Beginning in the 2024–2025 aid year, the U.S. Department of Education has introduced the FAFSA Simplification Act, which streamlines the financial aid application process for students and families. These changes have carried forward into the 2025-2026 award year. 

The 2025-2026 FAFSA is now available at https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa!

CT State will begin reviewing financial aid applications in early Spring 2025.

• Fewer questions and the form will be streamlined
• A more user-friendly experience
• Expanded eligibility for federal student aid
• Reduced barriers for certain student populations*

*Includes homeless and unaccompanied youth, incarcerated students, English language learners, and students from low-income backgrounds.

• The Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) has been replaced by the Student Aid Index (SAI), a different way to determine eligibility.
• Tax information will be directly imported into the FAFSA.
• SAI will no longer consider the number of students in college. This may reduce need-based aid eligibility for current students with siblings in college.
• Students will be able to list up to 20 colleges/universities on the FAFSA.
• Each Contributor (student, student's spouse, parent(s), and/or stepparent) will have to provide consent to complete the FAFSA. If any contributors do not provide their consent, the SAI will not be calculated, and eligibility for financial aid cannot be determined.
• Parents without a Social Security Number will be able to apply for an FSA ID. This will speed up the FAFSA processing time, as they'll be able to submit the form online rather than having to print, sign, and mail it in.
• For students whose parents are separated or divorced, the guidance on which parent income to report has changed to the parent who provides the most financial support for the student rather than the parent the student lived with the most.
• Students who are considered independent due to homelessness or qualifying dependency override no longer need to recertify their dependency status each year unless their situation changes.
• When required, families must now report the value of their small business or family farm.

Contributor
A new term introduced on the 2024–25 FAFSA form, Contributor refers to anyone asked to provide information on a student's FAFSA form (i.e., the student, the student's spouse, a biological or adopted parent, or the parent's spouse).

FAFSA Privacy Act Consent
Formal consent provided by an applicant and any applicable contributor(s) for a given FAFSA cycle (e.g., December 2024 to September 2026 for the 2025–26 FAFSA form) that meets the statutory requirements of collecting and using an individual's personally identifiable information.

FAFSA Submission Summary
Replaces the Student Aid Report (SAR) as the student's output document, providing a summary of data input on the FAFSA form.

Family Size
Replaces the term "household size" on the FAFSA form.

Federal Tax Information (FTI)
The data and information related to federal tax paying. It includes a return or return information received directly from the IRS or obtained through an authorized secondary source such as the U.S. Department of Education.

Student Aid Index (SAI)
Replaces the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) as a formal evaluation of a student's approximate financial resources to contribute toward their postsecondary education for a specific award year.