What’s Changing?

• Students and families will find the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, easier to complete with fewer questions.
• Everyone who enters their information on the FAFSA will be required to create an FSA ID (Federal Student Aid ID), even if they do not have a Social Security Number. All FSA IDs must be set up before starting the FAFSA.
• Every student and parent must have an FSA ID. If parents filed their taxes separately, each parent will need their own FSA ID to give consent and enter personal information.
• Everyone who enters their information on the FAFSA must give the U.S. Department of Education consent to access their federal income tax information from the IRS, even if they did not file a tax return.
  • If any contributor to the FAFSA form does not provide consent, submission of the form will still be allowed. However, a Student Aid Index (SAI) will not be calculated. The processing of a FAFSA without a SAI only allows the awarding of Unsubsidized Federal Loans and Chatt Tech does not participate in the Federal Student Loan program.
• Family size will come from the number of exemptions reported on the federal tax return used to complete the FAFSA.
• The result of completing the FAFSA and entering income and asset information has long been known as the Expected Family Contribution, or EFC. It will now be called the Student Aid Index, or SAI.
• The number of household dependents attending college will no longer affect the income/asset calculation.
• Families are now required to show the value of their small business and/or farm on the FAFSA.
• Males between 18-25 years of age will no longer be required to be registered with Selective Service to receive federal financial aid. Selective Service registration is still required for Georgia state aid.

What’s not changing?

• The FAFSA still must be filled out annually for federal aid consideration. It is available to U.S. citizens or eligible non-citizens.
• Questions introduced in 2023-24 about the applicant’s gender, race, and ethnicity remain only for statistical purposes. They have no effect on federal student aid eligibility.
• Dependency status questions to determine if your parents must provide their information remain the same.
• FAFSA will still request prior-prior year tax information.

What updated terminology should you be aware of?

• Previous Terminology: EFC (Expected Family Contribution)
  • New Terminology: SAI (Student Aid Index)
• Previous Terminology: Parent(s); Parent Spouse; Applicant Spouse
  • New Terminology: Contributors
• Previous Terminology: IDR (Income Data Retrieval) & FAFSA Signature
  • New Terminology: FTI (Federal Tax Information) and Consent
• Previous Terminology: Room & Board
  • New Terminology: Housing & Food
• Previous Terminology: Student Aid Report (SAR)
  • New Terminology: FAFSA Submission Summary