> license.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/california-extends-state-financial-aid-deadline-until-april-2/727398\">Wednesday, April 2 is the state priority deadline\u003c/a> for the Free Application for Student Aid, a.k.a FAFSA — the deadline California students should meet for the best chances of receiving the biggest aid package.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/65308/the-education-department-is-being-cut-in-half-heres-whats-being-lost\">the federal government continues to slash\u003c/a> away at the U.S. Department of Education, which administers FAFSA and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032864/californians-with-student-loan-debt-face-uncertain-future\">student loans\u003c/a>, the California agency that handles financial aid for colleges and universities is still encouraging students to apply for aid before that April 2 deadline hits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of what is happening at the federal level, that does not impact your ability to apply for aid. Especially here in California, there are multiple options,” California State Aid Commission spokesperson Shelveen Ratnam said. “If you are able to access and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">complete the FAFSA\u003c/a>, we encourage you to do so.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/CaliforniaLeadersUrgetheImportanceofFinancialAidDeadline_03.27.25_0.pdf\">March 27 statement\u003c/a>, several California lawmakers condemned “misinformation regarding the availability of the FAFSA and state financial Aid” that President Donald Trump’s actions against the Department of Education had already caused, creating “additional anxiety and worry for families.” State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, the chair of the Senate Education Committee, said that the efforts to “dissolve the U.S. Department of Education” have already negatively impacted students and families, and that “here in California, we must protect our students and ensure we remain resilient in light of these regressive actions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I urge all California students to not give up hope, to continue to fight for their dreams, and persist through their educational journey — which starts by applying for aid,” Pérez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what options are available for California students planning to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">apply for FAFSA by the April 2 state priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What could happen with FAFSA — and student loans — at the federal level?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since the January inauguration, the second Trump administration has made major moves to weaken the Department of Education — an agency that’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\">the focus of Republican ire for years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order calling on the U.S. Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032228/trump-signs-executive-order-to-begin-dismantling-the-department-of-education\">to dismantle the DOE entirely.\u003c/a> Constitutionally, the executive branch alone\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/can-trump-dismantle-education-department.html\"> does not have the power\u003c/a> to eliminate an agency like the DOE and would require approval from Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=news_12018723 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/12/GettyImages-564011653-1020x726.jpg']\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Trump administration laid off over \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">1,300 DOE employees\u003c/a>, reducing the agency’s workforce by nearly 50%, when added to the 600 staffers who opted to leave by resigning or retiring. The layoffs \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">eliminated workers\u003c/a> who assisted students and families with their questions about FAFSA. Other laid-off staff handled disputes between borrowers and loan services, leaving many borrowers languishing in uncertainty about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">future of their repayments\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam said many students reached out to CSAC through\u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/FAFSA/comments/1jfzvip/should_i_drop_out_of_college_until_trump_either/\"> social media\u003c/a> with their worries about FAFSA \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/FAFSA/comments/1jfbt1d/scared/\">itself being eliminated\u003c/a> after Trump’s executive order. But, “just because there’s going to be changes at the federal level to the U.S. Department of Education doesn’t mean the FAFSA is going away,” he said, adding that the recent changes from the federal government “does not impact the state aid yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students may also be concerned about where student loan portfolios may end up in the future if the DOE is indeed shuttered. Student loan experts like Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>, said to KQED earlier this month that even if a person’s student loan portfolio was moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like the Treasury, as \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">Trump has proposed\u003c/a>, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight. … Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has an explainer on what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">borrowers focusing on repayment\u003c/a> should know about their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What mixed-status families should know about FAFSA this year\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>During the 2023–24 FAFSA cycle, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">launched a new version\u003c/a> of the financial aid application in hopes of making the traditionally lengthy process more streamlined, but it resulted instead in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">glitchy, delayed rollout\u003c/a>. The errors especially impacted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">mixed-status families\u003c/a>, where a student has a Social Security number but one parent does not due to their immigration status. These students were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">blocked entirely\u003c/a> from completing the application because they could not enter a parent’s Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This was an especially pertinent problem in California where, according to 2021 numbers by the \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>, 20% of all individuals under 18 live with a mixed-status family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal government has taken steps\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/688741/FSA-Announces-Updates-to-Support-Individuals-Without-Social-Security-Numbers.htm\"> to make the FAFSA easier\u003c/a> this year for people without Social Security numbers. For example, the FAFSA expanded the list of acceptable ID documents parents needed to have to make an account. However, the California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam said that, unfortunately, many students this year are facing similar “technical difficulties in completing the FAFSA” as last year.[aside postID=news_12031831 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204718967-1020x680.jpg']As a result, Ratnam said that concerned students from mixed-status families should know that “another viable option” is to apply for aid through \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">the California Dream Act right now instead of FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/apply\"> California Dream Act Application is\u003c/a> the state-specific financial aid process for students without a permanent immigration status, with funds limited to schools within California. Using this application will allow students “to apply for — and be eligible for — state-based aid and institutional aid,” Ratnam said. “They will always have the option to go back and complete a FAFSA at a later date, maybe when those technical issues have been resolved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While students from mixed-status families \u003cem>can \u003c/em>apply for state aid through the California Dream Act without applying to FAFSA at all, this would mean they wouldn’t have access to federal aid for their studies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mixed-status students have\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/mixed-status-fafsa-cadaa-financial-aid-undocumented-trump-administration\"> also expressed their concerns\u003c/a> that applying for federal student aid could reveal their parents’ immigration status to a hostile presidential administration that has promised “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023560/bay-area-officials-vow-uphold-sanctuary-immigrants-despite-threats-from-trump\">mass deportations\u003c/a>,” most recently transferring hundreds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/g-s1-56392/appeals-circuit-alien-enemies-act\">Venezuelan immigrants\u003c/a> to El Salvador by invoking the Alien Enemies Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have also been reports that immigration authorities are close to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/politics/irs-ice-data-undocumented-immigrants/index.html\">obtaining access to Internal Revenue Service data\u003c/a> concerning immigrants who have filed their taxes — and tax information is needed to complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, the National College Attainment Network\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\"> acknowledged the fear\u003c/a> many families were feeling, admitting that “at this time NCAN cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We believe mixed-status families should make a considered decision about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA,” NCAN’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">November guidance read\u003c/a> — even though\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/notices/privacy\"> the 1965 Higher Education Act\u003c/a> explicitly prohibits the use of this type of student data for any purpose other than determining federal financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">January\u003c/a>, NCAN cautioned students and families that “to the extent that you or a contributor has already provided [DOE] with information when creating a StudentAid.gov account or previously filling out the FAFSA, [DOE] likely still has that information.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to NCAN, a new application would just update this existing information — and according to studentaid.gov, borrowers cannot delete\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help/how-delete-fafsa-form\"> a submitted or processed\u003c/a> form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Echoing the California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam, “if you are concerned about how your data will be used by the federal government, you can still apply via the California Dream Act Application, California’s own financial aid application,” Daisy Gonzales, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/CaliforniaLeadersUrgetheImportanceofFinancialAidDeadline_03.27.25_0.pdf\">a statement\u003c/a>. “It supports your access to state aid and institutional aid, and your data will only be used for the purposes of determining and awarding financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We urge you to complete your financial application and believe in your dreams,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December, Gonzales told KQED that “the California Student Aid Commission never shares their data with the federal government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"headline": "The 2025 FAFSA State Priority Deadline Is April 2. Here's What to Know",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/california-extends-state-financial-aid-deadline-until-april-2/727398\">Wednesday, April 2 is the state priority deadline\u003c/a> for the Free Application for Student Aid, a.k.a FAFSA — the deadline California students should meet for the best chances of receiving the biggest aid package.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And even as \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/65308/the-education-department-is-being-cut-in-half-heres-whats-being-lost\">the federal government continues to slash\u003c/a> away at the U.S. Department of Education, which administers FAFSA and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032864/californians-with-student-loan-debt-face-uncertain-future\">student loans\u003c/a>, the California agency that handles financial aid for colleges and universities is still encouraging students to apply for aid before that April 2 deadline hits.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Regardless of what is happening at the federal level, that does not impact your ability to apply for aid. Especially here in California, there are multiple options,” California State Aid Commission spokesperson Shelveen Ratnam said. “If you are able to access and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">complete the FAFSA\u003c/a>, we encourage you to do so.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In a \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/CaliforniaLeadersUrgetheImportanceofFinancialAidDeadline_03.27.25_0.pdf\">March 27 statement\u003c/a>, several California lawmakers condemned “misinformation regarding the availability of the FAFSA and state financial Aid” that President Donald Trump’s actions against the Department of Education had already caused, creating “additional anxiety and worry for families.” State Sen. Sasha Renée Pérez, the chair of the Senate Education Committee, said that the efforts to “dissolve the U.S. Department of Education” have already negatively impacted students and families, and that “here in California, we must protect our students and ensure we remain resilient in light of these regressive actions.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I urge all California students to not give up hope, to continue to fight for their dreams, and persist through their educational journey — which starts by applying for aid,” Pérez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep reading for what options are available for California students planning to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">apply for FAFSA by the April 2 state priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What could happen with FAFSA — and student loans — at the federal level?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Since the January inauguration, the second Trump administration has made major moves to weaken the Department of Education — an agency that’s been \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\">the focus of Republican ire for years\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 20, President Trump signed an executive order calling on the U.S. Education Secretary, Linda McMahon, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12032228/trump-signs-executive-order-to-begin-dismantling-the-department-of-education\">to dismantle the DOE entirely.\u003c/a> Constitutionally, the executive branch alone\u003ca href=\"https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/us/can-trump-dismantle-education-department.html\"> does not have the power\u003c/a> to eliminate an agency like the DOE and would require approval from Congress.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Earlier this month, the Trump administration laid off over \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">1,300 DOE employees\u003c/a>, reducing the agency’s workforce by nearly 50%, when added to the 600 staffers who opted to leave by resigning or retiring. The layoffs \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">eliminated workers\u003c/a> who assisted students and families with their questions about FAFSA. Other laid-off staff handled disputes between borrowers and loan services, leaving many borrowers languishing in uncertainty about the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">future of their repayments\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam said many students reached out to CSAC through\u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/FAFSA/comments/1jfzvip/should_i_drop_out_of_college_until_trump_either/\"> social media\u003c/a> with their worries about FAFSA \u003ca href=\"https://www.reddit.com/r/FAFSA/comments/1jfbt1d/scared/\">itself being eliminated\u003c/a> after Trump’s executive order. But, “just because there’s going to be changes at the federal level to the U.S. Department of Education doesn’t mean the FAFSA is going away,” he said, adding that the recent changes from the federal government “does not impact the state aid yet.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students may also be concerned about where student loan portfolios may end up in the future if the DOE is indeed shuttered. Student loan experts like Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>, said to KQED earlier this month that even if a person’s student loan portfolio was moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like the Treasury, as \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">Trump has proposed\u003c/a>, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight. … Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>KQED has an explainer on what \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031831/i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts\">borrowers focusing on repayment\u003c/a> should know about their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>What mixed-status families should know about FAFSA this year\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>During the 2023–24 FAFSA cycle, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">launched a new version\u003c/a> of the financial aid application in hopes of making the traditionally lengthy process more streamlined, but it resulted instead in a \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">glitchy, delayed rollout\u003c/a>. The errors especially impacted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">mixed-status families\u003c/a>, where a student has a Social Security number but one parent does not due to their immigration status. These students were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">blocked entirely\u003c/a> from completing the application because they could not enter a parent’s Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This was an especially pertinent problem in California where, according to 2021 numbers by the \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">California Immigrant Data Portal\u003c/a>, 20% of all individuals under 18 live with a mixed-status family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The federal government has taken steps\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/688741/FSA-Announces-Updates-to-Support-Individuals-Without-Social-Security-Numbers.htm\"> to make the FAFSA easier\u003c/a> this year for people without Social Security numbers. For example, the FAFSA expanded the list of acceptable ID documents parents needed to have to make an account. However, the California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam said that, unfortunately, many students this year are facing similar “technical difficulties in completing the FAFSA” as last year.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>As a result, Ratnam said that concerned students from mixed-status families should know that “another viable option” is to apply for aid through \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">the California Dream Act right now instead of FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/apply\"> California Dream Act Application is\u003c/a> the state-specific financial aid process for students without a permanent immigration status, with funds limited to schools within California. Using this application will allow students “to apply for — and be eligible for — state-based aid and institutional aid,” Ratnam said. “They will always have the option to go back and complete a FAFSA at a later date, maybe when those technical issues have been resolved.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While students from mixed-status families \u003cem>can \u003c/em>apply for state aid through the California Dream Act without applying to FAFSA at all, this would mean they wouldn’t have access to federal aid for their studies.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mixed-status students have\u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/mixed-status-fafsa-cadaa-financial-aid-undocumented-trump-administration\"> also expressed their concerns\u003c/a> that applying for federal student aid could reveal their parents’ immigration status to a hostile presidential administration that has promised “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023560/bay-area-officials-vow-uphold-sanctuary-immigrants-despite-threats-from-trump\">mass deportations\u003c/a>,” most recently transferring hundreds of \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/26/g-s1-56392/appeals-circuit-alien-enemies-act\">Venezuelan immigrants\u003c/a> to El Salvador by invoking the Alien Enemies Act.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>There have also been reports that immigration authorities are close to \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnn.com/2025/03/23/politics/irs-ice-data-undocumented-immigrants/index.html\">obtaining access to Internal Revenue Service data\u003c/a> concerning immigrants who have filed their taxes — and tax information is needed to complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In November, the National College Attainment Network\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\"> acknowledged the fear\u003c/a> many families were feeling, admitting that “at this time NCAN cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to the U.S. Department of Education, as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We believe mixed-status families should make a considered decision about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA,” NCAN’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">November guidance read\u003c/a> — even though\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/notices/privacy\"> the 1965 Higher Education Act\u003c/a> explicitly prohibits the use of this type of student data for any purpose other than determining federal financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">January\u003c/a>, NCAN cautioned students and families that “to the extent that you or a contributor has already provided [DOE] with information when creating a StudentAid.gov account or previously filling out the FAFSA, [DOE] likely still has that information.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to NCAN, a new application would just update this existing information — and according to studentaid.gov, borrowers cannot delete\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help/how-delete-fafsa-form\"> a submitted or processed\u003c/a> form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Echoing the California State Aid Commission’s Ratnam, “if you are concerned about how your data will be used by the federal government, you can still apply via the California Dream Act Application, California’s own financial aid application,” Daisy Gonzales, executive director of the California Student Aid Commission, said in \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/2025-03/CaliforniaLeadersUrgetheImportanceofFinancialAidDeadline_03.27.25_0.pdf\">a statement\u003c/a>. “It supports your access to state aid and institutional aid, and your data will only be used for the purposes of determining and awarding financial aid.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We urge you to complete your financial application and believe in your dreams,” Gonzalez said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In December, Gonzales told KQED that “the California Student Aid Commission never shares their data with the federal government.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"slug": "i-have-student-loans-what-should-i-do-during-these-department-of-education-cuts",
"title": "Got Student Loans? Here’s What to Know During These Department of Education Cuts",
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"headTitle": "Got Student Loans? Here’s What to Know During These Department of Education Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cb data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Update, 11 a.m. March 31: \u003c/b>\u003c/em>\u003cem>As of March 26, the income-driven repayment plans Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5343770/trump-student-loan-forgiveness\">now open to enrollment again\u003c/a>. Borrowers can also now \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/\">apply for loan consolidation online\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 11, President Donald Trump’s administration\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\"> announced plans to \u003c/a>cut half of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\">Department of Education’s workforce\u003c/a> starting Friday, fulfilling parts of a long-held\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\"> conservative mission\u003c/a> to\u003ca href=\"https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-project-2025-would-devastate-public-education\"> weaken the agency\u003c/a>. More than 1,300 positions will be eliminated, according to the announcement, and around 600 more employees accepted voluntary resignations or retired over the last two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education administers student loans and aid programs and many of the layoffs occurred within \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">the Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> department. One in four adults under 40 in the United States \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/18/facts-about-student-loans/\">has student loan debt,\u003c/a> and Americans owed about $1.6 trillion in student loans as of June 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In\u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\"> a statement\u003c/a>, the Department of Education said it would “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview,” including student loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell\">Pell Grants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump straight to: I have student loans. Should I be backing up my payment records?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Beth Maglione, the interim president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, called the idea that services will not be interrupted “at best, naive and, at worst, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35826/Trump_s_Plan_to_Dismantle_the_Department_of_Education_Is_Officially_Underway\">deliberately misleading\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Inside Higher Ed\u003c/em>, many of the dismissed employees within the Federal Student Aid department assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including working on \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">functionalities for \u003c/a>the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which was hit hard during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">troubled revamp\u003c/a> last year. The planned cuts also include staffers who answered FAFSA questions for students and parents and who handle disputes between \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/03/12/yes-your-student-loans-will-be-impacted-by-the-mass-department-of-education-layoffs/\">borrowers and loan services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the big themes that I noticed is that a lot of the helpers are gone,” said Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>. “Borrowers need more help, not less.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California quickly joined other states \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031176/california-other-states-gear-up-fight-department-educations-dismantling\">in a lawsuit\u003c/a> to fight the cuts, but the Department of Education’s precarious situation is now coupled with ongoing uncertainty around repayment plans. Eight million student loan borrowers were enrolled in former President Joe Biden’s SAVE income-driven repayment plan in hopes of cheaper payments and a shorter \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-permanently-struck-down-student-loan-borrowers-lose-relief-2025-1\">loan repayment timeline\u003c/a>, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the plan in February in a decision that also prevented borrowers from enrolling in other \u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\">income-driven repayment plans\u003c/a> for their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this has left the 42.7 million Americans who have \u003ca href=\"https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics\">federal loan debt\u003c/a> with little clarity on what will happen to their current debt, said Adam S. Minsky, a\u003ca href=\"https://minsky-law.com/\"> lawyer specializing\u003c/a> in student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult right now for borrowers to be able to make informed decisions because there is so much uncertainty and volatility right now,” Minsky said. “We don’t know what the landscape is going to look like in a month or six months or a year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, if you have student loans, what \u003cem>do \u003c/em>we know right now? KQED spoke to Minsky and Mayotte about what borrowers should know in the immediate aftermath of the Department of Education cuts and what practical actions they can take right now amid so much confusion. You can also regularly check \u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> for the latest official updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>At a glance: What different types of student loan borrowers should know \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a borrower, make sure you know what kind of \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\">income-driven repayment plan\u003c/a> you’re enrolled in for your student loan debt:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Unless you are on SAVE, you should be making your payments, Mayotte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s cuts to the Department of Education and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/01/08/nx-s1-5250031/federal-student-loan-borrowers-await-court-decision-on-repayment-plan\">SAVE court orders\u003c/a> mean that borrowers could be at the mercy of potential changes to their income-driven payment plans, said Minsky. Some borrowers may see their monthly payments increase. Other borrowers may no longer qualify for certain types of forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is possible that borrowers could see some very tangible, possibly negative changes as a result of what’s going on right now with student loans,” Minsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are currently unable to afford your payments, Mayotte said you can ask your servicer \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\">for a “forbearance\u003c/a>” — which is the chance to pause payments temporarily. Keep in mind that this is a move you can only make a limited number of times, and interest does accrue during this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Demonstrators gather outside of the offices of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC on March 13, 2025 to protest against mass layoffs and budget cuts at the agency, initiated by the Trump administration and DOGE. \u003ccite>(Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on the SAVE plan, look for alternatives\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE program was meant to serve as \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/despite-collapse-of-his-forgiveness-plan-millions-had-student-loans-canceled-under-biden\">Biden’s victory lap\u003c/a> in fulfilling a campaign promise. However, the courts have now more or less sunk SAVE, said Mayotte,\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\"> forcing millions of Americans\u003c/a> into\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\"> forbearance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People enrolled in SAVE\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> do not need to make payments\u003c/a> and interest does not apply. They will need to wait to see when the other income-driven payment programs open enrollment in order to switch to those plans. However, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">in most cases\u003c/a>, time in this forbearance does not count toward other payment programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It “might be a good idea” for borrowers to “start exploring what your alternative repayment plan options are going to look like” so they are not unprepared for when the change comes, Minsky added.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on ICR or PAYE, you may run into restrictions\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the other repayment plans like\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR)\u003c/a> also got caught up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE’s legal challenges\u003c/a> — and after the February court ruling, the Department of Education is now barring people from new enrollment or recertifying their income. You can still enroll in the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/extended\">\u003cem>non-\u003c/em>income-driven plans\u003c/a> for the chance of having a lower monthly payment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already enrolled in these plans, you can and should still make your payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you cannot recertify your income,\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\"> you will not be kicked off\u003c/a> your PAYE or ICR plan. There is a chance that the Department of Education will extend the deadline for recertifying, but that has not been announced yet, said Mayotte. According to the federal student aid website, your required monthly payment amount “will be the amount you would pay under a\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/standard\"> Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period\u003c/a>, based on the loan amount you owed when you initially entered the income-driven repayment plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you completed your required number of months under PAYE, you would be placed in a forbearance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, it is unknown when recertification of income or new enrollment for these plans may resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that whatever this pause is, it’s temporary and that processing will resume soon,” Minsky said. “It’s still fairly new, so we’ll have to see what happens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte predicts that these repayment programs — except for SAVE — “are going to come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acknowledging that it “can be really difficult” not to panic, Mayotte urged borrowers not to “make any rash decisions based on something that happened today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never seen the chaos that we’re experiencing today, but I do think that in the end, a lot of this is going to shake out,” she said. “Just sort of take a deep breath, keep yourself educated [on the latest updates] and wait and see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Department of Education, “payments on PAYE, SAVE, and ICR are counted toward \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">IBR Plan forgiveness\u003c/a> if the borrower enrolls in IBR.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>You can’t submit online applications for consolidation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Consolidation allows you to combine your different loan types into one large single loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, because of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE court block\u003c/a>, you are currently unable to apply for this online. You can file a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">paper application and mail it\u003c/a> to loan servicer Aidvantage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2121px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg 2121w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Avoid online misinformation and get your information straight from the source itself, from sites like \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">Department of Financial Innovation and Protection (DFPI)\u003c/a>. \u003ccite>(Carol Yepes/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Download copies of your Public Service Loan Forgiveness progress \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>More than\u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/executive-order-on-restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/#:~:text=Impact%3A%20More%20than%202%20million,organizations%20qualify%20for%20the%20program.\"> two million Americans\u003c/a> qualify for the\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service\"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness \u003c/a>(PSLF) program, which wipes out your debt when you work for a nonprofit and make 120 monthly payments while at a nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advised that if you are in the program, take screenshots of your progress by heading to “Track Your PSLF Progress” on your online dashboard and certify your employment if you haven’t in a while. Borrowers on the PSLF program need to enroll their employer on the website so their payments can be counted successfully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump issued an executive order \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-not-changing-today-trump-2025-3\">to limit the program\u003c/a> to exclude employees working for\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/\"> certain nonprofits\u003c/a>, like organizations the order deems to be “supporting terrorism” and offering “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023784/after-trumps-order-on-two-genders-trans-rights-groups-taking-action\">so-called transgender sanctuary\u003c/a>.” However, those changes are not happening any time soon, according to Federal Student Aid, which is part of the Department of Education. “The PSLF Program is not changing today, and borrowers do not need to take any action,” the agency wrote on\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FAFSA/status/1899103979549667522\"> social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Several advocacy groups for student loan borrowers have said that the proposed changes would likely be illegal or unconstitutional,” Minsky said. “And so depending on when they get implemented and what the final regulations look like, there might be legal challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Programs that were created by Congress typically would require Congress to fundamentally change or repeal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>How can student loan borrowers back up their records?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Anytime you have a debt, it never hurts to keep good records on that debt,” said Mayotte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">article for \u003cem>Forbes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Minsky detailed several ways borrowers should save their loan information in case of any changes the federal government may make, like taking down agency websites. (Several digital archivist groups, like the Wayback Machine, have already been attempting to\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/culture/400705/internet-purge-offline-government-website-archive-trump\"> save records\u003c/a> of these shuttered websites, and Minsky suggested you may \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">consider taking screenshots\u003c/a> of the details of your plan on the Department of Education website.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advises you to consider:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Taking screenshots of your student loan dashboard on studentaid.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Include any progress you may have made on income-driven repayment plans.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your federal student loan data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Log into your studentaid.org account on your computer, which may make this process easier than navigating on mobile. Click on “View Details” on your dash and then select “My Aid.” There should be a “Download My Aid Data” in the top right corner. This will result in a raw file downloaded to your computer.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your student loan record from your loan servicers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use studentaid.org to find out if your loan servicer is either MOHELA, EdFinancial, Aidvantage or Nelnet. You can then check your account directly with these services and download your loan data to complement the data you downloaded straight from studentaid.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to add extra security to your student aid account\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In late February, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-from-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-personal-data/3639469/?os=v%5B0%5D&ref=app\">a judge blocked efforts\u003c/a> by billionaire Elon Musk and staffers at the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">DOGE)\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">gain access\u003c/a> to student loan data. This came after labor unions like the American Federation of Teachers sued agencies for allowing Musk to have access to the data in the first place, stating\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-doge-8c5bba3883b3d924b28114a4f291bec4\"> concerns about\u003c/a> the privacy of millions of borrowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Minsky noted there has been “\u003ca href=\"https://archive.ph/WMXai#selection-887.135-887.299\">no clear indication\u003c/a>” of widespread danger to borrower accounts, he wrote that it could be helpful for Americans to update the passwords on their studentaid.gov account and enable two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA), which will send a code to your phone or email that you would then use to access your dashboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to recognize misinformation about student loans right now \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte stressed that “wrong” and “damaging” rumors about student loans have spread far and wide on TikTok and Facebook. “So be wary where you’re getting your student loan information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said posts she’s already debunked from other borrowers include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Current events may mean your loans could be wiped out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online, some hopeful borrowers posted — perhaps in an ironic vein — that if the Department of Education is gone, so are student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Minsky said even with cuts at the agency, “it doesn’t fundamentally change the nature of the debt that folks owe. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to repay their loans. It doesn’t mean that loans disappear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Your loans could change — or be reduced — by being moved into another part of the federal government.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a person’s student loan portfolio \u003cem>was \u003c/em>moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">the Treasury\u003c/a>, as Trump has proposed, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight,” said Mayotte. “Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Student loans can be forgiven because of Musk getting access to data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge issued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-data.html\">temporary restraining order\u003c/a> that stopped Musk’s DOGE staffers from accessing student loan data due to privacy concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if Musk and his affiliates were found to have isolated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students would not be able to have their loans forgiven despite what circulating social media posts may claim.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said this has not historically ever been a way to \u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\">rectify a FERPA violation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can I find information and guidance about my student loans?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best information comes straight from the source itself —\u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\"> studentaid.gov\u003c/a>, said Mayotte. But Californians also have a \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">student loan ombudsman\u003c/a> that they can reach out to for questions or be reminded \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/rights/\">of their rights\u003c/a>. Questions can be sent to Celina.Damian@dfpi.ca.gov.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ApJrmMwZAt4\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you have an issue with your loan servicer, you can file a complaint with the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/\">Department of Financial Protection and Innovation\u003c/a> (DFPI). You can also reach out to DPFI by email at ask.DFPI@dfpi.ca.gov and by phone at 866-275-2677.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places to get updates on student loans include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/\">Student Loan Planner\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/about_us/our-staff/\">The Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.savingforcollege.com/authors/mark-kantrowitz\">Saving for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Lastly, don’t forget to keep paying your student loans\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte added that what has been buried under the latest news concerning the Department of Education layoffs is that many Americans’ credit sources have been going down due to not paying their student loans on time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time in over four years, said Mayotte, borrowers are “at risk of having their loans affect their credit reports for being 90 days or more delinquent. And I am seeing borrowers that were caught off guard by that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said many borrowers have been used to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement\">pauses on payments\u003c/a> during the height of the pandemic. However, those\u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\"> COVID-era \u003c/a>protections are \u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\">more or less gone\u003c/a>, and Mayotte urged people to check their repayment schedule on studentaid.org to see if they need to resume their monthly payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said people should check on what payment plans work best for them and try to reach out to a loan servicer if they need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people — unless you’re on the SAVE plan or you’re in school — you’re due for payment now. If you become 90 days past due or more, it is going to affect your credit,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Amid looming federal education cuts, it’s important to keep calm and know where to find reliable information. We talked to the experts about how to manage your student loans in uncertain times.",
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"title": "Got Student Loans? Here’s What to Know During These Department of Education Cuts | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>\u003cb data-stringify-type=\"bold\">Update, 11 a.m. March 31: \u003c/b>\u003c/em>\u003cem>As of March 26, the income-driven repayment plans Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) are \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/31/nx-s1-5343770/trump-student-loan-forgiveness\">now open to enrollment again\u003c/a>. Borrowers can also now \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/loan-consolidation/\">apply for loan consolidation online\u003c/a>.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 11, President Donald Trump’s administration\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\"> announced plans to \u003c/a>cut half of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12030839/us-education-department-says-it-is-cutting-nearly-half-of-all-staff\">Department of Education’s workforce\u003c/a> starting Friday, fulfilling parts of a long-held\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/forum/2010101909180/what-trumps-threatened-education-cuts-mean-for-students-schools\"> conservative mission\u003c/a> to\u003ca href=\"https://www.nea.org/nea-today/all-news-articles/how-project-2025-would-devastate-public-education\"> weaken the agency\u003c/a>. More than 1,300 positions will be eliminated, according to the announcement, and around 600 more employees accepted voluntary resignations or retired over the last two months.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education administers student loans and aid programs and many of the layoffs occurred within \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/03/12/nx-s1-5325854/trump-education-department-layoffs-civil-rights-student-loans\">the Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> department. One in four adults under 40 in the United States \u003ca href=\"https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2024/09/18/facts-about-student-loans/\">has student loan debt,\u003c/a> and Americans owed about $1.6 trillion in student loans as of June 2024, according to a Pew Research Center analysis.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In\u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/about/news/press-release/us-department-of-education-initiates-reduction-force\"> a statement\u003c/a>, the Department of Education said it would “continue to deliver on all statutory programs that fall under the agency’s purview,” including student loans and \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/grants/pell\">Pell Grants\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli style=\"list-style-type: none\">\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#A\">Jump straight to: I have student loans. Should I be backing up my payment records?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Beth Maglione, the interim president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, called the idea that services will not be interrupted “at best, naive and, at worst, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35826/Trump_s_Plan_to_Dismantle_the_Department_of_Education_Is_Officially_Underway\">deliberately misleading\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to \u003cem>Inside Higher Ed\u003c/em>, many of the dismissed employees within the Federal Student Aid department assisted with the technical administration of student loans, including working on \u003ca href=\"https://www.insidehighered.com/news/government/student-aid-policy/2025/03/13/how-education-department-layoffs-could-affect-higher\">functionalities for \u003c/a>the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which was hit hard during its \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">troubled revamp\u003c/a> last year. The planned cuts also include staffers who answered FAFSA questions for students and parents and who handle disputes between \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/03/12/yes-your-student-loans-will-be-impacted-by-the-mass-department-of-education-layoffs/\">borrowers and loan services\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“One of the big themes that I noticed is that a lot of the helpers are gone,” said Betsy Mayotte, the founder of the nonprofit \u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/\">Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>. “Borrowers need more help, not less.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California quickly joined other states \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12031176/california-other-states-gear-up-fight-department-educations-dismantling\">in a lawsuit\u003c/a> to fight the cuts, but the Department of Education’s precarious situation is now coupled with ongoing uncertainty around repayment plans. Eight million student loan borrowers were enrolled in former President Joe Biden’s SAVE income-driven repayment plan in hopes of cheaper payments and a shorter \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/save-plan-permanently-struck-down-student-loan-borrowers-lose-relief-2025-1\">loan repayment timeline\u003c/a>, but the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals blocked the plan in February in a decision that also prevented borrowers from enrolling in other \u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\">income-driven repayment plans\u003c/a> for their student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>All this has left the 42.7 million Americans who have \u003ca href=\"https://educationdata.org/student-loan-debt-statistics\">federal loan debt\u003c/a> with little clarity on what will happen to their current debt, said Adam S. Minsky, a\u003ca href=\"https://minsky-law.com/\"> lawyer specializing\u003c/a> in student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s very difficult right now for borrowers to be able to make informed decisions because there is so much uncertainty and volatility right now,” Minsky said. “We don’t know what the landscape is going to look like in a month or six months or a year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So, if you have student loans, what \u003cem>do \u003c/em>we know right now? KQED spoke to Minsky and Mayotte about what borrowers should know in the immediate aftermath of the Department of Education cuts and what practical actions they can take right now amid so much confusion. You can also regularly check \u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> for the latest official updates.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>At a glance: What different types of student loan borrowers should know \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>If you’re a borrower, make sure you know what kind of \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\">income-driven repayment plan\u003c/a> you’re enrolled in for your student loan debt:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>Pay As You Earn (PAYE) Repayment Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>New Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Old Income-Based Repayment (IBR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Income-Contingent Repayment (ICR) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Saving on a Valuable Education (SAVE) Plan\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Unless you are on SAVE, you should be making your payments, Mayotte said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Trump administration’s cuts to the Department of Education and \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2025/01/08/nx-s1-5250031/federal-student-loan-borrowers-await-court-decision-on-repayment-plan\">SAVE court orders\u003c/a> mean that borrowers could be at the mercy of potential changes to their income-driven payment plans, said Minsky. Some borrowers may see their monthly payments increase. Other borrowers may no longer qualify for certain types of forgiveness programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It is possible that borrowers could see some very tangible, possibly negative changes as a result of what’s going on right now with student loans,” Minsky said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are currently unable to afford your payments, Mayotte said you can ask your servicer \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\">for a “forbearance\u003c/a>” — which is the chance to pause payments temporarily. Keep in mind that this is a move you can only make a limited number of times, and interest does accrue during this period.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031854\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1024px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031854\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1024\" height=\"683\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329.jpg 1024w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-800x534.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-2204396329-160x107.jpg 160w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Demonstrators gather outside of the offices of the US Department of Education in Washington, DC on March 13, 2025 to protest against mass layoffs and budget cuts at the agency, initiated by the Trump administration and DOGE. \u003ccite>(Bryan Dozier/Middle East Images / Middle East Images via AFP)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on the SAVE plan, look for alternatives\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The SAVE program was meant to serve as \u003ca href=\"https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/despite-collapse-of-his-forgiveness-plan-millions-had-student-loans-canceled-under-biden\">Biden’s victory lap\u003c/a> in fulfilling a campaign promise. However, the courts have now more or less sunk SAVE, said Mayotte,\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\"> forcing millions of Americans\u003c/a> into\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/lower-payments/get-temporary-relief/forbearance\"> forbearance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>People enrolled in SAVE\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> do not need to make payments\u003c/a> and interest does not apply. They will need to wait to see when the other income-driven payment programs open enrollment in order to switch to those plans. However, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service/public-service-loan-forgiveness-buyback\">in most cases\u003c/a>, time in this forbearance does not count toward other payment programs.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It “might be a good idea” for borrowers to “start exploring what your alternative repayment plan options are going to look like” so they are not unprepared for when the change comes, Minsky added.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>If you are on ICR or PAYE, you may run into restrictions\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Some of the other repayment plans like\u003ca href=\"https://www.bankrate.com/loans/student-loans/court-decision-blocks-save-plan-and-idr-access/\"> Pay As You Earn (PAYE) and Income Contingent Repayment (ICR)\u003c/a> also got caught up in \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE’s legal challenges\u003c/a> — and after the February court ruling, the Department of Education is now barring people from new enrollment or recertifying their income. You can still enroll in the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/extended\">\u003cem>non-\u003c/em>income-driven plans\u003c/a> for the chance of having a lower monthly payment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you are already enrolled in these plans, you can and should still make your payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you cannot recertify your income,\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/income-driven\"> you will not be kicked off\u003c/a> your PAYE or ICR plan. There is a chance that the Department of Education will extend the deadline for recertifying, but that has not been announced yet, said Mayotte. According to the federal student aid website, your required monthly payment amount “will be the amount you would pay under a\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/repayment/plans/standard\"> Standard Repayment Plan with a 10-year repayment period\u003c/a>, based on the loan amount you owed when you initially entered the income-driven repayment plan.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you completed your required number of months under PAYE, you would be placed in a forbearance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But in general, it is unknown when recertification of income or new enrollment for these plans may resume.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We’re hoping that whatever this pause is, it’s temporary and that processing will resume soon,” Minsky said. “It’s still fairly new, so we’ll have to see what happens.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte predicts that these repayment programs — except for SAVE — “are going to come back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Acknowledging that it “can be really difficult” not to panic, Mayotte urged borrowers not to “make any rash decisions based on something that happened today.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I’ve never seen the chaos that we’re experiencing today, but I do think that in the end, a lot of this is going to shake out,” she said. “Just sort of take a deep breath, keep yourself educated [on the latest updates] and wait and see.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to the Department of Education, “payments on PAYE, SAVE, and ICR are counted toward \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">IBR Plan forgiveness\u003c/a> if the borrower enrolls in IBR.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>You can’t submit online applications for consolidation\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Consolidation allows you to combine your different loan types into one large single loan.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, because of the \u003ca href=\"https://www.nasfaa.org/news-item/35688/Court_Ruling_Affirms_Blocking_of_SAVE_Plan_While_Next_Steps_for_the_Program_Remain_Uncertain\">SAVE court block\u003c/a>, you are currently unable to apply for this online. You can file a \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/save-court-actions\">paper application and mail it\u003c/a> to loan servicer Aidvantage.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12031869\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 2121px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12031869\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"2121\" height=\"1414\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184.jpg 2121w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2025/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2121px) 100vw, 2121px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Avoid online misinformation and get your information straight from the source itself, from sites like \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/\">studentaid.gov\u003c/a> or the \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">Department of Financial Innovation and Protection (DFPI)\u003c/a>. \u003ccite>(Carol Yepes/Getty Images)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Download copies of your Public Service Loan Forgiveness progress \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>More than\u003ca href=\"https://www.epi.org/policywatch/executive-order-on-restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/#:~:text=Impact%3A%20More%20than%202%20million,organizations%20qualify%20for%20the%20program.\"> two million Americans\u003c/a> qualify for the\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service\"> Public Service Loan Forgiveness \u003c/a>(PSLF) program, which wipes out your debt when you work for a nonprofit and make 120 monthly payments while at a nonprofit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advised that if you are in the program, take screenshots of your progress by heading to “Track Your PSLF Progress” on your online dashboard and certify your employment if you haven’t in a while. Borrowers on the PSLF program need to enroll their employer on the website so their payments can be counted successfully.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Trump issued an executive order \u003ca href=\"https://www.businessinsider.com/public-service-student-loan-forgiveness-pslf-not-changing-today-trump-2025-3\">to limit the program\u003c/a> to exclude employees working for\u003ca href=\"https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/restoring-public-service-loan-forgiveness/\"> certain nonprofits\u003c/a>, like organizations the order deems to be “supporting terrorism” and offering “\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12023784/after-trumps-order-on-two-genders-trans-rights-groups-taking-action\">so-called transgender sanctuary\u003c/a>.” However, those changes are not happening any time soon, according to Federal Student Aid, which is part of the Department of Education. “The PSLF Program is not changing today, and borrowers do not need to take any action,” the agency wrote on\u003ca href=\"https://x.com/FAFSA/status/1899103979549667522\"> social media\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Several advocacy groups for student loan borrowers have said that the proposed changes would likely be illegal or unconstitutional,” Minsky said. “And so depending on when they get implemented and what the final regulations look like, there might be legal challenges.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Programs that were created by Congress typically would require Congress to fundamentally change or repeal.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>\u003ca id=\"A\">\u003c/a>How can student loan borrowers back up their records?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“Anytime you have a debt, it never hurts to keep good records on that debt,” said Mayotte.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In an \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">article for \u003cem>Forbes\u003c/em>\u003c/a>, Minsky detailed several ways borrowers should save their loan information in case of any changes the federal government may make, like taking down agency websites. (Several digital archivist groups, like the Wayback Machine, have already been attempting to\u003ca href=\"https://www.vox.com/culture/400705/internet-purge-offline-government-website-archive-trump\"> save records\u003c/a> of these shuttered websites, and Minsky suggested you may \u003ca href=\"https://www.forbes.com/sites/adamminsky/2025/02/05/student-loan-borrowers-do-these-7-things-as-the-department-of-education-faces-uncertain-future/\">consider taking screenshots\u003c/a> of the details of your plan on the Department of Education website.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Minsky advises you to consider:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Taking screenshots of your student loan dashboard on studentaid.org\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Include any progress you may have made on income-driven repayment plans.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your federal student loan data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Log into your studentaid.org account on your computer, which may make this process easier than navigating on mobile. Click on “View Details” on your dash and then select “My Aid.” There should be a “Download My Aid Data” in the top right corner. This will result in a raw file downloaded to your computer.\u003cstrong> \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Downloading your student loan record from your loan servicers\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Use studentaid.org to find out if your loan servicer is either MOHELA, EdFinancial, Aidvantage or Nelnet. You can then check your account directly with these services and download your loan data to complement the data you downloaded straight from studentaid.org.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to add extra security to your student aid account\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>In late February, \u003ca href=\"https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/business/money-report/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-from-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-personal-data/3639469/?os=v%5B0%5D&ref=app\">a judge blocked efforts\u003c/a> by billionaire Elon Musk and staffers at the unofficial Department of Government Efficiency (\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">DOGE)\u003c/a> to \u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/trump-musk-doge-congress-4e0c025629e8a0c758d13dc916ab4f43\">gain access\u003c/a> to student loan data. This came after labor unions like the American Federation of Teachers sued agencies for allowing Musk to have access to the data in the first place, stating\u003ca href=\"https://apnews.com/article/education-department-trump-doge-8c5bba3883b3d924b28114a4f291bec4\"> concerns about\u003c/a> the privacy of millions of borrowers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Minsky noted there has been “\u003ca href=\"https://archive.ph/WMXai#selection-887.135-887.299\">no clear indication\u003c/a>” of widespread danger to borrower accounts, he wrote that it could be helpful for Americans to update the passwords on their studentaid.gov account and enable two-factor authentication (also known as 2FA), which will send a code to your phone or email that you would then use to access your dashboard.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>How to recognize misinformation about student loans right now \u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte stressed that “wrong” and “damaging” rumors about student loans have spread far and wide on TikTok and Facebook. “So be wary where you’re getting your student loan information,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said posts she’s already debunked from other borrowers include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Current events may mean your loans could be wiped out\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Online, some hopeful borrowers posted — perhaps in an ironic vein — that if the Department of Education is gone, so are student loans.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But Minsky said even with cuts at the agency, “it doesn’t fundamentally change the nature of the debt that folks owe. It doesn’t mean that you don’t have to repay their loans. It doesn’t mean that loans disappear.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Your loans could change — or be reduced — by being moved into another part of the federal government.\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if a person’s student loan portfolio \u003cem>was \u003c/em>moved out of the Department of Education and into another office like \u003ca href=\"https://time.com/7265794/what-will-happen-to-student-loans-if-department-of-education-closes/\">the Treasury\u003c/a>, as Trump has proposed, “it would just mean that a different agency was performing the oversight,” said Mayotte. “Terms and conditions of the loans aren’t going to change, the servicers aren’t going to change.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>False: Student loans can be forgiven because of Musk getting access to data \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>A judge issued a \u003ca href=\"https://www.cnbc.com/2025/02/24/federal-judge-blocks-musks-doge-access-to-student-loan-borrowers-data.html\">temporary restraining order\u003c/a> that stopped Musk’s DOGE staffers from accessing student loan data due to privacy concerns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, even if Musk and his affiliates were found to have isolated the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students would not be able to have their loans forgiven despite what circulating social media posts may claim.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Mayotte said this has not historically ever been a way to \u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/doge-access-save-injunction/\">rectify a FERPA violation\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Where can I find information and guidance about my student loans?\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The best information comes straight from the source itself —\u003ca href=\"http://studentaid.gov\"> studentaid.gov\u003c/a>, said Mayotte. But Californians also have a \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/\">student loan ombudsman\u003c/a> that they can reach out to for questions or be reminded \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/consumers/student-loans/rights/\">of their rights\u003c/a>. Questions can be sent to Celina.Damian@dfpi.ca.gov.\u003c/p>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutube'>\n \u003cspan class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__embedYoutubeInside'>\n \u003ciframe\n loading='lazy'\n class='utils-parseShortcode-shortcodes-__youtubeShortcode__youtubePlayer'\n type='text/html'\n src='//www.youtube.com/embed/ApJrmMwZAt4'\n title='//www.youtube.com/embed/ApJrmMwZAt4'\n allowfullscreen='true'\n style='border:0;'>\u003c/iframe>\n \u003c/span>\n \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\u003cp>\u003cp>If you have an issue with your loan servicer, you can file a complaint with the state’s \u003ca href=\"https://dfpi.ca.gov/submit-a-complaint/\">Department of Financial Protection and Innovation\u003c/a> (DFPI). You can also reach out to DPFI by email at ask.DFPI@dfpi.ca.gov and by phone at 866-275-2677.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other places to get updates on student loans include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.studentloanplanner.com/\">Student Loan Planner\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://freestudentloanadvice.org/about_us/our-staff/\">The Institute of Student Loan Advisors\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.savingforcollege.com/authors/mark-kantrowitz\">Saving for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>\u003cstrong>Lastly, don’t forget to keep paying your student loans\u003c/strong>\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Mayotte added that what has been buried under the latest news concerning the Department of Education layoffs is that many Americans’ credit sources have been going down due to not paying their student loans on time.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For the first time in over four years, said Mayotte, borrowers are “at risk of having their loans affect their credit reports for being 90 days or more delinquent. And I am seeing borrowers that were caught off guard by that.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said many borrowers have been used to \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/debt-relief-announcement\">pauses on payments\u003c/a> during the height of the pandemic. However, those\u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\"> COVID-era \u003c/a>protections are \u003ca href=\"https://www.attigo.com/news-and-insights/borrower-protections-from-missed-student-loan-payments-expired\">more or less gone\u003c/a>, and Mayotte urged people to check their repayment schedule on studentaid.org to see if they need to resume their monthly payments.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said people should check on what payment plans work best for them and try to reach out to a loan servicer if they need help.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Most people — unless you’re on the SAVE plan or you’re in school — you’re due for payment now. If you become 90 days past due or more, it is going to affect your credit,” she warned.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "FAFSA 2025: What California Students Need to Know",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated March 12, 2025\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s FAFSA — the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> — season again. And for some applicants, the memories of last year’s troubled rollout may still be fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 2023–24 FAFSA cycle, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">launched a new version\u003c/a> of the financial aid application in hopes of making the traditionally lengthy process more streamlined. However, students trying to use the new form faced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988925/applying-for-student-aid-was-supposed-to-be-easier-this-year-it-wasnt\">delays, glitches and other technical problems\u003c/a> that stopped many from being able to complete their application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#fafsa-deadlines-2025\">FAFSA deadlines to keep track of in 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>After serious snags, new hopes for a new FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The problems with last year’s FAFSA especially impacted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">mixed-status individuals\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">created a major workload for school counselors\u003c/a> across the state. And with those \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">technical issues\u003c/a> persisting — and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/30/1185226895/heres-what-happened-when-affirmative-action-ended-at-california-public-colleges#:~:text=And%20as%20the%20nation's%20highest,and%20private%20universities%20and%20colleges.\">national ban of affirmative action\u003c/a> unfolding in the background — \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/685038/Freshman-Enrollment-Down-5-Following-FAFSA-Completion-Declines.htm\">fall semester enrollment declined by 5%\u003c/a> after a similar decline in FAFSA completion rates, according to data from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), a nonprofit that aims to increase postsecondary degree access.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the 2024-2025 cycle could be the year that the simplified FAFSA form proves to be a more efficient process for students — something that Daisy Gonzales, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>, is optimistic about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the FAFSA challenges from last year “have been fixed,” Gonzales said. “As students and families are completing that application, they should have a more seamless experience. There was a lot of testing nationally — and here in California — to make sure that in the beta phases, students could complete the application.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">fixes include\u003c/a>: FAFSA no longer requiring an identity verification process for those without a Social Security number; keeping a dossier of students who started an application for easier tracking by counselors; and increased call center staffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another big improvement, Gonzales said, is that the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">FAFSA this year opened on Dec. 1\u003c/a>, as opposed to Dec. 30 last year (although still later than the pre-2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/fafsa-deadline\">October opening date\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about what students and families should expect from this year’s FAFSA form — and the key FAFSA deadlines to know.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if I am unsure about going to college this year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Gonzales said that the biggest misconception people can make about the FAFSA is believing that they don’t qualify — whether that’s because their family is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/middle-class-scholarship\">middle class\u003c/a>, they’re thinking about joining the military or they’re going on a gap year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you’re uncertain about going to college at all, Gonzales said you should apply for FAFSA anyway. That way, you’ll have it completed in case they change your mind about your plans, and you’ll be sure you haven’t missed any deadlines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s never a bad idea to apply,” she said. And because “the aid here in California is very generous, very diverse,” many students — especially first-year college students — will qualify for some form of aid like grants, scholarships, subsidized loans or work-study. Among \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programs\">those programs\u003c/a> is the Cal Grant — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">state-specific aid program\u003c/a> that California students can apply for through the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other programs include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The Cal-HBCU program, which provides aid for California students transferring from California Community Colleges to a partnering Historically Black College.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A grant for foster youth under 26 that funds five years of schooling\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Aid for undocumented students who also participate in community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Grants for students who are also parents\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Students planning to enter the teaching profession.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>What tax documents do I need to complete the FAFSA??\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>First, a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>W-2 form\u003c/strong> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>1040 form\u003c/strong> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask parents to share information from last year’s documents. If the parents do not have this information, it could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The parents did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. In this case, the state government will have sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student’s parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see their taxes, and applicants should ask their parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many community organizations offer free tax filing services year-round. In the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">United Way can connect people to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>What if I don’t have the documents I need to complete FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. In these cases, Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, told KQED earlier in 2024 that students can ask their parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do their parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, your father cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA applicants may have to get crafty to help their parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said. This digital record can be especially helpful if the student applies for the FAFSA again next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, you should remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. Schools may ask applicants to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially file a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>I’m from a mixed-status family. What should I know?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Glitches \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines#undocumented\">prevented students of mixed-status backgrounds\u003c/a> — that is, when a student has a Social Security Number but one of their parents does not — from finishing the FAFSA last year. But those errors \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">have now been resolved\u003c/a>, according to the National College Attainment Network. Meaning undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented parents should also prepare to manually enter \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">last year’s tax information\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">emphasized in a PSA\u003c/a> that counselors and financial aid officers will need to restore trust with these communities since “mixed-status families were one of, if not the most, negatively impacted populations by the FAFSA rollout last year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Do immigration officials have access to the personal information I share on FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">acknowledged\u003c/a> the incoming Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017970/trump-has-promised-mass-deportations-can-california-fight-back\">hostile attitude towards undocumented immigrants\u003c/a>, recognizing that this could make students from mixed-status families hesitant to complete FAFSA — despite the 1965 Higher Education Act explicitly prohibiting the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/notices/privacy\">use of this type of student data\u003c/a> for any purpose other than determining federal financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At this time NCAN cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to the US Department of Education, as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected,” NCAN’s guidance reads. “We believe mixed-status families should make a considered decision about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The organization said that it “understands the grave ramifications of this guidance and deeply regrets that we feel it is necessary to issue it,” calling it “dreadful” that students and their families “have been put in a position of potentially choosing between their safety and the pursuit of postsecondary education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This issue is especially pertinent in California, where 20% of residents under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members. KQED has a guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">how to navigate difficult conversations\u003c/a> around the financial aid application with family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">California Dream Act Application\u003c/a> — the state-specific financial aid application for students without a permanent immigration status — is also open to students from mixed-status families, if they need access to aid, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/mixed-status-fafsa-cadaa-financial-aid-undocumented-trump-administration\">without applying to FAFSA\u003c/a>. These funds would be limited to schools only in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to undocumented students, who are barred entirely from completing the federal aid application, Gonzales said that these students are “still in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016037/california-is-a-sanctuary-state-how-much-protection-will-that-give-immigrants-from-trumps-deportation-plans\">the state that believes that higher education is for everyone\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said it’s “very important” for students to complete their application for California Dream Act financial aid “and that they know that the California Student Aid Commission never \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-information-safety\">shares their data with the federal government\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you complete the California Dream Act application, you can receive state aid to pay for your college education — regardless of your immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca id=\"fafsa-deadlines-2025\">\u003c/a>What are the FAFSA deadlines to know for 2025?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What deadlines you should keep track of largely depends on what type of college or university you are hoping to enroll in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students hoping to go to a four-year institution, the priority deadline for the FAFSA is March 3, and \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/california-extends-state-financial-aid-deadline-until-april-2/727398\">the state priority deadline has now been extended to April 2, 2025\u003c/a>. But it’s “never a bad idea to just submit that application sooner rather than later — or to at least get it started,” Gonzales said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The financial aid deadline for students going to community college is on Sept. 2, 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students hoping to go to a private institution, they should consider filling out the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA, which is \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questions\">a separate aid application\u003c/a>. The CSS Profile’s deadline is dependent on \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/getting-started\">the student’s private school priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Where can I find help to complete FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Along with the 2024 FAFSA form glitches, Gonzales said that many schools are still catching up after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/58693/college-enrollment-plummeted-during-the-pandemic-this-fall-its-even-worse\">a drop in higher education enrollment\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are coming out of a global pandemic. It’s something that we have never gone through as a community, as a state and as a country and in the world,” she said. “A lot of students and families have had to make very difficult decisions as they think about their future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But 2025–26 is that year where we want all students to consider coming back to higher education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students and family members who still have questions, FAFSA resources state-wide and nationally include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687244/NCANs-2025-26-FAFSA-Page-A-How-To-Guide.htm\">The National College Attainment Network’s 2025–26 FAFSA Page: A How-To Guide\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help\">FAFSA’s official FAQ\u003c/a> (with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact\">the help center’s contact information\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/spanish_paper_better_cadaa_2024-2025.pdf\">Solicitud Dream Act de California\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cash-college\">CSAC’s Cash for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.casfaa.org/\">California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>Updated March 12, 2025\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s FAFSA — the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">Free Application for Federal Student Aid\u003c/a> — season again. And for some applicants, the memories of last year’s troubled rollout may still be fresh.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>During the 2023–24 FAFSA cycle, the federal government \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">launched a new version\u003c/a> of the financial aid application in hopes of making the traditionally lengthy process more streamlined. However, students trying to use the new form faced \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11988925/applying-for-student-aid-was-supposed-to-be-easier-this-year-it-wasnt\">delays, glitches and other technical problems\u003c/a> that stopped many from being able to complete their application.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>Jump straight to: \u003ca href=\"#fafsa-deadlines-2025\">FAFSA deadlines to keep track of in 2025\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch2>After serious snags, new hopes for a new FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The problems with last year’s FAFSA especially impacted \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">mixed-status individuals\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">created a major workload for school counselors\u003c/a> across the state. And with those \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11987754/californias-class-of-2024-lags-in-student-aid-applications-data-shows\">technical issues\u003c/a> persisting — and a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2023/06/30/1185226895/heres-what-happened-when-affirmative-action-ended-at-california-public-colleges#:~:text=And%20as%20the%20nation's%20highest,and%20private%20universities%20and%20colleges.\">national ban of affirmative action\u003c/a> unfolding in the background — \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/685038/Freshman-Enrollment-Down-5-Following-FAFSA-Completion-Declines.htm\">fall semester enrollment declined by 5%\u003c/a> after a similar decline in FAFSA completion rates, according to data from the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), a nonprofit that aims to increase postsecondary degree access.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the 2024-2025 cycle could be the year that the simplified FAFSA form proves to be a more efficient process for students — something that Daisy Gonzales, executive director of \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>, is optimistic about.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many of the FAFSA challenges from last year “have been fixed,” Gonzales said. “As students and families are completing that application, they should have a more seamless experience. There was a lot of testing nationally — and here in California — to make sure that in the beta phases, students could complete the application.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>These \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">fixes include\u003c/a>: FAFSA no longer requiring an identity verification process for those without a Social Security number; keeping a dossier of students who started an application for easier tracking by counselors; and increased call center staffing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Another big improvement, Gonzales said, is that the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">FAFSA this year opened on Dec. 1\u003c/a>, as opposed to Dec. 30 last year (although still later than the pre-2024 \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/fafsa-deadline\">October opening date\u003c/a>.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Read on to learn more about what students and families should expect from this year’s FAFSA form — and the key FAFSA deadlines to know.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>What if I am unsure about going to college this year?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Gonzales said that the biggest misconception people can make about the FAFSA is believing that they don’t qualify — whether that’s because their family is \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/middle-class-scholarship\">middle class\u003c/a>, they’re thinking about joining the military or they’re going on a gap year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even if you’re uncertain about going to college at all, Gonzales said you should apply for FAFSA anyway. That way, you’ll have it completed in case they change your mind about your plans, and you’ll be sure you haven’t missed any deadlines.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s never a bad idea to apply,” she said. And because “the aid here in California is very generous, very diverse,” many students — especially first-year college students — will qualify for some form of aid like grants, scholarships, subsidized loans or work-study. Among \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/financial-aid-programs\">those programs\u003c/a> is the Cal Grant — the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">state-specific aid program\u003c/a> that California students can apply for through the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Other programs include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The Cal-HBCU program, which provides aid for California students transferring from California Community Colleges to a partnering Historically Black College.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A grant for foster youth under 26 that funds five years of schooling\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Aid for undocumented students who also participate in community service\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Grants for students who are also parents\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>Students planning to enter the teaching profession.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003ch3>What tax documents do I need to complete the FAFSA??\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>First, a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>W-2 form\u003c/strong> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cstrong>1040 form\u003c/strong> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask parents to share information from last year’s documents. If the parents do not have this information, it could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>The parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>The parents did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead; they most likely did not get a W-2 form. In this case, the state government will have sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>If a student’s parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see their taxes, and applicants should ask their parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Many community organizations offer free tax filing services year-round. In the Bay Area, \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">United Way can connect people to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of the family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>What if I don’t have the documents I need to complete FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. In these cases, Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, told KQED earlier in 2024 that students can ask their parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do their parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, your father cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA applicants may have to get crafty to help their parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said. This digital record can be especially helpful if the student applies for the FAFSA again next year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, you should remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. Schools may ask applicants to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially file a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>I’m from a mixed-status family. What should I know?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Glitches \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines#undocumented\">prevented students of mixed-status backgrounds\u003c/a> — that is, when a student has a Social Security Number but one of their parents does not — from finishing the FAFSA last year. But those errors \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">have now been resolved\u003c/a>, according to the National College Attainment Network. Meaning undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented parents should also prepare to manually enter \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">last year’s tax information\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, the National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/686253/Restoring-Trust-in-the-FAFSA-Helping-the-Class-of-2025-Rebound.htm\">emphasized in a PSA\u003c/a> that counselors and financial aid officers will need to restore trust with these communities since “mixed-status families were one of, if not the most, negatively impacted populations by the FAFSA rollout last year.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Do immigration officials have access to the personal information I share on FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>The National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687899/NCAN-Shares-FAFSA-Guidance-for-Mixed-Status-Families.htm\">acknowledged\u003c/a> the incoming Trump administration’s \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12017970/trump-has-promised-mass-deportations-can-california-fight-back\">hostile attitude towards undocumented immigrants\u003c/a>, recognizing that this could make students from mixed-status families hesitant to complete FAFSA — despite the 1965 Higher Education Act explicitly prohibiting the \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/notices/privacy\">use of this type of student data\u003c/a> for any purpose other than determining federal financial assistance.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“At this time NCAN cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to the US Department of Education, as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected,” NCAN’s guidance reads. “We believe mixed-status families should make a considered decision about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The organization said that it “understands the grave ramifications of this guidance and deeply regrets that we feel it is necessary to issue it,” calling it “dreadful” that students and their families “have been put in a position of potentially choosing between their safety and the pursuit of postsecondary education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This issue is especially pertinent in California, where 20% of residents under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members. KQED has a guide on \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">how to navigate difficult conversations\u003c/a> around the financial aid application with family members.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://dream.csac.ca.gov/landing\">California Dream Act Application\u003c/a> — the state-specific financial aid application for students without a permanent immigration status — is also open to students from mixed-status families, if they need access to aid, \u003ca href=\"https://laist.com/news/education/mixed-status-fafsa-cadaa-financial-aid-undocumented-trump-administration\">without applying to FAFSA\u003c/a>. These funds would be limited to schools only in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In addition to undocumented students, who are barred entirely from completing the federal aid application, Gonzales said that these students are “still in \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/12016037/california-is-a-sanctuary-state-how-much-protection-will-that-give-immigrants-from-trumps-deportation-plans\">the state that believes that higher education is for everyone\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She said it’s “very important” for students to complete their application for California Dream Act financial aid “and that they know that the California Student Aid Commission never \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-information-safety\">shares their data with the federal government\u003c/a>.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you complete the California Dream Act application, you can receive state aid to pay for your college education — regardless of your immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>\u003ca id=\"fafsa-deadlines-2025\">\u003c/a>What are the FAFSA deadlines to know for 2025?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>What deadlines you should keep track of largely depends on what type of college or university you are hoping to enroll in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students hoping to go to a four-year institution, the priority deadline for the FAFSA is March 3, and \u003ca href=\"https://edsource.org/2025/california-extends-state-financial-aid-deadline-until-april-2/727398\">the state priority deadline has now been extended to April 2, 2025\u003c/a>. But it’s “never a bad idea to just submit that application sooner rather than later — or to at least get it started,” Gonzales said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The financial aid deadline for students going to community college is on Sept. 2, 2025.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students hoping to go to a private institution, they should consider filling out the CSS Profile in addition to the FAFSA, which is \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/frequently-asked-questions\">a separate aid application\u003c/a>. The CSS Profile’s deadline is dependent on \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/getting-started\">the student’s private school priority deadline\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch3>Where can I find help to complete FAFSA?\u003c/h3>\n\u003cp>Along with the 2024 FAFSA form glitches, Gonzales said that many schools are still catching up after the disruption of the COVID-19 pandemic, which also led to \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/58693/college-enrollment-plummeted-during-the-pandemic-this-fall-its-even-worse\">a drop in higher education enrollment\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are coming out of a global pandemic. It’s something that we have never gone through as a community, as a state and as a country and in the world,” she said. “A lot of students and families have had to make very difficult decisions as they think about their future.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“But 2025–26 is that year where we want all students to consider coming back to higher education.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For students and family members who still have questions, FAFSA resources state-wide and nationally include:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/news/687244/NCANs-2025-26-FAFSA-Page-A-How-To-Guide.htm\">The National College Attainment Network’s 2025–26 FAFSA Page: A How-To Guide\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help\">FAFSA’s official FAQ\u003c/a> (with \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/contact\">the help center’s contact information\u003c/a>)\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/default/files/file-attachments/spanish_paper_better_cadaa_2024-2025.pdf\">Solicitud Dream Act de California\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Aid Commission\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cash-college\">CSAC’s Cash for College\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"https://www.casfaa.org/\">California Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators\u003c/a>.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "Some Students Are Fighting to Stay in College After the FAFSA Delayed Financial Aid",
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"headTitle": "Some Students Are Fighting to Stay in College After the FAFSA Delayed Financial Aid | KQED",
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"content": "\u003cp>Brenda H. almost didn’t make it to her first day of college. She tried to apply for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) four times, but encountered glitch after glitch — including a widespread bug that impacted students whose parents or spouses don’t have Social Security numbers. Brenda’s parents are both undocumented, which is why Brenda requested we keep their last name out of this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until her fifth attempt this spring that Brenda was finally able to submit her FAFSA. The delay meant she committed to a college — California State University, Northridge — without knowing if she could afford it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was entering college blind,” she says as she thinks back to that decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When her financial aid package finally came, she says she was speechless. “My mouth dropped to the floor.” There were only a few weeks left before school started, and her award offer was much lower than she had planned for. “I was mad at FAFSA,” she says. “So I went in blind, I went in confused, and I went in angry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/09/24/nx-s1-5121218/fafsa-college-financial-aid-gao\">\u003cu>FAFSA debacle\u003c/u>\u003c/a> has followed students like Brenda into the school year, as the repercussions of months-long delays from the last financial aid cycle continue to play out. Many colleges traditionally ask students to commit to their school by May 1, but the National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/FAFSAtracker\">\u003cu>estimated that\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, compared to last year, about 408,000 fewer high school seniors had successfully completed their FAFSA as of that week. Some colleges responded by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/04/05/1242776503/college-fafsa-financial-aid\">\u003cu>pushing their commitment deadlines\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, but the delays still left Brenda, and others like her, forced to make all kinds of decisions about college without knowing how they would pay for it. Now, many of those students are fighting to stay in school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Brenda, that meant scrambling to find housing nearby — a room that’s a 30-minute bus ride from campus — and making her own lunches to save money. She’s hoping to get more aid out of the next FAFSA cycle, which has again been delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Education began testing this year’s form with a limited number of students on Oct. 1, the form’s traditional release date. The agency says it’s working to fix glitches and release the application to all students by Dec. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘I’m wondering how I’m going to pay for the next semester’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Brenda’s mom is a seamstress and her dad works for a bulk spice market. Nobody in her family has ever been to college, so she didn’t grow up thinking she’d get a degree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed in 11th grade, when Brenda started taking drum lessons in the basement of a local nonprofit in Downtown Los Angeles. Kid City Hope Place serves low-income students with educational programs, financial aid help and activities meant to get them excited about higher education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember I was so scared of the upstairs kids because they were all about college, all about [their] future. And back in junior year, I didn’t even think I would go to college,” Brenda says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009019\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009019\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1182\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-800x591.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-1020x754.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-1536x1135.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kid City Hope Place helped inspire Brenda to apply to college. The organization serves low-income students with educational programs, financial aid help and activities meant to get them excited about higher education. \u003ccite>(Jonaki Mehta/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Fabian, the project director at Kid City, jokes that their music program is just a way to draw kids to the college access program upstairs. “It actually is one of the tactics we use for some of the students who might fall between the cracks — the students that aren’t high achieving, but aren’t low achieving, and they get stuck somewhere in the middle. They just need a gentle push.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was the case for Brenda, who says, “I just didn’t see a future for myself. But once I started going to the [college access] program at the end of my junior year, they encouraged me to apply to college, and encouraged me to apply for the FAFSA. They encouraged me to just go for it. Like, ‘You won’t regret this.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brenda’s counselors told her that because her family was low-income, she would likely qualify for substantial financial aid. Excited about the prospect of going to a four-year university, Brenda forged ahead and applied to colleges last fall, and then to the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fabian says she didn’t know what to say earlier this year when the FAFSA application process failed every single Kid City family who applied. “It felt like a broken promise,” she says. “It was impossible to not feel that guilty feeling because we’re the intermediaries that are supposed to make these dreams happen, make this possible, give you a hand, talk you through the process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though the delays caused Brenda anxiety, she felt better when she saw her friends from higher-income families receive enough aid to cover their education. She was certain the same would be true for her. But when Brenda’s financial aid offer finally came in July, just a few weeks before school was set to begin, “I completely panicked,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She received a Pell Grant for $970 per semester, and was offered $2,750 in federal student loans each semester. That aid amount just about covers her tuition, but she’s on her own when it comes to housing, food, books and transportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while Brenda did manage to cobble together enough money to start classes in the fall, she says the financial stress has made it hard to focus on her actual education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes me think about my future … and sometimes I’ll catch myself not focusing in class because I’m wondering how I’m going to pay for the next semester.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just an application, but a gateway to ‘a life plan’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Brenda is majoring in psychology. She has struggled with her own mental health and couldn’t get the help she needed, so she wants to become a therapist to help kids like her. But she’s worried about whether she can afford to finish her degree.[aside label=\"Related Stories\" postID=\"news_11999471,news_11957693,news_11987754\"]Brenda says this whole experience made her realize that, for her, the FAFSA isn’t just a bureaucratic application that results in a sum of money — it’s a gateway to “a life-plan.” Had she gotten her aid package in a timely manner, she could have made a more informed decision about college, applied to scholarships and maybe the entire thing would have been less stressful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole process, everything I experienced, just traumatized me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says it was frustrating to hear the form was delayed again this year, but every time she feels discouraged about paying for her education, she thinks about her 2- and 3-year-old nieces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to be a role model for them. I want them to know, ‘You can go to college. You’re not bound to be like your parents, you’re not bound to be like your grandparents. You can go to college and make a name for yourself.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As she waits to apply to the next FAFSA, she’s trying to stay focused on her coursework, and on her newfound independence. Recently, she stayed out past midnight for the first time, and had her first sleepover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘Wow! I feel so independent. I feel so adult.’ I’ve been experiencing a lot more in college than I did in the past 17 years of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Brenda hopes she can keep having those new life experiences. But it’ll depend on whether she can afford to keep getting the education she never even dreamed of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>Brenda H. almost didn’t make it to her first day of college. She tried to apply for financial aid through the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) four times, but encountered glitch after glitch — including a widespread bug that impacted students whose parents or spouses don’t have Social Security numbers. Brenda’s parents are both undocumented, which is why Brenda requested we keep their last name out of this story.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It wasn’t until her fifth attempt this spring that Brenda was finally able to submit her FAFSA. The delay meant she committed to a college — California State University, Northridge — without knowing if she could afford it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was entering college blind,” she says as she thinks back to that decision.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>When her financial aid package finally came, she says she was speechless. “My mouth dropped to the floor.” There were only a few weeks left before school started, and her award offer was much lower than she had planned for. “I was mad at FAFSA,” she says. “So I went in blind, I went in confused, and I went in angry.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/09/24/nx-s1-5121218/fafsa-college-financial-aid-gao\">\u003cu>FAFSA debacle\u003c/u>\u003c/a> has followed students like Brenda into the school year, as the repercussions of months-long delays from the last financial aid cycle continue to play out. Many colleges traditionally ask students to commit to their school by May 1, but the National College Attainment Network \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/FAFSAtracker\">\u003cu>estimated that\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, compared to last year, about 408,000 fewer high school seniors had successfully completed their FAFSA as of that week. Some colleges responded by \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/04/05/1242776503/college-fafsa-financial-aid\">\u003cu>pushing their commitment deadlines\u003c/u>\u003c/a>, but the delays still left Brenda, and others like her, forced to make all kinds of decisions about college without knowing how they would pay for it. Now, many of those students are fighting to stay in school.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For Brenda, that meant scrambling to find housing nearby — a room that’s a 30-minute bus ride from campus — and making her own lunches to save money. She’s hoping to get more aid out of the next FAFSA cycle, which has again been delayed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Education began testing this year’s form with a limited number of students on Oct. 1, the form’s traditional release date. The agency says it’s working to fix glitches and release the application to all students by Dec. 1.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>‘I’m wondering how I’m going to pay for the next semester’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Brenda’s mom is a seamstress and her dad works for a bulk spice market. Nobody in her family has ever been to college, so she didn’t grow up thinking she’d get a degree.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That changed in 11th grade, when Brenda started taking drum lessons in the basement of a local nonprofit in Downtown Los Angeles. Kid City Hope Place serves low-income students with educational programs, financial aid help and activities meant to get them excited about higher education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I remember I was so scared of the upstairs kids because they were all about college, all about [their] future. And back in junior year, I didn’t even think I would go to college,” Brenda says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_12009019\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\" style=\"max-width: 1600px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-12009019\" src=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"1600\" height=\"1182\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy.jpg 1600w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-800x591.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-1020x754.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-160x118.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/10/npr.brightspotcdn-1-copy-1536x1135.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">Kid City Hope Place helped inspire Brenda to apply to college. The organization serves low-income students with educational programs, financial aid help and activities meant to get them excited about higher education. \u003ccite>(Jonaki Mehta/NPR)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003cp>Kim Fabian, the project director at Kid City, jokes that their music program is just a way to draw kids to the college access program upstairs. “It actually is one of the tactics we use for some of the students who might fall between the cracks — the students that aren’t high achieving, but aren’t low achieving, and they get stuck somewhere in the middle. They just need a gentle push.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>That was the case for Brenda, who says, “I just didn’t see a future for myself. But once I started going to the [college access] program at the end of my junior year, they encouraged me to apply to college, and encouraged me to apply for the FAFSA. They encouraged me to just go for it. Like, ‘You won’t regret this.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Brenda’s counselors told her that because her family was low-income, she would likely qualify for substantial financial aid. Excited about the prospect of going to a four-year university, Brenda forged ahead and applied to colleges last fall, and then to the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Fabian says she didn’t know what to say earlier this year when the FAFSA application process failed every single Kid City family who applied. “It felt like a broken promise,” she says. “It was impossible to not feel that guilty feeling because we’re the intermediaries that are supposed to make these dreams happen, make this possible, give you a hand, talk you through the process.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Even though the delays caused Brenda anxiety, she felt better when she saw her friends from higher-income families receive enough aid to cover their education. She was certain the same would be true for her. But when Brenda’s financial aid offer finally came in July, just a few weeks before school was set to begin, “I completely panicked,” she says.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She received a Pell Grant for $970 per semester, and was offered $2,750 in federal student loans each semester. That aid amount just about covers her tuition, but she’s on her own when it comes to housing, food, books and transportation.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And while Brenda did manage to cobble together enough money to start classes in the fall, she says the financial stress has made it hard to focus on her actual education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It makes me think about my future … and sometimes I’ll catch myself not focusing in class because I’m wondering how I’m going to pay for the next semester.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Not just an application, but a gateway to ‘a life plan’\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>Brenda is majoring in psychology. She has struggled with her own mental health and couldn’t get the help she needed, so she wants to become a therapist to help kids like her. But she’s worried about whether she can afford to finish her degree.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Brenda says this whole experience made her realize that, for her, the FAFSA isn’t just a bureaucratic application that results in a sum of money — it’s a gateway to “a life-plan.” Had she gotten her aid package in a timely manner, she could have made a more informed decision about college, applied to scholarships and maybe the entire thing would have been less stressful.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“This whole process, everything I experienced, just traumatized me.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>She says it was frustrating to hear the form was delayed again this year, but every time she feels discouraged about paying for her education, she thinks about her 2- and 3-year-old nieces.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I want to be a role model for them. I want them to know, ‘You can go to college. You’re not bound to be like your parents, you’re not bound to be like your grandparents. You can go to college and make a name for yourself.’”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As she waits to apply to the next FAFSA, she’s trying to stay focused on her coursework, and on her newfound independence. Recently, she stayed out past midnight for the first time, and had her first sleepover.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I was like ‘Wow! I feel so independent. I feel so adult.’ I’ve been experiencing a lot more in college than I did in the past 17 years of my life.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Now, Brenda hopes she can keep having those new life experiences. But it’ll depend on whether she can afford to keep getting the education she never even dreamed of.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cp>The U.S. Department of Education has again delayed the rollout of its updated federal financial aid application, known as FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The agency \u003ca href=\"https://www.ed.gov/news/press-releases/us-department-education-announces-schedule-and-new-process-launch-2025-26-fafsa-form\">said Wednesday\u003c/a> it will begin testing the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid in October, among “a limited set of students and institutions,” before circulating it to the general public in December.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside label=\"more on FAFSA\" tag=\"fafsa\"]Typically, the form is made available in October, and students fill it out for the following academic year. However, the form for the 2024–25 cycle was also delayed to December last year as the department worked to update its technology — per a congressional mandate. In the process, families’ incomes were not adjusted for inflation, which caused a \u003ca href=\"https://www.npr.org/2024/01/23/1226406495/families-colleges-remain-limbo-education-department-promises-fix-fafsa-mistake\">$1.8 billion deficit\u003c/a> in available aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Students’ data was not processed with colleges and universities until March, and their financial aid offers did not come through until April.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Following a challenging 2024–25 FAFSA cycle, the Department listened carefully to the input of students, families, and higher education institutions, made substantial changes to leadership and operations at Federal Student Aid, and is taking a new approach this year that will significantly improve the FAFSA experience,” U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education said it would keep students updated throughout the testing process.\u003cbr>\n[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n",
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"title": "Applying For Student Aid Was Supposed to Be Easier This Year. It Wasn’t",
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"content": "\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Applying for student aid this year was supposed to be easier for incoming college students, with a more simplified application process for FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But technical problems and missed deadlines for the new form’s rollout has led to disastrous results for students, especially those who are undocumented or come from mixed status families. These issues are likely a big reason why California saw a major drop in FAFSA applications for the Class of 2024.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC6761597424\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted. Applying for college is scary enough, and this year, applying for student aid felt nearly impossible for many.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s because the federal student aid application, known as Fafsa, was plagued with tech problems and delays, leading to nearly 40,000 fewer California students who’ve applied for student aid this year compared to last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>Not being able to fill it out. And like maybe not knowing what your aid is going to be and like notes having to decide, that’s pretty scary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, how the problems with Fafsa have affected students all over the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fafsa is hugely important because it basically determines if a student can go to college. Is college affordable?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Nisa Khan is an audience engagement reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fafsa, for those who don’t know, is free. Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that people can complete so they can qualify for federal grants, work study funds, loans. Many states and colleges, they use a pass information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid. So there’s just a lot of layers here and a lot of access to funds basically to go to post-secondary education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>It’s very long. It’s complicated, is a stressful form. Everyone hates doing it. It’s like overall like around 100 questions. You need tax information about your parents. For some students, like the first time they’re kind of running into this. So yeah, it’s it’s usually considered like a big dreadful process basically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I know you talked with one student who filled out a Fafsa app this year. Can you introduce me to Liz and tell me a little bit about who she is?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Liz is a rising junior who’s living in Berkeley. She wants to study data science with the emphasis on business analytics. So super smart. Because I can’t do that. Liz is currently in Laney College, but was hoping to go back to UC Berkeley for this coming fall. Liz prefers to go by her first name for immigration financial privacy. Liz’s parents are undocumented, and, she has completed the form successfully for two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>Usually my Fafsa process is about. It is about a day of sitting down and getting all the taxes together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>This year took her by surprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>At the time it took me since the start of January, all the way until the end of March, which is something I wasn’t really expecting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Right? And now she, this year, she basically just kept not being able to complete the form because of her parents immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So tell me a little bit about that. So she’s. I mean, this is not her first rodeo. Yeah. She’s very familiar with this form. But this year it was just different for her. What about it was different?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Typically when Liz filled out the Fafsa account, basically she didn’t have to make an account for her parents as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>So it was always that whenever you don’t have socials, your parents will have Social Security. Then they never had to make an account. So this time they were saying, all parents need an account, whether they have Social Security or not, and it just wouldn’t let you move forward. You just kind of were stuck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So Liz didn’t say that. Like, oh yeah, like I had to call, try to call the Fafsa helpline. And it was just like the lines were so bogged down. Liz said that she had to take time off work, and then she said classes to figure this out, too. And it was just became a huge hassle, a huge process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>So it’s just really frustrating because I know how easy A has been before, at least for me. I would get off of work at five, like, I don’t really have a lot of time to call that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So what did Liz do about it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>She describes the scene, of like laying in bed, just like scrolling through TikTok and getting a bunch of, like, people in the same, like, situation being like, oh, God, what do I do? Oh, God, what do I do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>I just saw that someone said, like, this worked for me. Like, you have to do this or you just have to keep on trying and keep on trying. So I was like, this is the last attempt on my phone and had opened up Safari, and I was like, I’m going to try this. I tried everything else. I just kept on doing the steps that they had, like said in the comments, and it was just over and over, just attempting again and again and again until I finally was able to get in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>And basically she needed to get her advice from like basically her peers on like TikTok, because people couldn’t really answer questions in real life because of the glitches and because there’s just not a lot information going around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>They just thought it was a miracle I was even able to get any.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The exact TikTok that Liz used to kind of figure out the key to like, you know, figuring out the Fafsa like she doesn’t have access to any more. The profile one private. She did cosign a couple of like, like from the same kind of community, the same people, the same trend of people. Just like trying to share as many tips as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tiktok Audio:\u003c/strong> If anyone you know or yourself have parents that are undocumented and you’re having trouble completing Fafsa. This happened to me yesterday and parents side. When I invited them, I couldn’t find the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, how does she describe how all of this made her feel?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I think she does it frustrated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>I don’t know, I feel like I should be able to get this information easily from, you know, someone that I should trust that like Berkeley or even like just like anyone FSA. But it was just someone else who I don’t know the name of and like their profile or nothing, it’s just a random user online who I probably would never meet, and they helped me out so much to be able to fill this out. So it does feel a little bit crazy that that’s how it happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>And it is. It sounds frustrating because no one who kind of had an official like an official in like the higher education world just didn’t have any answers because they also probably were frustrated, too, because a lot of it was just like such. It really does come from like the federal government and like nobody really knew what was going on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, yeah, I can only imagine how stressful that must have been. But I want to talk about why this was such a disaster. I mean, why was fast, such a mess for students like Liz: this year?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So the federal government decided to make the Fafsa simpler this year by relaunching as a streamline. Shorten cut down the questions to less than 50 questions. But that rollout just had a lot of problems. Counselors, high schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>They already knew that the new Fafsa was going to be delayed to the end of December. So like it’s usually launched in October, we already knew that was going to be delayed. That was something that people were anticipating. But when it did get launched in December, they were just major tech glitches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So, for example, in January, the Department of Education and the federal government confirmed that they needed to fix a major mistake where the Fafsa was like calculating how the calculated like financial student needs. People weren’t even understanding how much they were getting or qualifying for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fixing this glitch like setback deadlines is a huge mess. And then the other major glitch was for students like Liz, whose parents do not have a social security number. They basically just couldn’t finish the form. They just couldn’t keep going on working on the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So it sounds like there was a combination of technical issues that then led to deadline issues that then led to just a lot of confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I was covering this before the actual launch, and people in the higher education world, they were so excited to hear that there was a new face out there like, oh my God, this is going to change things because it was really annoying. Everyone was excited. But then it happened. And I think when people like, how did it turn out like this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Like, why did this happen? This is some reporting to the Washington Post. The administration says that lawmakers set unrealistic deadlines and were denying requests for more resources because it was kind of a lean budget, but it still kind of made a lot of people in DC really angry, too. So there’s currently a federal watchdog investigation looking into the matter, actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, how the botched Fafsa rollout affected students all over California. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What happened as a result of all of this? Like what is the impact been on students?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So I looked at the data from the National College Attainment Network, that is a nonprofit that aims to increase post-secondary degree access. This is Fafsa completions, not the missions. So these are Fafsa forms that had no corrections that needed to be made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The data that we currently have doesn’t include, the experiences like students like lives right now. It focuses on the class of 2024. So high school seniors. So as of May 24th, there was a 14% decrease nationally among students in a high school class of 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>In California, there was a 13% decrease from the same time last year, which is in, raw numbers, over 39,000 students, fewer students from the same time last year in this academic year who have not completed the Fafsa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And how do we know that this is because of changes to the application and not just people not applying for Fafsa?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Sure. I think that’s a super fair question because we don’t know for sure. But I did end up talking to experts and counselors. So people are kind of familiar with, like the thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bill DeBaun: \u003c/strong>I was going to attribute these to clients. So one specific thing, it would be the delayed opening of the Fafsa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Bill DeBaun, is, National College Attainment Networks, senior director. He said it was kind of the delay. The Fafsa was usually around October. It launched in December. That delayed had led to fewer applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bill DeBaun: \u003c/strong>When you take that number of days away from high performing states, every single one of those days, relatively speaking, costs that state more in terms of Fafsa completion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>California is doing really well when it comes to asset completions last year, and then you have this year where, like so many kids ran into trouble. I think that’s another thing to keep in mind is that, like they were doing really well. It was like a really good, like polished machine, basically last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>For counselors, they really emphasize this. It was the glitches. It was just the idea that, like students, we just asked people to finish it. They went to Yale, started they had all these problems, and they kept saying, like, I’m just so afraid kids are just not gonna even finish that. They’re not even going to bother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>It’s been the worst financial aid application season that I’ve ever been a part of as a working professional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>David Alvarez: is the director of college readiness and success at powerful public schools in San Jose. He’s been working at education for many years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>We understand that this college going process is a decision not just up to students, but as a family. It’s a family decision, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>One thing he emphasizes, I like it just students didn’t know basically what was the next step. They couldn’t plan the next step for him. They’re having workshop nights and they’re having like, you know, so many like nights where they’re inviting. And parents, you describe like people being like, oh, you don’t know what you’re doing. He’s like, it’s so much bigger than him, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>You typically have those answers for students, you know, you know, the frequently asked questions. And this year the frustration comes with, hey, there’s a glitch in the system, how do I fix it? And all across the college success team that we are, it’s we don’t have those answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>It’s just been really difficult for our students. And and what worries me is I think a lot of them are starting to give up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Jill Shuman is a counselor at Piedmont Hills and choose to say again, like she was so worried that this was going to discourage students from just not even completing or starting the Fafsa. She has a story about a student who was coming from a mixed US family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>I have one of my my, students I just adore. She she’s my my assistant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Who would just stop by her office weekly and be like, is it fixed, is it fixed, is it fixed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>And she would check in like constantly. Each week she check in and I would say, I’m sure just, you know, let’s let’s check again at the end of the week. Let’s check again at the end of the week. And I mean, we’ve been saying that since January. And so, you know, she was getting anxious as she kept asking, you know, is there a fix, is there a fix? And there just wasn’t any fix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Students that really felt like they had to be like on it, right. And class and figure it out because it there are deadlines even though the deadlines are extended in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>But I can also empathize with these students who are really waiting for answers in many ways, to help them figure out which college they can go to and what they can afford, and how stressful that might have been.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I know we heard Liz’s story in the beginning, and we know that one group of students in particular has been really impacted by these changes to Fafsa, and those are undocumented students. Yes. Or students with mixed status families. What do we know nice about who this problem is affecting the most?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The National College Attainment Network doesn’t have data on specific student demographics, so they break it by school income and by percent of students of color. So for example, they were able to calculate it is a school like high minority or low minority by pay saw the percentage of the schools and they saw like, you know, kind of similar jobs between low minority and high minority schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>But I do think it’s important to like flag up 20% of Californians under the age of 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members from. Counselors and from people who are familiar with college success, like David Alvarez: is just like he saw like just a huge amount of burden placed on students from mixed status families, from students who may have parents who are undocumented or.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So, Nisa, is this still a problem, or has the federal government fixed the problems with the Fafsa form at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So one thing that David Alvarez: said that really like kind of stuck with me. Yes, problems may have been like quote unquote like fix. They have like smooth out some of those glitches. The damage has been kind of done by the May 2nd. Deadline for in-state aid has passed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I would point out that the California Student Aid Commission encouraged students to still apply for the Fafsa to see if they qualify for other types of financial aid. So there may be some stuff still out there. Also worth pointing out that the Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award. That Fafsa application is due on September 2nd, so you do have a lot of time for that as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So there is still an opportunity to get something. If you are a student. And Tldr you should still apply. Yeah. I mean, what a mechanism. I mean, what are the stakes at the end of the day of getting this process right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Students deciding what’s the next step? It’s a family decision, right? Students may be talking to their parents, being like, what are we going to do for the next year? Am I going to have to take on loans? Do I want to go to four year doing to go to two, a two year community college, things like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>One thing to build upon said like really emphasize is that like Fafsa completion and that data is important to him. And the reason why they collect it in the first place is that is a good indicator of who’s going to attend college that fall and what future college enrollment it’s going to look like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, there’s a trickle down, effect, from these Fafsa applications, because college is so expensive and you need money to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Yeah, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>This isn’t like the sigh of two people who probably would have died on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll need to thank you so much for breaking this down for us, I appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Thank you so much for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Nisa Khan, an audience engagement reporter for KQED. Thanks as well to KQED Carlos Cabrera Lomeli for the reporting he contributed to this story. This 33 minute conversation with Nisa was cut down and edited by Tamuna Chkareuli. Ellie Prickett-Morgan scored this episode and edited all the tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Alan Montecillo is our senior editor. Additional production support from me music courtesy of the Audio Network. The Bay is a KQED production. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks for listening. Peace.\u003c/p>\n\n",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp class=\"p1\">\u003ca href=\"#episode-transcript\">\u003ci>View the full episode transcript.\u003c/i>\u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">Applying for student aid this year was supposed to be easier for incoming college students, with a more simplified application process for FAFSA, or Free Application for Federal Student Aid. \u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cspan style=\"font-weight: 400\">But technical problems and missed deadlines for the new form’s rollout has led to disastrous results for students, especially those who are undocumented or come from mixed status families. These issues are likely a big reason why California saw a major drop in FAFSA applications for the Class of 2024.\u003c/span>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" frameborder=\"0\" height=\"200\" scrolling=\"no\" src=\"https://playlist.megaphone.fm/?e=KQINC6761597424\" width=\"100%\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-content post-body\">\u003ch2 id=\"episode-transcript\">Episode Transcript\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ci>This is a computer-generated transcript. While our team has reviewed it, there may be errors.\u003c/i>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra, and welcome to the Bay. Local news to keep you rooted. Applying for college is scary enough, and this year, applying for student aid felt nearly impossible for many.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That’s because the federal student aid application, known as Fafsa, was plagued with tech problems and delays, leading to nearly 40,000 fewer California students who’ve applied for student aid this year compared to last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>Not being able to fill it out. And like maybe not knowing what your aid is going to be and like notes having to decide, that’s pretty scary.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Today, how the problems with Fafsa have affected students all over the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fafsa is hugely important because it basically determines if a student can go to college. Is college affordable?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Nisa Khan is an audience engagement reporter for KQED.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fafsa, for those who don’t know, is free. Application for Federal Student Aid is a form that people can complete so they can qualify for federal grants, work study funds, loans. Many states and colleges, they use a pass information to determine your eligibility for state and school aid. So there’s just a lot of layers here and a lot of access to funds basically to go to post-secondary education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>It’s very long. It’s complicated, is a stressful form. Everyone hates doing it. It’s like overall like around 100 questions. You need tax information about your parents. For some students, like the first time they’re kind of running into this. So yeah, it’s it’s usually considered like a big dreadful process basically.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And I know you talked with one student who filled out a Fafsa app this year. Can you introduce me to Liz and tell me a little bit about who she is?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Liz is a rising junior who’s living in Berkeley. She wants to study data science with the emphasis on business analytics. So super smart. Because I can’t do that. Liz is currently in Laney College, but was hoping to go back to UC Berkeley for this coming fall. Liz prefers to go by her first name for immigration financial privacy. Liz’s parents are undocumented, and, she has completed the form successfully for two years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>Usually my Fafsa process is about. It is about a day of sitting down and getting all the taxes together.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>This year took her by surprise.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>At the time it took me since the start of January, all the way until the end of March, which is something I wasn’t really expecting.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Right? And now she, this year, she basically just kept not being able to complete the form because of her parents immigration status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah. So tell me a little bit about that. So she’s. I mean, this is not her first rodeo. Yeah. She’s very familiar with this form. But this year it was just different for her. What about it was different?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Typically when Liz filled out the Fafsa account, basically she didn’t have to make an account for her parents as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>So it was always that whenever you don’t have socials, your parents will have Social Security. Then they never had to make an account. So this time they were saying, all parents need an account, whether they have Social Security or not, and it just wouldn’t let you move forward. You just kind of were stuck.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So Liz didn’t say that. Like, oh yeah, like I had to call, try to call the Fafsa helpline. And it was just like the lines were so bogged down. Liz said that she had to take time off work, and then she said classes to figure this out, too. And it was just became a huge hassle, a huge process.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>So it’s just really frustrating because I know how easy A has been before, at least for me. I would get off of work at five, like, I don’t really have a lot of time to call that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So what did Liz do about it?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>She describes the scene, of like laying in bed, just like scrolling through TikTok and getting a bunch of, like, people in the same, like, situation being like, oh, God, what do I do? Oh, God, what do I do?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>I just saw that someone said, like, this worked for me. Like, you have to do this or you just have to keep on trying and keep on trying. So I was like, this is the last attempt on my phone and had opened up Safari, and I was like, I’m going to try this. I tried everything else. I just kept on doing the steps that they had, like said in the comments, and it was just over and over, just attempting again and again and again until I finally was able to get in.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>And basically she needed to get her advice from like basically her peers on like TikTok, because people couldn’t really answer questions in real life because of the glitches and because there’s just not a lot information going around.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>They just thought it was a miracle I was even able to get any.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The exact TikTok that Liz used to kind of figure out the key to like, you know, figuring out the Fafsa like she doesn’t have access to any more. The profile one private. She did cosign a couple of like, like from the same kind of community, the same people, the same trend of people. Just like trying to share as many tips as they can.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Tiktok Audio:\u003c/strong> If anyone you know or yourself have parents that are undocumented and you’re having trouble completing Fafsa. This happened to me yesterday and parents side. When I invited them, I couldn’t find the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I mean, how does she describe how all of this made her feel?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I think she does it frustrated.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Liz: \u003c/strong>I don’t know, I feel like I should be able to get this information easily from, you know, someone that I should trust that like Berkeley or even like just like anyone FSA. But it was just someone else who I don’t know the name of and like their profile or nothing, it’s just a random user online who I probably would never meet, and they helped me out so much to be able to fill this out. So it does feel a little bit crazy that that’s how it happened.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>And it is. It sounds frustrating because no one who kind of had an official like an official in like the higher education world just didn’t have any answers because they also probably were frustrated, too, because a lot of it was just like such. It really does come from like the federal government and like nobody really knew what was going on.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Well, yeah, I can only imagine how stressful that must have been. But I want to talk about why this was such a disaster. I mean, why was fast, such a mess for students like Liz: this year?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So the federal government decided to make the Fafsa simpler this year by relaunching as a streamline. Shorten cut down the questions to less than 50 questions. But that rollout just had a lot of problems. Counselors, high schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>They already knew that the new Fafsa was going to be delayed to the end of December. So like it’s usually launched in October, we already knew that was going to be delayed. That was something that people were anticipating. But when it did get launched in December, they were just major tech glitches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So, for example, in January, the Department of Education and the federal government confirmed that they needed to fix a major mistake where the Fafsa was like calculating how the calculated like financial student needs. People weren’t even understanding how much they were getting or qualifying for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Fixing this glitch like setback deadlines is a huge mess. And then the other major glitch was for students like Liz, whose parents do not have a social security number. They basically just couldn’t finish the form. They just couldn’t keep going on working on the form.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So it sounds like there was a combination of technical issues that then led to deadline issues that then led to just a lot of confusion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I was covering this before the actual launch, and people in the higher education world, they were so excited to hear that there was a new face out there like, oh my God, this is going to change things because it was really annoying. Everyone was excited. But then it happened. And I think when people like, how did it turn out like this?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Like, why did this happen? This is some reporting to the Washington Post. The administration says that lawmakers set unrealistic deadlines and were denying requests for more resources because it was kind of a lean budget, but it still kind of made a lot of people in DC really angry, too. So there’s currently a federal watchdog investigation looking into the matter, actually.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Coming up, how the botched Fafsa rollout affected students all over California. Stay with us.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>What happened as a result of all of this? Like what is the impact been on students?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So I looked at the data from the National College Attainment Network, that is a nonprofit that aims to increase post-secondary degree access. This is Fafsa completions, not the missions. So these are Fafsa forms that had no corrections that needed to be made.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The data that we currently have doesn’t include, the experiences like students like lives right now. It focuses on the class of 2024. So high school seniors. So as of May 24th, there was a 14% decrease nationally among students in a high school class of 2024.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>In California, there was a 13% decrease from the same time last year, which is in, raw numbers, over 39,000 students, fewer students from the same time last year in this academic year who have not completed the Fafsa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>And how do we know that this is because of changes to the application and not just people not applying for Fafsa?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Sure. I think that’s a super fair question because we don’t know for sure. But I did end up talking to experts and counselors. So people are kind of familiar with, like the thing.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bill DeBaun: \u003c/strong>I was going to attribute these to clients. So one specific thing, it would be the delayed opening of the Fafsa.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Bill DeBaun, is, National College Attainment Networks, senior director. He said it was kind of the delay. The Fafsa was usually around October. It launched in December. That delayed had led to fewer applications.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Bill DeBaun: \u003c/strong>When you take that number of days away from high performing states, every single one of those days, relatively speaking, costs that state more in terms of Fafsa completion.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>California is doing really well when it comes to asset completions last year, and then you have this year where, like so many kids ran into trouble. I think that’s another thing to keep in mind is that, like they were doing really well. It was like a really good, like polished machine, basically last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>For counselors, they really emphasize this. It was the glitches. It was just the idea that, like students, we just asked people to finish it. They went to Yale, started they had all these problems, and they kept saying, like, I’m just so afraid kids are just not gonna even finish that. They’re not even going to bother.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>It’s been the worst financial aid application season that I’ve ever been a part of as a working professional.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>David Alvarez: is the director of college readiness and success at powerful public schools in San Jose. He’s been working at education for many years.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>We understand that this college going process is a decision not just up to students, but as a family. It’s a family decision, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>One thing he emphasizes, I like it just students didn’t know basically what was the next step. They couldn’t plan the next step for him. They’re having workshop nights and they’re having like, you know, so many like nights where they’re inviting. And parents, you describe like people being like, oh, you don’t know what you’re doing. He’s like, it’s so much bigger than him, right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>David Alvarez: \u003c/strong>You typically have those answers for students, you know, you know, the frequently asked questions. And this year the frustration comes with, hey, there’s a glitch in the system, how do I fix it? And all across the college success team that we are, it’s we don’t have those answers.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>It’s just been really difficult for our students. And and what worries me is I think a lot of them are starting to give up.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Jill Shuman is a counselor at Piedmont Hills and choose to say again, like she was so worried that this was going to discourage students from just not even completing or starting the Fafsa. She has a story about a student who was coming from a mixed US family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>I have one of my my, students I just adore. She she’s my my assistant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Who would just stop by her office weekly and be like, is it fixed, is it fixed, is it fixed?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Jill Shoopman: \u003c/strong>And she would check in like constantly. Each week she check in and I would say, I’m sure just, you know, let’s let’s check again at the end of the week. Let’s check again at the end of the week. And I mean, we’ve been saying that since January. And so, you know, she was getting anxious as she kept asking, you know, is there a fix, is there a fix? And there just wasn’t any fix.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Students that really felt like they had to be like on it, right. And class and figure it out because it there are deadlines even though the deadlines are extended in the state.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>But I can also empathize with these students who are really waiting for answers in many ways, to help them figure out which college they can go to and what they can afford, and how stressful that might have been.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>I know we heard Liz’s story in the beginning, and we know that one group of students in particular has been really impacted by these changes to Fafsa, and those are undocumented students. Yes. Or students with mixed status families. What do we know nice about who this problem is affecting the most?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>The National College Attainment Network doesn’t have data on specific student demographics, so they break it by school income and by percent of students of color. So for example, they were able to calculate it is a school like high minority or low minority by pay saw the percentage of the schools and they saw like, you know, kind of similar jobs between low minority and high minority schools.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>But I do think it’s important to like flag up 20% of Californians under the age of 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members from. Counselors and from people who are familiar with college success, like David Alvarez: is just like he saw like just a huge amount of burden placed on students from mixed status families, from students who may have parents who are undocumented or.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So, Nisa, is this still a problem, or has the federal government fixed the problems with the Fafsa form at this point?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>So one thing that David Alvarez: said that really like kind of stuck with me. Yes, problems may have been like quote unquote like fix. They have like smooth out some of those glitches. The damage has been kind of done by the May 2nd. Deadline for in-state aid has passed.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>I would point out that the California Student Aid Commission encouraged students to still apply for the Fafsa to see if they qualify for other types of financial aid. So there may be some stuff still out there. Also worth pointing out that the Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award. That Fafsa application is due on September 2nd, so you do have a lot of time for that as well.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>So there is still an opportunity to get something. If you are a student. And Tldr you should still apply. Yeah. I mean, what a mechanism. I mean, what are the stakes at the end of the day of getting this process right?\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Students deciding what’s the next step? It’s a family decision, right? Students may be talking to their parents, being like, what are we going to do for the next year? Am I going to have to take on loans? Do I want to go to four year doing to go to two, a two year community college, things like that.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>One thing to build upon said like really emphasize is that like Fafsa completion and that data is important to him. And the reason why they collect it in the first place is that is a good indicator of who’s going to attend college that fall and what future college enrollment it’s going to look like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah, there’s a trickle down, effect, from these Fafsa applications, because college is so expensive and you need money to go.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Yeah, yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Yeah.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>This isn’t like the sigh of two people who probably would have died on it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>We’ll need to thank you so much for breaking this down for us, I appreciate it.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Nisa Khan: \u003c/strong>Thank you so much for having me.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>That was Nisa Khan, an audience engagement reporter for KQED. Thanks as well to KQED Carlos Cabrera Lomeli for the reporting he contributed to this story. This 33 minute conversation with Nisa was cut down and edited by Tamuna Chkareuli. Ellie Prickett-Morgan scored this episode and edited all the tape.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Ericka Cruz Guevarra: \u003c/strong>Alan Montecillo is our senior editor. Additional production support from me music courtesy of the Audio Network. The Bay is a KQED production. I’m Ericka Cruz Guevarra. Thanks for listening. Peace.\u003c/p>\n\n\u003c/div>"
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"title": "California's Class of 2024 Lags in Student Aid Applications, Data Shows",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over 42,000 fewer students in California applied for federal student aid in 2024 than last year after a major overhaul of the application process resulted in serious technical problems for would-be college applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than half of California high school seniors completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — form this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/FAFSAtracker\">May 17 data from the National College Attainment Network\u003c/a> (NCAN), a nonprofit that aims to increase postsecondary degree access.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to NCAN’s latest available figures, which are still being updated as more forms are processed, the California class of 2024 saw a 14% decrease in FAFSA completions compared to the same time last year. (Due to the delayed launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA the data for that year starts in January, as shown in the graph below, rather than in October as in previous years.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extended deadline for California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">state aid was May 2\u003c/a>, although \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines#fafsa-deadlines-2024-25\">students can still apply to FAFSA to assess their potential eligibility\u003c/a> for other types of aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"California's total FAFSA Completions since 2017\" aria-label=\"Table\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-Uon0q\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Zp4Bd/4\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border: none;\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" data-external=\"1\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, the drop in FAFSA applications was even higher: A 16% decrease compared to the class of 2023. California was ranked ninth in highest among U.S. states and territories for FAFSA completion, a position that has nonetheless improved in the past two weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"High school seniors' FAFSA completions in 2024\" aria-label=\"Table\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-Uon0q\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/vX50o/6/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border: none;\" width=\"800\" height=\"475\" data-external=\"1\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NCAN measured FAFSA completion data rather than just submissions, meaning the application has been submitted \u003cem>and \u003c/em>not sent back to the student for any corrections. The nonprofit’s data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office and includes both public and private high schools. As it continues to report the submission numbers that are still coming in, NCAN also mounted \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/DoTheFAFSA\">a social campaign to highlight the national FAFSA statistics lagging\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bill DeBaun, NCAN’s senior director, said the submission data “really raises the question about how many students actually started the application but didn’t finish, because of the glitches in the application — or because of whatever complication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Who’s applying for financial aid — and who’s not?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>NCAN’s data also reveals demographic disparities in who’s applying for financial aid in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Low-income schools, defined as schools where at least half of the students are qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch, saw a FAFSA completion rate of 47%. This means, over 165,000 lower-income students did not complete the FAFSA this year compared to 2023 — a 15% decrease. By comparison, higher-income schools saw a 56% completion rate among their students and a 13% decrease from last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The data is similar when examining completions among students of color in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than half of seniors in “high-minority” schools (which NCAN defines as enrolling 40% or more Black and/or Hispanic students) completed the FAFSA for 2024 — a 15% drop in this same group from last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By contrast, a higher percentage of seniors in “low-minority schools” — 56% — completed the FAFSA this year, with a smaller decrease of 12% in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monitoring the relative levels of FAFSA completion matters, DeBaun said, because the numbers give an idea of how many young people intend to enroll in college in the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we see FAFSA completion go up, we see immediate college enrollment also go up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For mixed-status students, a particular burden\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As school counselors like Piedmont Hills’ Jill Shoopman can attest, applying to the FAFSA is already a dreaded process for most high school seniors who aim to attend postsecondary institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">the bungled rollout\u003c/a> had Shoopman fearing that many high school students would give up trying to complete the form entirely and miss out on aid they could be qualified for, especially those who need it most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many in similar positions, Shoopman saw the particular impact on students from California’s mixed-status families. Mixed-status students \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">found themselves blocked from completing the FAFSA application\u003c/a> if one of their parents didn’t have a Social Security number due to their immigration status. Shoopman recalled how one of her favorite students, a senior from a mixed-status family, would stop by her office each week to anxiously ask, “Is there a fix? Is there a fix?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She understands, even at her young age, how important this is,” Shoopman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counselors, high schools and college-prep organizations say \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the delayed rollout of the relaunched FAFSA\u003c/a> — a revamp intended to streamline and simplify the process for students — was no big surprise. Further complicating the process were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">glitches \u003c/a>with Social Security numbers and instances where students could not create accounts entirely, which created real panic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The application launched on Dec. 30, 2023, but students from mixed-status families could only complete the application starting March 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just don’t know how they didn’t anticipate that [mixed-status families not being able to apply] was going to be a concern,” Shoopman said — especially in a state like California, where \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Families, support staff and schools under pressure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For David Alvarez, the director of college readiness and success at Alpha Public Schools in San José, it was “the worst financial aid application season that I’ve ever experienced” in his 15 years in education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know that us as a team, as well as fellow educators, tried our absolute best to improve completion rates from years to the next,” Alvarez said. “But the system [this year] didn’t really allow for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez’s school has a large number of first-generation and Latino students, he explained. In preparation for the application season, the school prepared FAFSA workshops and early morning hours for seniors to work on their application to provide specialized attention to students — trying to work around the complications of the form.[aside postID=news_11984551 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240423-SAT-III-MD-06-KQED-1020x680.jpg']During those workshops, Alvarez managed the growing frustrations of students and their parents. He said some had taken time off work to attend a workshop and faced unanswered questions exacerbated by FAFSA glitches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The experience has become a nightmare when you realize that applications weren’t working properly, that you didn’t always have the answers when you were troubleshooting things … and that created a lot of distrust from students and parents,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes, they might see it as, ‘Hey, you don’t have the answers. You might be incompetent. You don’t know what you’re talking about,’” Alvarez said. “And the reality is: It’s so much bigger than us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our community is losing out on both the time and the money that, let’s be real, we didn’t really have in the first place to begin with,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oftentimes, students would question the purpose of even doing the application, Alvarez said. Some four-year eligible students instead planned to go to community college, potentially overloading the community college system, which is unsure who will be attending in the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With a delay in FAFSA, it delayed the ability for schools to present financial aid award letters,” Alvarez said. The FAFSA delays also delayed schools’ ability to present financial aid award letters, Alvarez said — meaning that “ultimately, students and parents can’t confidently select the institution that they want to go to — because they’re just unaware of how much money they will receive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many states extended their college application deadlines, this led to institutions not knowing who would attend their school in the fall. According to DeBaun, this impacts course schedules, staffing and residential halls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a limit to how far back institutions can push these deadlines and still be prepared to receive students for the fall semester,” he said. Shoopman also said it can keep students on college waitlists in limbo as others consider if they can afford to enroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For students in California, or anywhere in America right now, we should be concerned about what full enrollment would look like based on the FAFSA completion declines that we’re seeing,” DeBaun said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Examining the reasons behind FAFSA declines\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One factor to consider in this year’s sharp fall in FAFSA submissions is the record number of applications the state saw last year, according to California State Aid Commission (CSAC) spokesperson Shelveen Ratnam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the agency’s widespread \u003ca href=\"https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/1558523/0672826e-a84b-11e7-9779-0ae3e1d9783c/2627890/325d1d6e-1cfb-11ee-b757-02b0137163b1/file/all_in_for_fafsa_ca_dream_act_fact_sheet.pdf\">“All in for FAFSA/CA Dream” campaign\u003c/a> promoted awareness of FAFSA, encouraging California high schools to have all students fill out an application or actively opt out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like every state that also implemented this policy, California saw a large jump in FAFSA completion numbers last year, DeBaun said. By September 2023, 62% of the class of 2023 had completed the FAFSA — compared to 58% of the class of 2022 in the same period that year.[aside postID=news_11982354 hero='https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2024/04/240408-UCLAWSF-014-BL-KQED-1020x680.jpg']States that have traditionally done well with FAFSA completion, like California and Texas, are also seeing major drops this year, DeBaun said. However, for him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fafsa\">the delay in this year’s FAFSA application\u003c/a> is at least partly responsible for these marked decreases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Think about it this way: Every day, [successful states] are relatively more effective at getting more students to complete a FAFSA than their peers,” DeBaun said. “So when you take 90 days out of the FAFSA cycle … every single one of those days, relatively speaking, costs that state more in terms of FAFSA completion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The class of 2024 [has] just had a much smaller window in which to complete the FAFSA,” DeBaun said — and all the while — “the fall semester isn’t getting pushed back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam described the trend in data — and the technical difficulties that students faced — as “definitely alarming.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Financial aid is] one of the most important things that students or families think about when it comes to deciding if they want to pursue higher education,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Alvarez noted that FAFSA submission numbers have increased in the last weeks, likely helped by the fact that the previous glitches with the form had been fixed, he said that distrust of the process among students and their families is still noticeable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As this winter’s initial FAFSA errors might have been resolved, “tell that to someone who’s come to the high school five, six, seven, eight times already,” Alvarez said. “And that’s really what we’re facing: Just re-energizing the students and the parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As difficult as it is, it has long-term impacts, and we want to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do students still have time to apply?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While the May 2 deadline for in-state aid has passed, CSAC is encouraging students to still apply to the FAFSA to see if they qualify for other types of financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award FAFSA application\u003c/a> is due on Sept. 2\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez said the FAFSA is often the first college-related struggle students face. But he tells his students to apply for financial aid to keep the door open to college enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to parents, Alvarez said his message on the importance of financial aid’s role in getting a student to college often comes when their children are graduating: “They’re literally transcending their circumstances; they’re narrowing that achievement gap,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re breaking barriers for their families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "Over 42,000 fewer students in California applied for federal student aid in 2024 compared to last year. What happened?",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cem>This story has been updated.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Over 42,000 fewer students in California applied for federal student aid in 2024 than last year after a major overhaul of the application process resulted in serious technical problems for would-be college applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than half of California high school seniors completed the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — form this year, according to \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/FAFSAtracker\">May 17 data from the National College Attainment Network\u003c/a> (NCAN), a nonprofit that aims to increase postsecondary degree access.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>According to NCAN’s latest available figures, which are still being updated as more forms are processed, the California class of 2024 saw a 14% decrease in FAFSA completions compared to the same time last year. (Due to the delayed launch of the 2024-25 FAFSA the data for that year starts in January, as shown in the graph below, rather than in October as in previous years.)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The extended deadline for California \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">state aid was May 2\u003c/a>, although \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/fafsa-deadlines#fafsa-deadlines-2024-25\">students can still apply to FAFSA to assess their potential eligibility\u003c/a> for other types of aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"California's total FAFSA Completions since 2017\" aria-label=\"Table\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-Uon0q\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Zp4Bd/4\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border: none;\" width=\"800\" height=\"500\" data-external=\"1\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Nationally, the drop in FAFSA applications was even higher: A 16% decrease compared to the class of 2023. California was ranked ninth in highest among U.S. states and territories for FAFSA completion, a position that has nonetheless improved in the past two weeks.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c!-- iframe plugin v.4.3 wordpress.org/plugins/iframe/ -->\u003cbr>\n\u003ciframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"High school seniors' FAFSA completions in 2024\" aria-label=\"Table\" id=\"datawrapper-chart-Uon0q\" src=\"https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/vX50o/6/\" scrolling=\"no\" frameborder=\"0\" style=\"border: none;\" width=\"800\" height=\"475\" data-external=\"1\" class=\"iframe-class\">\u003c/iframe>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>NCAN measured FAFSA completion data rather than just submissions, meaning the application has been submitted \u003cem>and \u003c/em>not sent back to the student for any corrections. The nonprofit’s data comes from the U.S. Department of Education’s Federal Student Aid office and includes both public and private high schools. As it continues to report the submission numbers that are still coming in, NCAN also mounted \u003ca href=\"https://www.ncan.org/page/DoTheFAFSA\">a social campaign to highlight the national FAFSA statistics lagging\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Bill DeBaun, NCAN’s senior director, said the submission data “really raises the question about how many students actually started the application but didn’t finish, because of the glitches in the application — or because of whatever complication.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Who’s applying for financial aid — and who’s not?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>NCAN’s data also reveals demographic disparities in who’s applying for financial aid in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Low-income schools, defined as schools where at least half of the students are qualified for free or reduced-priced lunch, saw a FAFSA completion rate of 47%. This means, over 165,000 lower-income students did not complete the FAFSA this year compared to 2023 — a 15% decrease. By comparison, higher-income schools saw a 56% completion rate among their students and a 13% decrease from last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The data is similar when examining completions among students of color in California.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Less than half of seniors in “high-minority” schools (which NCAN defines as enrolling 40% or more Black and/or Hispanic students) completed the FAFSA for 2024 — a 15% drop in this same group from last year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>By contrast, a higher percentage of seniors in “low-minority schools” — 56% — completed the FAFSA this year, with a smaller decrease of 12% in 2023.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Monitoring the relative levels of FAFSA completion matters, DeBaun said, because the numbers give an idea of how many young people intend to enroll in college in the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“When we see FAFSA completion go up, we see immediate college enrollment also go up,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>For mixed-status students, a particular burden\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>As school counselors like Piedmont Hills’ Jill Shoopman can attest, applying to the FAFSA is already a dreaded process for most high school seniors who aim to attend postsecondary institutions.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>But \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">the bungled rollout\u003c/a> had Shoopman fearing that many high school students would give up trying to complete the form entirely and miss out on aid they could be qualified for, especially those who need it most.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like many in similar positions, Shoopman saw the particular impact on students from California’s mixed-status families. Mixed-status students \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">found themselves blocked from completing the FAFSA application\u003c/a> if one of their parents didn’t have a Social Security number due to their immigration status. Shoopman recalled how one of her favorite students, a senior from a mixed-status family, would stop by her office each week to anxiously ask, “Is there a fix? Is there a fix?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“She understands, even at her young age, how important this is,” Shoopman said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Counselors, high schools and college-prep organizations say \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11957693/applying-for-fafsa-in-2023-will-be-different-what-to-know-including-deadlines\">the delayed rollout of the relaunched FAFSA\u003c/a> — a revamp intended to streamline and simplify the process for students — was no big surprise. Further complicating the process were \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">glitches \u003c/a>with Social Security numbers and instances where students could not create accounts entirely, which created real panic.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The application launched on Dec. 30, 2023, but students from mixed-status families could only complete the application starting March 12.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I just don’t know how they didn’t anticipate that [mixed-status families not being able to apply] was going to be a concern,” Shoopman said — especially in a state like California, where \u003ca href=\"https://immigrantdataca.org/indicators/mixed-status-families?breakdown=by-age-group\">20% of Californians under 18 are either undocumented or living with undocumented family members\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Families, support staff and schools under pressure\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>For David Alvarez, the director of college readiness and success at Alpha Public Schools in San José, it was “the worst financial aid application season that I’ve ever experienced” in his 15 years in education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“I know that us as a team, as well as fellow educators, tried our absolute best to improve completion rates from years to the next,” Alvarez said. “But the system [this year] didn’t really allow for it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez’s school has a large number of first-generation and Latino students, he explained. In preparation for the application season, the school prepared FAFSA workshops and early morning hours for seniors to work on their application to provide specialized attention to students — trying to work around the complications of the form.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>During those workshops, Alvarez managed the growing frustrations of students and their parents. He said some had taken time off work to attend a workshop and faced unanswered questions exacerbated by FAFSA glitches.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The experience has become a nightmare when you realize that applications weren’t working properly, that you didn’t always have the answers when you were troubleshooting things … and that created a lot of distrust from students and parents,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Sometimes, they might see it as, ‘Hey, you don’t have the answers. You might be incompetent. You don’t know what you’re talking about,’” Alvarez said. “And the reality is: It’s so much bigger than us.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Our community is losing out on both the time and the money that, let’s be real, we didn’t really have in the first place to begin with,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Oftentimes, students would question the purpose of even doing the application, Alvarez said. Some four-year eligible students instead planned to go to community college, potentially overloading the community college system, which is unsure who will be attending in the fall.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With a delay in FAFSA, it delayed the ability for schools to present financial aid award letters,” Alvarez said. The FAFSA delays also delayed schools’ ability to present financial aid award letters, Alvarez said — meaning that “ultimately, students and parents can’t confidently select the institution that they want to go to — because they’re just unaware of how much money they will receive.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While many states extended their college application deadlines, this led to institutions not knowing who would attend their school in the fall. According to DeBaun, this impacts course schedules, staffing and residential halls.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“There is a limit to how far back institutions can push these deadlines and still be prepared to receive students for the fall semester,” he said. Shoopman also said it can keep students on college waitlists in limbo as others consider if they can afford to enroll.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“For students in California, or anywhere in America right now, we should be concerned about what full enrollment would look like based on the FAFSA completion declines that we’re seeing,” DeBaun said.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Examining the reasons behind FAFSA declines\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>One factor to consider in this year’s sharp fall in FAFSA submissions is the record number of applications the state saw last year, according to California State Aid Commission (CSAC) spokesperson Shelveen Ratnam.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the agency’s widespread \u003ca href=\"https://campussuite-storage.s3.amazonaws.com/prod/1558523/0672826e-a84b-11e7-9779-0ae3e1d9783c/2627890/325d1d6e-1cfb-11ee-b757-02b0137163b1/file/all_in_for_fafsa_ca_dream_act_fact_sheet.pdf\">“All in for FAFSA/CA Dream” campaign\u003c/a> promoted awareness of FAFSA, encouraging California high schools to have all students fill out an application or actively opt out.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Like every state that also implemented this policy, California saw a large jump in FAFSA completion numbers last year, DeBaun said. By September 2023, 62% of the class of 2023 had completed the FAFSA — compared to 58% of the class of 2022 in the same period that year.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>States that have traditionally done well with FAFSA completion, like California and Texas, are also seeing major drops this year, DeBaun said. However, for him, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/fafsa\">the delay in this year’s FAFSA application\u003c/a> is at least partly responsible for these marked decreases.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Think about it this way: Every day, [successful states] are relatively more effective at getting more students to complete a FAFSA than their peers,” DeBaun said. “So when you take 90 days out of the FAFSA cycle … every single one of those days, relatively speaking, costs that state more in terms of FAFSA completion.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The class of 2024 [has] just had a much smaller window in which to complete the FAFSA,” DeBaun said — and all the while — “the fall semester isn’t getting pushed back.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam described the trend in data — and the technical difficulties that students faced — as “definitely alarming.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“[Financial aid is] one of the most important things that students or families think about when it comes to deciding if they want to pursue higher education,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While Alvarez noted that FAFSA submission numbers have increased in the last weeks, likely helped by the fact that the previous glitches with the form had been fixed, he said that distrust of the process among students and their families is still noticeable.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>As this winter’s initial FAFSA errors might have been resolved, “tell that to someone who’s come to the high school five, six, seven, eight times already,” Alvarez said. “And that’s really what we’re facing: Just re-energizing the students and the parents.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As difficult as it is, it has long-term impacts, and we want to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>Do students still have time to apply?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>While the May 2 deadline for in-state aid has passed, CSAC is encouraging students to still apply to the FAFSA to see if they qualify for other types of financial aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award FAFSA application\u003c/a> is due on Sept. 2\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Alvarez said the FAFSA is often the first college-related struggle students face. But he tells his students to apply for financial aid to keep the door open to college enrollment.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And to parents, Alvarez said his message on the importance of financial aid’s role in getting a student to college often comes when their children are graduating: “They’re literally transcending their circumstances; they’re narrowing that achievement gap,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“They’re breaking barriers for their families.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"title": "FAFSA Changes: What to Know and Important Deadlines to Keep in Mind",
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"content": "\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reminder: The May 2 deadline for California Students to complete FAFSA in order to qualify for state aid, including the Cal Grant, has now passed. Students should have\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> submitted their FAFSA — or CADAA if they’re an undocumented student — before the deadline so they can be eligible to receive state money as part of their financial aid package. Many colleges also required students to make a decision on what school they will be attending next year by May 1. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Original guide continues:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the best of times, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA —\u003c/a> can be a dreaded process for students across the country hoping to go to college. But this year, it got even more complicated when it was meant to become simpler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education, which manages the FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">launched a revamped version of the form on Dec. 30, 2023,\u003c/a> that aimed to streamline the infamously lengthy and detailed application. However, the federal agency has reported several complications in this year’s FASFSA rollout, leading to delays and much stress for students and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to these delays, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">a bill on March 25 extending the deadline \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">for California students to file their FAFSA to May 2, 2024, in order to be eligible for state financial aid\u003c/a>. This means that students who are aiming to go to a four-year university in California can submit their applications by May 2 and still be eligible for financial aid. This also includes the CalGrant and the Middle Class Scholarship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This extension by the state will come as a relief for many students amid a fraught nationwide rollout of the new FAFSA. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">Federal officials only began sending out students’ FAFSA data to colleges on March 10\u003c/a>, months later than in years past. This delay — caused by a glitch in the form that wasn’t taking into account the economic inflation of recent years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">has given schools less time to calculate students’ financial packages\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, students from mixed-status families — where a student has a Social Security number, but their parent doesn’t — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">could only complete their FAFSA until March 12 due to an entirely separate technical issue with the form\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? Despite the multiple technical issues the new FAFSA has seen during its launch, some of the changes in the revamped form \u003cem>have\u003c/em> made the process of filling out the form easier for students. Keep reading to learn more about the new FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#deadline\">\u003cstrong>Important deadlines and due dates for FAFSA in 2024\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#measure\">\u003cstrong>How will FAFSA now measure a student’s financial need?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#undocumented\">\u003cstrong>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know about FAFSA and financial aid\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">\u003cstrong>What to know if you’re also applying to private colleges\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#taxes\">\u003cstrong>My parents don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Rest assured that there \u003ci>are \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-student-opportunity-and-access-program-cal-soap\">resources\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://cash4college.csac.ca.gov/RCO/RegionalCoordinatingOrganizations\">organizations\u003c/a> available to help you with FAFSA — including the upcoming Cash for College Webinars organized by the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">scheduled throughout March and April\u003c/a>. These are free and available to any student completing the FAFSA or the Dream Act application. The Commission also hosts \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cash-college-train-trainer-program\">Train the Trainer workshops\u003c/a> to teach community partners also to host financial aid workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">We also have a guide to talking to your family about FAFSA — \u003c/a>especially if they’re not usually comfortable talking about their finances with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>There’s a new FAFSA timeline for 2024\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"deadline\">\u003c/a>In December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act with the goal of making it easier for students to claim available financial aid and tackle the application’s infamous length and detailed, confusing tax questions — \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/658643bea675/california-student-aid-commission-public-affairs-newsletter-13577271\">complications that have historically left billions of dollars of aid unclaimed. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Department of Education promised that the revamped FAFSA would launch sometime in December. And it did — but on Dec. 30. Because the form became available much later than normal, a lot of the steps in the financial aid process have been pushed back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid\">students applying for financial aid for the next academic year could start on their FAFSA around October,\u003c/a> then apply for regular admission for most schools around December, and finally receive acceptance letters in March and April. Along with their acceptance letters, many schools also send out additional documents with information on annual costs and how much financial aid a student is eligible for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What else do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This year, FAFSA came out when many students were rushing to get their college applications in before the deadline. And in January, the Department of Education confirmed that it needed to fix \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">a major mistake in how FAFSA calculated a student’s financial need\u003c/a>. The time needed to fix this glitch pushed back the date for the Department of Education to start sending students’ FAFSA data to colleges. This usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63075/a-new-fafsa-setback-means-many-college-financial-aid-offers-wont-come-until-april\">takes place at the end of January,\u003c/a> but this year, federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">started transferring student information until mid-March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you receive an acceptance letter that doesn’t include information on financial aid you qualify for, don’t panic. Email the school’s financial aid office and ask their timeline for sending out this information. They may be sending that letter out later than in previous years. Additionally, you can ask the college if they plan to push back the deadline for when they expect students to decide on whether to enroll in the school. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them\">schools in the University of California and California State University systems have now pushed back this deadline to May 15\u003c/a>.[aside postID=\"news_11979367\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2024/03/GettyImages-1403066184-1020x680.jpg\"]Students in California will also have more time to apply for state aid. If you are a high school senior or a transfer student planning to go to a four-year institution — like a school in the University of California or Cal State system — you now have until May 2 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">apply for the Cal Grant\u003c/a>. You must complete the FAFSA before that date to qualify for a Cal Grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Previously, the deadline to file the FAFSA to be eligible for the Cal Grant and other state aid was April 2. But\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\"> legislators have now approved a bill that pushes back this date\u003c/a>. “This new law will give California students more time to complete the FAFSA and gain access to the financial resources they need to begin their college careers in earnest,” said State Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, who introduced the legislation extending the deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you plan to enroll in a California community college, there’s more good news: The deadline to apply for community college-specific state aid is now set for much later in 2024. Make sure your FAFSA is completed by Sept. 2 to qualify for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In 2024, your FAFSA application isn’t as long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The FAFSA and financial aid process can be very overwhelming, very complex,” said Michael Lemus, the outreach and marketing manager at the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original FAFSA application was over 100 questions. Now, as of this year, it is going to be fewer than 50 questions, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s always been super, super long,” Lemus said of the application. “I’m someone that filled it out myself when I was in high school and in college, and I just remember it being a stressful period of time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA’s infamous length, Lemus said, can be a deterrent — “especially for folks that their families might not be as comfortable with filling out these applications or just aware of all the terminology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So some of the changes that are being looked at are making those questions easier to understand and lessening the questions,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA will be connected to data from the Internal Revenue Service to automatically populate that tax information in the forms, Lemus said. “So it’ll save a lot of time, and it’ll just actually populate from the information that the family’s able to provide instead of a lot of the manual entry that a lot of folks are used to,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">Some questions being taken out include inquiries on drug convictions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad fullwidth]\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"measure\">\u003c/a>FAFSA now has new ways to measure eligibility for student aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is a new metric to determine how much a student can qualify for aid, said Shelveen Ratnam, a spokesperson for the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that was generated by the FAFSA and is “a metric to understand the relative amount that the formula estimates a student can contribute,” Ratnam told KQED in an email. “The SAI will help inform how much federal aid, and in some instances other institutional aid, for which a student might qualify.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[aside postID=\"news_11968584\" hero=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/IMG_0524-1020x659.jpg\"]Expected Family Contribution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">something of a misleading name\u003c/a>, Ratnam said because it did not truly reflect the cost someone would be paying for college by including factors like student loan interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam said that the EFC also factored in how many other college students were in a family — which could negatively impact someone’s eligibility for financial aid. The new Student Aid Index does not do this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAI also has a larger range, meaning students with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46909\">larger financial needs have more chances for more aid\u003c/a> (PDF).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With the SAI, applicants can receive an SAI below $0, with the lowest being negative $1500, which would help make it easier for financial aid counselors to determine a student’s financial need,” Ratnam said. “With the previous EFC, the lowest an applicant would receive would be $0.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The equation for determining \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">financial need is calculated by subtracting your SAI from your cost of attendance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More applicants now qualify for grants through FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Federal Pell Grant \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">will also be expanded to more students\u003c/a>, linking eligibility to family size and federal poverty level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/202425DRAFTSAIGuideSupplementEligibilityforMaxorMinPellGrantResource.pdf\">this website (link to PDF) to look up your situation and income to gauge how much aid you can get\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAI \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">kicks in here, too\u003c/a>, as students who don’t qualify for Pell Grants based on income \u003ci>may\u003c/i> qualify based on SAI. Another change: “Additionally, incarcerated students will regain the ability to receive a Pell Grant,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“FAFSA simplification and the new SAI expands eligibility for Pell Grants to more students and increases the numbers of students that will qualify for a maximum Pell Grant,” Ratnam said. “Students with two parents whose adjusted gross income is less [than] or equal to 175% of the poverty line and 225% of the poverty line for a single-parent household now qualify for the maximum Pell Grant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Plus: A new option for students interested in attending HBCUs\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California does not have historically Black colleges or universities, meaning students would have to give up state-based financial aid if they want to go to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab1400_signed_press_release_100223.pdf\">signed into law AB 1400\u003c/a>, which allows for a one-time $5,000 grant to California Community College students transferring to an HBCU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968640\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year, FAFSA is opening in December. \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"undocumented\">\u003c/a>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m a citizen, but my parents are undocumented and don’t have a Social Security number?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 12, the Department of Education announced it had finally fixed the technical issue that for months prevented mixed-status families — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">where the student has a Social Security number but their parent does not\u003c/a> — from completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This glitch blocked mixed-status families from completing the form for months, despite the Department of Education confirming with KQED in 2023 that these families would be able to complete the new FAFSA without a problem. Now that the is resolved, undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to give mixed-status families more time to complete the FAFSA, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature pushed back the deadline for California students to file FAFSA and be eligible for state aid, like the Cal Grant. The new deadline to complete the FAFSA and be eligible for these aid programs is now May 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s April and the FAFSA form still does not let me proceed without my parent’s Social Security number. What can I do?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s okay to feel anxious, but remember: You still have time \u003cem>and\u003c/em> options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On April 9, the state’s Student Aid Commission announced that the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) — which has usually been reserved only for California students who don’t have a Social Security themselves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">will be available to students from mixed-status families who are still facing issues completing FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This does not mean that mixed-status families seeking state aid are now required to complete CADAA \u003cem>on top of\u003c/em> FAFSA. Rather, CADAA is a back-up option for students who are still blocked from completing FAFSA because one of their parents or guardians does not have a Social Security number, despite the recent fixes from the Department of Education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage [first-time students of mixed-status families] to first attempt to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they are unable to do so, students should then complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) well before the May 2 deadline and later complete the FAFSA as soon as that becomes feasible,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m undocumented? Can I still apply for FAFSA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you, as the student, are undocumented and do not have a Social Security number, unfortunately, you cannot complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in this situation, there are still ways to look for financial aid for college, even if you are undocumented. \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553\">Undocumented students in California can complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA\u003c/a>) in order to be eligible for \u003ci>state\u003c/i> grants and loans for college (keep reading for more information on this application). You can also complete the CADAA if you have a valid or expired DACA, a U Visa or Temporary Protected Status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented students can also apply to dozens of private colleges and universities and also apply for the scholarships and grants these schools offer. Make sure to check with each school you are interested in to see if they offer aid to undocumented students and what their process is like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Changes to know about the California Dream Act \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CADAA — which provides aid for undocumented students — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/renewingthedream\">will also be streamlined\u003c/a> in the future to mirror the FAFSA, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/better-fafsa-better-cadaa\">the Better California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are the ones, here at the California Student Commission, that administer the California Dream Act application,” Lemus said. “So we actually are the ones that can go ahead and change it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the arrival of the Better FAFSA application, the California Student Commission is now also looking at how to similarly streamline and simplify the California Dream Act for 2023, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As every year goes by, we’re listening for feedback, and so we’re constantly wanting to make updates as they come up,” Lemus said. “But what we’re looking at is also waiting on the updates to see what the FAFSA is going to look like, to see how we can streamline the California Dream Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, there may be something of a waiting game for hopeful California Dream Act applicants to find out exactly how that process will work. \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1540/id/2828767\">Newsom has recently signed AB 1540\u003c/a> into law, which takes out an extra step for undocumented students to secure their aid by making the Dream Act application the only form they need to fill out (as opposed to submitting an affidavit to their college to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab_1540_signed_press_release_100923.pdf\">verify their residency and be given a nonresident tuition exemption.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind, however, that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/financial-aid-and-undocumented-students.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a> — including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients — are only currently eligible for \u003cem>state\u003c/em> student aid, not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968638\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968638\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg\" alt=\"A young person in a grey hoodie stands smiling and looking at someone whose back is to the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA will be shorter and streamlined this year. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"private\">\u003c/a>If you’re also applying to private schools, don’t forget to complete the CSS Profile\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> is a separate application operated by the CollegeBoard and used by private colleges and universities to determine how much financial aid they will give to students, in addition to FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, head of financial aid at Pomona College, a private liberal arts school in Southern California, said that his team looks at both FAFSA and the CSS Profile to get a more complete picture of what a student’s financial situation is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation like the CSS Profile,” he said. Many private schools, including Pomona, provide financial aid packages that include additional funds from donors or grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The CSS Profile is really looking for financial resources that a family has access to,” Dieken said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to home ownership as an example. “A family that owns a home, they’re economically stronger than a family that doesn’t own a home,” he said. “But FAFSA doesn’t collect that. That’s something that we only get through the CSS Profile data.”[pullquote align=\"right\" size=\"medium\" citation=\"Paul Dieken, Director of Financial Aid at Pomona College\"]‘The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation.’[/pullquote]If private schools are also on your list, you can go ahead and start the CSS Profile now. You’ll need a few more documents than what FAFSA asks for, including your parents’ W-2, bank statements from the past few months and records of properties or assets your family owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to give your family enough time to find the documents you’ll need to complete the CSS Profile. If there are questions you just can’t answer — for example, your parents are separated, and you are unable to contact one of them because of safety reasons — contact the financial aid staff of the schools you’re applying to so they can give you specific instructions on what to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"taxes\">\u003c/a>Q. My parents work but don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, let’s do a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>W-2 form\u003c/b> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>1040 form\u003c/b> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask your parents to share information from last year’s documents. But let’s say you ask your parents and they don’t have this information. It could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the state government sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits. You can ask for this instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see your parents’ taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk to your parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this. There are many community organizations that offer free tax filing services year-round. \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">In the Bay Area, United Way can connect you to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and your parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. If this is your family’s situation, don’t panic. There are solutions. But you’ll have to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, recommends you first ask your parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do your parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, let’s say your dad cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may have to get crafty to help your parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Helping your parents create a digital record of their earnings will also help you in the future when you have to fill out FAFSA again every year you’re in college. This will be especially important if you go to a school far away from home and no longer have easy access to physical receipts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. They may ask you to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially filing a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All in all, we ask for information that you can put in as accurately as possible,” said Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University, East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968635\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg\" alt=\"Three young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">How can you work with your family to accurately complete your FAFSA? \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What else should I know about FAFSA in 2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission’s Michael Lemus said students can use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Commission\u003c/a> as a resource for financial aid questions. Their website will soon have a Better FAFSA tool kit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lemus advised people to start early and for seniors in the fall to stay in close contact with their high school counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s interesting this year because the FAFSA is delayed,” he said. “But what I would recommend is just making sure that they start getting more comfortable with the financial aid process,” which could include familiarizing yourself with the types of aid available — to be ready and primed when FAFSA applications finally open in December. “While the application itself is changing, the types of aid, for the most part, are remaining the same,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Try not to stress,” Lemus said, even though these changes can feel overwhelming and contain a lot of unknowns. He added that teachers and educators will also be trained on the new changes, providing another point of contact and resources for applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you come across something that you just can’t find an answer to? “Just know that [at] the California [Student] Commission, we are very much aware of these, and we have it on our radar,” Lemus said. “So if they want to start off with us, to ask questions, they definitely can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/contact-us\">Get in contact with the California Student Commission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on Feb. 15, and includes reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[hearken id=\"10483\" src=\"https://modules.wearehearken.com/kqed/embed/10483.js\"]\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>[ad floatright]\u003c/p>\n",
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"excerpt": "The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA — is open for 2024–25, but the deadline for California students to apply is almost here, on May 2. ",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003cp>\u003cstrong>Reminder: The May 2 deadline for California Students to complete FAFSA in order to qualify for state aid, including the Cal Grant, has now passed. Students should have\u003c/strong>\u003cstrong> submitted their FAFSA — or CADAA if they’re an undocumented student — before the deadline so they can be eligible to receive state money as part of their financial aid package. Many colleges also required students to make a decision on what school they will be attending next year by May 1. \u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>Original guide continues:\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>At the best of times, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — or FAFSA —\u003c/a> can be a dreaded process for students across the country hoping to go to college. But this year, it got even more complicated when it was meant to become simpler.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Department of Education, which manages the FAFSA, \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa\">launched a revamped version of the form on Dec. 30, 2023,\u003c/a> that aimed to streamline the infamously lengthy and detailed application. However, the federal agency has reported several complications in this year’s FASFSA rollout, leading to delays and much stress for students and their families.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In response to these delays, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">a bill on March 25 extending the deadline \u003c/a>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">for California students to file their FAFSA to May 2, 2024, in order to be eligible for state financial aid\u003c/a>. This means that students who are aiming to go to a four-year university in California can submit their applications by May 2 and still be eligible for financial aid. This also includes the CalGrant and the Middle Class Scholarship.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This extension by the state will come as a relief for many students amid a fraught nationwide rollout of the new FAFSA. \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">Federal officials only began sending out students’ FAFSA data to colleges on March 10\u003c/a>, months later than in years past. This delay — caused by a glitch in the form that wasn’t taking into account the economic inflation of recent years — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">has given schools less time to calculate students’ financial packages\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Additionally, students from mixed-status families — where a student has a Social Security number, but their parent doesn’t — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">could only complete their FAFSA until March 12 due to an entirely separate technical issue with the form\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The good news? Despite the multiple technical issues the new FAFSA has seen during its launch, some of the changes in the revamped form \u003cem>have\u003c/em> made the process of filling out the form easier for students. Keep reading to learn more about the new FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#deadline\">\u003cstrong>Important deadlines and due dates for FAFSA in 2024\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#measure\">\u003cstrong>How will FAFSA now measure a student’s financial need?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#undocumented\">\u003cstrong>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know about FAFSA and financial aid\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#private\">\u003cstrong>What to know if you’re also applying to private colleges\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>\u003ca href=\"#taxes\">\u003cstrong>My parents don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/strong>\u003c/a>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Rest assured that there \u003ci>are \u003c/i>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/california-student-opportunity-and-access-program-cal-soap\">resources\u003c/a> and \u003ca href=\"https://cash4college.csac.ca.gov/RCO/RegionalCoordinatingOrganizations\">organizations\u003c/a> available to help you with FAFSA — including the upcoming Cash for College Webinars organized by the California Student Aid Commission, \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\">scheduled throughout March and April\u003c/a>. These are free and available to any student completing the FAFSA or the Dream Act application. The Commission also hosts \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cash-college-train-trainer-program\">Train the Trainer workshops\u003c/a> to teach community partners also to host financial aid workshops.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11968584/fafsa-application-money-family-discussions\">We also have a guide to talking to your family about FAFSA — \u003c/a>especially if they’re not usually comfortable talking about their finances with you.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>There’s a new FAFSA timeline for 2024\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003ca id=\"deadline\">\u003c/a>In December 2020, Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act with the goal of making it easier for students to claim available financial aid and tackle the application’s infamous length and detailed, confusing tax questions — \u003ca href=\"https://mailchi.mp/658643bea675/california-student-aid-commission-public-affairs-newsletter-13577271\">complications that have historically left billions of dollars of aid unclaimed. \u003c/a>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In 2023, the Department of Education promised that the revamped FAFSA would launch sometime in December. And it did — but on Dec. 30. Because the form became available much later than normal, a lot of the steps in the financial aid process have been pushed back.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In the past, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11927018/fafsa-opens-oct-1-heres-what-you-need-to-know-about-applications-for-federal-student-aid\">students applying for financial aid for the next academic year could start on their FAFSA around October,\u003c/a> then apply for regular admission for most schools around December, and finally receive acceptance letters in March and April. Along with their acceptance letters, many schools also send out additional documents with information on annual costs and how much financial aid a student is eligible for.\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>\u003cstrong>\u003ca href=\"#tellus\">Tell us: What else do you need information about right now?\u003c/a>\u003c/strong>\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>This year, FAFSA came out when many students were rushing to get their college applications in before the deadline. And in January, the Department of Education confirmed that it needed to fix \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63005/exclusive-the-education-department-says-it-will-fix-its-1-8-billion-fafsa-mistake\">a major mistake in how FAFSA calculated a student’s financial need\u003c/a>. The time needed to fix this glitch pushed back the date for the Department of Education to start sending students’ FAFSA data to colleges. This usually \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/mindshift/63075/a-new-fafsa-setback-means-many-college-financial-aid-offers-wont-come-until-april\">takes place at the end of January,\u003c/a> but this year, federal officials \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979072/months-into-botched-fafsa-revamp-some-colleges-finally-receiving-students-financial-aid-info\">started transferring student information until mid-March\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you receive an acceptance letter that doesn’t include information on financial aid you qualify for, don’t panic. Email the school’s financial aid office and ask their timeline for sending out this information. They may be sending that letter out later than in previous years. Additionally, you can ask the college if they plan to push back the deadline for when they expect students to decide on whether to enroll in the school. For example, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11975534/california-students-panic-after-new-financial-aid-application-blocks-them\">schools in the University of California and California State University systems have now pushed back this deadline to May 15\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Students in California will also have more time to apply for state aid. If you are a high school senior or a transfer student planning to go to a four-year institution — like a school in the University of California or Cal State system — you now have until May 2 to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cal-grants\">apply for the Cal Grant\u003c/a>. You must complete the FAFSA before that date to qualify for a Cal Grant.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Previously, the deadline to file the FAFSA to be eligible for the Cal Grant and other state aid was April 2. But\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/state_aid_deadline_extention_ab1887_may_2.pdf\"> legislators have now approved a bill that pushes back this date\u003c/a>. “This new law will give California students more time to complete the FAFSA and gain access to the financial resources they need to begin their college careers in earnest,” said State Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes, who introduced the legislation extending the deadline.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you plan to enroll in a California community college, there’s more good news: The deadline to apply for community college-specific state aid is now set for much later in 2024. Make sure your FAFSA is completed by Sept. 2 to qualify for the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/post/cal-grant-community-college-entitlement-award\">Cal Grant Community College Entitlement Award\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>In 2024, your FAFSA application isn’t as long\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>“The FAFSA and financial aid process can be very overwhelming, very complex,” said Michael Lemus, the outreach and marketing manager at the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The original FAFSA application was over 100 questions. Now, as of this year, it is going to be fewer than 50 questions, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s always been super, super long,” Lemus said of the application. “I’m someone that filled it out myself when I was in high school and in college, and I just remember it being a stressful period of time,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>FAFSA’s infamous length, Lemus said, can be a deterrent — “especially for folks that their families might not be as comfortable with filling out these applications or just aware of all the terminology.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“So some of the changes that are being looked at are making those questions easier to understand and lessening the questions,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The new FAFSA will be connected to data from the Internal Revenue Service to automatically populate that tax information in the forms, Lemus said. “So it’ll save a lot of time, and it’ll just actually populate from the information that the family’s able to provide instead of a lot of the manual entry that a lot of folks are used to,” he said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">Some questions being taken out include inquiries on drug convictions\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"measure\">\u003c/a>FAFSA now has new ways to measure eligibility for student aid\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>There is a new metric to determine how much a student can qualify for aid, said Shelveen Ratnam, a spokesperson for the California Student Aid Commission.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that was generated by the FAFSA and is “a metric to understand the relative amount that the formula estimates a student can contribute,” Ratnam told KQED in an email. “The SAI will help inform how much federal aid, and in some instances other institutional aid, for which a student might qualify.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>Expected Family Contribution was \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">something of a misleading name\u003c/a>, Ratnam said because it did not truly reflect the cost someone would be paying for college by including factors like student loan interest.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ratnam said that the EFC also factored in how many other college students were in a family — which could negatively impact someone’s eligibility for financial aid. The new Student Aid Index does not do this.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>SAI also has a larger range, meaning students with \u003ca href=\"https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/R/R46909\">larger financial needs have more chances for more aid\u003c/a> (PDF).\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“With the SAI, applicants can receive an SAI below $0, with the lowest being negative $1500, which would help make it easier for financial aid counselors to determine a student’s financial need,” Ratnam said. “With the previous EFC, the lowest an applicant would receive would be $0.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The equation for determining \u003ca href=\"https://www.nerdwallet.com/article/loans/student-loans/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">financial need is calculated by subtracting your SAI from your cost of attendance\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>More applicants now qualify for grants through FAFSA\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The Federal Pell Grant \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/help-center/answers/article/fafsa-simplification-act\">will also be expanded to more students\u003c/a>, linking eligibility to family size and federal poverty level.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You can use \u003ca href=\"https://fsapartners.ed.gov/sites/default/files/2023-05/202425DRAFTSAIGuideSupplementEligibilityforMaxorMinPellGrantResource.pdf\">this website (link to PDF) to look up your situation and income to gauge how much aid you can get\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>The SAI \u003ca href=\"https://www.discover.com/student-loans/college-planning/how-to-pay/financial-aid/what-is-the-student-aid-index\">kicks in here, too\u003c/a>, as students who don’t qualify for Pell Grants based on income \u003ci>may\u003c/i> qualify based on SAI. Another change: “Additionally, incarcerated students will regain the ability to receive a Pell Grant,” Ratnam said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“FAFSA simplification and the new SAI expands eligibility for Pell Grants to more students and increases the numbers of students that will qualify for a maximum Pell Grant,” Ratnam said. “Students with two parents whose adjusted gross income is less [than] or equal to 175% of the poverty line and 225% of the poverty line for a single-parent household now qualify for the maximum Pell Grant.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Plus: A new option for students interested in attending HBCUs\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>California does not have historically Black colleges or universities, meaning students would have to give up state-based financial aid if they want to go to one.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, Gov. Gavin Newsom last year \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab1400_signed_press_release_100223.pdf\">signed into law AB 1400\u003c/a>, which allows for a one-time $5,000 grant to California Community College students transferring to an HBCU.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968640\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 2560px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968640\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg\" alt=\"A group of young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"2560\" height=\"1707\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-2048x1365.jpg 2048w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147076-1920x1280.jpg 1920w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 2560px) 100vw, 2560px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">This year, FAFSA is opening in December. \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"undocumented\">\u003c/a>Undocumented or from a mixed-status family? What you need to know\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m a citizen, but my parents are undocumented and don’t have a Social Security number?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On March 12, the Department of Education announced it had finally fixed the technical issue that for months prevented mixed-status families — \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11979367/fafsa-2024-the-big-error-affecting-mixed-status-families-and-what-to-do-if-youre-an-affected-student\">where the student has a Social Security number but their parent does not\u003c/a> — from completing the 2024-2025 FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This glitch blocked mixed-status families from completing the form for months, despite the Department of Education confirming with KQED in 2023 that these families would be able to complete the new FAFSA without a problem. Now that the is resolved, undocumented parents can make an FSA ID and fill out the parent’s portion of the form without needing to input a Social Security number.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In order to give mixed-status families more time to complete the FAFSA, Gov. Gavin Newsom and the state Legislature pushed back the deadline for California students to file FAFSA and be eligible for state aid, like the Cal Grant. The new deadline to complete the FAFSA and be eligible for these aid programs is now May 2.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cstrong>It’s April and the FAFSA form still does not let me proceed without my parent’s Social Security number. What can I do?\u003c/strong>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>It’s okay to feel anxious, but remember: You still have time \u003cem>and\u003c/em> options.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>On April 9, the state’s Student Aid Commission announced that the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) — which has usually been reserved only for California students who don’t have a Social Security themselves — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/cadaa-msf\">will be available to students from mixed-status families who are still facing issues completing FAFSA\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>This does not mean that mixed-status families seeking state aid are now required to complete CADAA \u003cem>on top of\u003c/em> FAFSA. Rather, CADAA is a back-up option for students who are still blocked from completing FAFSA because one of their parents or guardians does not have a Social Security number, despite the recent fixes from the Department of Education.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We encourage [first-time students of mixed-status families] to first attempt to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA),” said California State University Chancellor Mildred García.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“If they are unable to do so, students should then complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA) well before the May 2 deadline and later complete the FAFSA as soon as that becomes feasible,” García said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>What if I’m undocumented? Can I still apply for FAFSA?\u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If you, as the student, are undocumented and do not have a Social Security number, unfortunately, you cannot complete the FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>However, in this situation, there are still ways to look for financial aid for college, even if you are undocumented. \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/california_dream_act_faq.pdf?1694549553\">Undocumented students in California can complete the California Dream Act Application (CADAA\u003c/a>) in order to be eligible for \u003ci>state\u003c/i> grants and loans for college (keep reading for more information on this application). You can also complete the CADAA if you have a valid or expired DACA, a U Visa or Temporary Protected Status.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Undocumented students can also apply to dozens of private colleges and universities and also apply for the scholarships and grants these schools offer. Make sure to check with each school you are interested in to see if they offer aid to undocumented students and what their process is like.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cb>Changes to know about the California Dream Act \u003c/b>\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>CADAA — which provides aid for undocumented students — \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/renewingthedream\">will also be streamlined\u003c/a> in the future to mirror the FAFSA, known as \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/better-fafsa-better-cadaa\">the Better California Dream Act Application\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“We are the ones, here at the California Student Commission, that administer the California Dream Act application,” Lemus said. “So we actually are the ones that can go ahead and change it.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>With the arrival of the Better FAFSA application, the California Student Commission is now also looking at how to similarly streamline and simplify the California Dream Act for 2023, Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“As every year goes by, we’re listening for feedback, and so we’re constantly wanting to make updates as they come up,” Lemus said. “But what we’re looking at is also waiting on the updates to see what the FAFSA is going to look like, to see how we can streamline the California Dream Act.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In short, there may be something of a waiting game for hopeful California Dream Act applicants to find out exactly how that process will work. \u003ca href=\"https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB1540/id/2828767\">Newsom has recently signed AB 1540\u003c/a> into law, which takes out an extra step for undocumented students to secure their aid by making the Dream Act application the only form they need to fill out (as opposed to submitting an affidavit to their college to \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/sites/main/files/file-attachments/ab_1540_signed_press_release_100923.pdf\">verify their residency and be given a nonresident tuition exemption.\u003c/a>)\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Keep in mind, however, that \u003ca href=\"https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/financial-aid-and-undocumented-students.pdf\">undocumented students\u003c/a> — including Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals recipients — are only currently eligible for \u003cem>state\u003c/em> student aid, not federal aid.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968638\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968638\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg\" alt=\"A young person in a grey hoodie stands smiling and looking at someone whose back is to the camera.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-william-fortunato-6140910-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">FAFSA will be shorter and streamlined this year. \u003ccite>(William Fortunato/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"private\">\u003c/a>If you’re also applying to private schools, don’t forget to complete the CSS Profile\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The \u003ca href=\"https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/\">CSS Profile\u003c/a> is a separate application operated by the CollegeBoard and used by private colleges and universities to determine how much financial aid they will give to students, in addition to FAFSA.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Paul Dieken, head of financial aid at Pomona College, a private liberal arts school in Southern California, said that his team looks at both FAFSA and the CSS Profile to get a more complete picture of what a student’s financial situation is.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The more money the college or university gets out of their own grants or scholarships, the more likely it is that they’re going to ask you to complete additional documentation like the CSS Profile,” he said. Many private schools, including Pomona, provide financial aid packages that include additional funds from donors or grants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“The CSS Profile is really looking for financial resources that a family has access to,” Dieken said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>He points to home ownership as an example. “A family that owns a home, they’re economically stronger than a family that doesn’t own a home,” he said. “But FAFSA doesn’t collect that. That’s something that we only get through the CSS Profile data.”\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"content": "\u003cdiv class=\"post-body\">\u003cp>If private schools are also on your list, you can go ahead and start the CSS Profile now. You’ll need a few more documents than what FAFSA asks for, including your parents’ W-2, bank statements from the past few months and records of properties or assets your family owns.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Make sure to give your family enough time to find the documents you’ll need to complete the CSS Profile. If there are questions you just can’t answer — for example, your parents are separated, and you are unable to contact one of them because of safety reasons — contact the financial aid staff of the schools you’re applying to so they can give you specific instructions on what to do.\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"taxes\">\u003c/a>Q. My parents work but don’t have tax information available. How can I complete FAFSA?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>First, let’s do a quick breakdown of tax vocabulary:\u003c/p>\n\u003cul>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>W-2 form\u003c/b> is a tax document that an employer gives workers once a year, which shows how much the employer paid the worker that year.\u003c/li>\n\u003cli>A \u003cb>1040 form\u003c/b> is a tax document, also known as a tax return, that a worker completes themselves, usually with the help of a tax expert. This document is sent to the IRS each year to confirm how much that worker got paid and how much they owe the government in taxes.\u003c/li>\n\u003c/ul>\n\u003cp>Most people in the U.S. receive a W-2 form and then complete a 1040 form themselves. FAFSA will ask your parents to share information from last year’s documents. But let’s say you ask your parents and they don’t have this information. It could be for one of these reasons:\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent is a gig worker, such as driving for Uber or doing deliveries for GrubHub, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the company they work for gave them a 1099 form. Ask for “their 1099” instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent did not work last year and received unemployment benefits instead, they most likely did not get a W-2 form. Instead, the state government sent them a 1099-G form, which lists how much they received from unemployment benefits. You can ask for this instead.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your parent has a W-2 form but does not have last year’s 1040 form, this probably means they haven’t filed their taxes yet. Colleges will still want to see your parents’ taxes.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Talk to your parents about scheduling an appointment with a tax preparer to catch up on this. There are many community organizations that offer free tax filing services year-round. \u003ca href=\"https://uwba.org/freetaxhelp/\">In the Bay Area, United Way can connect you to online and in-person tax help\u003c/a> — and your parents could potentially qualify to get cash back from the government when they file, based on their income and the size of your family.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>If your family still needs to file their taxes, keep the schools you’re applying to updated about this step.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>In some cases, parents may be working at a job where they just won’t receive a W-2 or 1099 at all. Perhaps they work as a housecleaner, a nanny, a landscaper, a farmworker or another job where they haven’t signed a formal paper contract and are getting paid in cash. If this is your family’s situation, don’t panic. There are solutions. But you’ll have to act quickly.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Rosanna Ferro, chief of education at Oakland-based nonprofit College Track, recommends you first ask your parents, “How have you gotten paid in the past year or two?”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Ferro, whose organization works to help first-generation and low-income high school students from across the country graduate college, said that the point of this question is twofold: How often do your parents get paid, and how much do they get paid? The piece of information you need is what’s called “proof of income,” which can help you calculate how much your parents got paid per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>For example, let’s say your dad cleans houses and charges $100 per house. Based on the information he shares, you estimate that he can usually clean 10 houses a week. That approximates that he’s earning roughly $4,000 a month. Multiply that by 12 months, and you get an estimated $48,000 per year.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>You may have to get crafty to help your parents organize this information, Ferro said. “Whether it’s creating an Excel sheet, a Google folder or scanning something — taking a picture, a receipt or anything that shows income in any kind of way and storing it in a way that’s going to be accessible to you,” she said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Helping your parents create a digital record of their earnings will also help you in the future when you have to fill out FAFSA again every year you’re in college. This will be especially important if you go to a school far away from home and no longer have easy access to physical receipts.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>While you’re doing this, remember to contact a financial aid officer from any of the schools you’re applying to, who can advise your family on how to best input this information into FAFSA. They may ask you to share additional documents, like a letter from an employer or potentially filing a 1040 form with the data you’ve gathered.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“All in all, we ask for information that you can put in as accurately as possible,” said Sonia Jethani, the director of the financial aid office at California State University, East Bay.\u003c/p>\n\u003cfigure id=\"attachment_11968635\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\" style=\"max-width: 1920px\">\u003cimg loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-11968635\" src=\"https://ww2.kqed.org/app/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg\" alt=\"Three young people walk together on what looks like a city street, dressed warmly and smiling at each other.\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1280\" srcset=\"https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077.jpg 1920w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-800x533.jpg 800w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1020x680.jpg 1020w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-160x107.jpg 160w, https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/sites/10/2023/11/pexels-keira-burton-6147077-1536x1024.jpg 1536w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1920px) 100vw, 1920px\">\u003cfigcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\">How can you work with your family to accurately complete your FAFSA? \u003ccite>(Keira Burton/Pexels)\u003c/cite>\u003c/figcaption>\u003c/figure>\n\u003ch2>What else should I know about FAFSA in 2024?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>The California Student Aid Commission’s Michael Lemus said students can use the \u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/students\">California Student Commission\u003c/a> as a resource for financial aid questions. Their website will soon have a Better FAFSA tool kit.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>Lemus advised people to start early and for seniors in the fall to stay in close contact with their high school counselor.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“It’s interesting this year because the FAFSA is delayed,” he said. “But what I would recommend is just making sure that they start getting more comfortable with the financial aid process,” which could include familiarizing yourself with the types of aid available — to be ready and primed when FAFSA applications finally open in December. “While the application itself is changing, the types of aid, for the most part, are remaining the same,” Lemus said.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>“Try not to stress,” Lemus said, even though these changes can feel overwhelming and contain a lot of unknowns. He added that teachers and educators will also be trained on the new changes, providing another point of contact and resources for applicants.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>And if you come across something that you just can’t find an answer to? “Just know that [at] the California [Student] Commission, we are very much aware of these, and we have it on our radar,” Lemus said. “So if they want to start off with us, to ask questions, they definitely can.”\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003ca href=\"https://www.csac.ca.gov/contact-us\">Get in contact with the California Student Commission\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003cem>A version of this story originally published on Feb. 15, and includes reporting from NPR’s Cory Turner and CalMatters’ Mikhail Zinshteyn.\u003c/em>\u003c/p>\n\u003ch2>\u003ca id=\"tellus\">\u003c/a>Tell us: What else do you need information about?\u003c/h2>\n\u003cp>At KQED News, we know that it can sometimes be hard to track down the answers to navigate life in the Bay Area in 2024. We’ve published \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/tag/coronavirus-resources-and-explainers\">clear, practical explainers and guides about COVID-19\u003c/a>, \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11936674/how-to-prepare-for-this-weeks-atmospheric-river-storm-sandbags-emergency-kits-and-more\">how to cope with intense winter weather\u003c/a>, and \u003ca href=\"https://www.kqed.org/news/11821950/how-to-safely-attend-a-protest-in-the-bay-area\">how to exercise your right to protest safely\u003c/a>.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>So tell us: What do you need to know more about? Tell us, and you could see your question answered online or on social media. What you submit will make our reporting stronger and help us decide what to cover here on our site and on KQED Public Radio, too.\u003c/p>\n\u003cp>\u003c/p>\u003c/div>",
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"info": "What kind of no sabo word is Hyphenación? For us, it’s about living within a hyphenation. Like being a third-gen Mexican-American from the Texas border now living that Bay Area Chicano life. Like Xorje! Each week we bring together a couple of hyphenated Latinos to talk all about personal life choices: family, careers, relationships, belonging … everything is on the table. ",
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"info": "The Political Mind of Jerry Brown brings listeners the wisdom of the former Governor, Mayor, and presidential candidate. Scott Shafer interviewed Brown for more than 40 hours, covering the former governor's life and half-century in the political game – and Brown has some lessons he'd like to share. ",
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"marketplace": {
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"info": "Our flagship program, helmed by Kai Ryssdal, examines what the day in money delivered, through stories, conversations, newsworthy numbers and more. Updated Monday through Friday at about 3:30 p.m. PT.",
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"info": "The MindShift podcast explores the innovations in education that are shaping how kids learn. Hosts Ki Sung and Katrina Schwartz introduce listeners to educators, researchers, parents and students who are developing effective ways to improve how kids learn. We cover topics like how fed-up administrators are developing surprising tactics to deal with classroom disruptions; how listening to podcasts are helping kids develop reading skills; the consequences of overparenting; and why interdisciplinary learning can engage students on all ends of the traditional achievement spectrum. This podcast is part of the MindShift education site, a division of KQED News. KQED is an NPR/PBS member station based in San Francisco. You can also visit the MindShift website for episodes and supplemental blog posts or tweet us \u003ca href=\"https://twitter.com/MindShiftKQED\">@MindShiftKQED\u003c/a> or visit us at \u003ca href=\"/mindshift\">MindShift.KQED.org\u003c/a>",
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"info": "For decades, the process for how police police themselves has been inconsistent – if not opaque. In some states, like California, these proceedings were completely hidden. After a new police transparency law unsealed scores of internal affairs files, our reporters set out to examine these cases and the shadow world of police discipline. On Our Watch brings listeners into the rooms where officers are questioned and witnesses are interrogated to find out who this system is really protecting. Is it the officers, or the public they've sworn to serve?",
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"info": "Our weekly podcast explores how the media 'sausage' is made, casts an incisive eye on fluctuations in the marketplace of ideas, and examines threats to the freedom of information and expression in America and abroad. For one hour a week, the show tries to lift the veil from the process of \"making media,\" especially news media, because it's through that lens that we see the world and the world sees us",
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"politicalbreakdown": {
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"tagline": "Politics from a personal perspective",
"info": "Political Breakdown is a new series that explores the political intersection of California and the nation. Each week hosts Scott Shafer and Marisa Lagos are joined with a new special guest to unpack politics -- with personality — and offer an insider’s glimpse at how politics happens.",
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"possible": {
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"title": "Possible",
"info": "Possible is hosted by entrepreneur Reid Hoffman and writer Aria Finger. Together in Possible, Hoffman and Finger lead enlightening discussions about building a brighter collective future. The show features interviews with visionary guests like Trevor Noah, Sam Altman and Janette Sadik-Khan. Possible paints an optimistic portrait of the world we can create through science, policy, business, art and our shared humanity. It asks: What if everything goes right for once? How can we get there? Each episode also includes a short fiction story generated by advanced AI GPT-4, serving as a thought-provoking springboard to speculate how humanity could leverage technology for good.",
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"pri-the-world": {
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"info": "Each weekday, host Marco Werman and his team of producers bring you the world's most interesting stories in an hour of radio that reminds us just how small our planet really is.",
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"imageSrc": "https://cdn.kqed.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/The-World-Podcast-Tile-360x360-1.jpg",
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"radiolab": {
"id": "radiolab",
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"info": "A two-time Peabody Award-winner, Radiolab is an investigation told through sounds and stories, and centered around one big idea. In the Radiolab world, information sounds like music and science and culture collide. Hosted by Jad Abumrad and Robert Krulwich, the show is designed for listeners who demand skepticism, but appreciate wonder. WNYC Studios is the producer of other leading podcasts including Freakonomics Radio, Death, Sex & Money, On the Media and many more.",
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"reveal": {
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"info": "Created by The Center for Investigative Reporting and PRX, Reveal is public radios first one-hour weekly radio show and podcast dedicated to investigative reporting. Credible, fact based and without a partisan agenda, Reveal combines the power and artistry of driveway moment storytelling with data-rich reporting on critically important issues. The result is stories that inform and inspire, arming our listeners with information to right injustices, hold the powerful accountable and improve lives.Reveal is hosted by Al Letson and showcases the award-winning work of CIR and newsrooms large and small across the nation. In a radio and podcast market crowded with choices, Reveal focuses on important and often surprising stories that illuminate the world for our listeners.",
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},
"rightnowish": {
"id": "rightnowish",
"title": "Rightnowish",
"tagline": "Art is where you find it",
"info": "Rightnowish digs into life in the Bay Area right now… ish. Journalist Pendarvis Harshaw takes us to galleries painted on the sides of liquor stores in West Oakland. We'll dance in warehouses in the Bayview, make smoothies with kids in South Berkeley, and listen to classical music in a 1984 Cutlass Supreme in Richmond. Every week, Pen talks to movers and shakers about how the Bay Area shapes what they create, and how they shape the place we call home.",
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},
"science-friday": {
"id": "science-friday",
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"info": "Science Friday is a weekly science talk show, broadcast live over public radio stations nationwide. Each week, the show focuses on science topics that are in the news and tries to bring an educated, balanced discussion to bear on the scientific issues at hand. Panels of expert guests join host Ira Flatow, a veteran science journalist, to discuss science and to take questions from listeners during the call-in portion of the program.",
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"snap-judgment": {
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"title": "Snap Judgment",
"tagline": "Real stories with killer beats",
"info": "The Snap Judgment radio show and podcast mixes real stories with killer beats to produce cinematic, dramatic radio. Snap's musical brand of storytelling dares listeners to see the world through the eyes of another. This is storytelling... with a BEAT!! Snap first aired on public radio stations nationwide in July 2010. Today, Snap Judgment airs on over 450 public radio stations and is brought to the airwaves by KQED & PRX.",
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