President Donald Trump on Thursday followed his threat to “start eliminating” the Ministry of Education through an executive order, although most legal experts agree that Congress approval will be sought to end the agency.
One critical function of the department is the administration of federal student financial assistance such as grants and student loans. If the Ministry of Education is closed, which means that for a free application for federal student aid, or FAFSA?
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In previous comments to reporters on Thursday, Press Secretary Said Carolyn Levitt That, “when it comes to student loans and grants for Pell, they will still be expired from the Ministry of Education.” However, on March 11, Department staff was reduced by almost half And Students The web site has dropped for hours.
“These workforce reductions are causing serious issues regarding the future functionality of federal aid programs,” a student loan expert Elaine Rubin said in E -s. “There was little communication on how the department plans to maintain efficient work and prevent disorders.”
If you are concerned about filling in 2025-26 FAFSA – Or you have already submitted it- here's what you need to know.
Does Fafsa leave?
Even if the Ministry of Education is abolished, experts do not think that federal student aid or FAFSA will disappear.
“Software System and Call Center are through contractors, but there is still significant work in the house”, a student loan expert Mark Kantrovitz said in E -s. “After Last year's fiascoStaff interruption can be a disaster. “
Both Rubin and Kantrovitz say managing the FAFSA process can be transferred to another agency.
Rubin noted that FAFSA is a “activation application” not only for federal financial assistance programs, but also for many state and institutional assistance programs.
“It would be a huge venture to replace FAFSA, but that doesn't mean it can't be at some point,” Rubin said. Since the complex network of programs relies on the application, “we really do not expect FAFSA to leave at this time.”
Where else can FAFSA go?
More than 17 million people finished FAFSA in the 2022-2023 cycle.
Although the White House says student loans will still be managed by the Ministry of Education, this latest executive order and reducing the workforce in the agency may mean that FAFSA processing is transferred to another federal department.
Opportunities for a new HAFSA home include the Ministry of Finance or Internal Revenue Service because the FAFSA form is already linked to the IRS system to set up tax return data.
Kantrovitz said the US Treasury is the most likely destination for student loan programs. He added that no matter who the agency is taking, the federal government must continue to manage and manage student assistance.
“States are not capable of handling student loans,” Kantrovitz said. “Private lenders lack the capacity and appetite for privatization of the Federal Student Loan portfolio.”
If FAFSA moves to the Finance Ministry, Kantrovitz said borrows are unlikely to notice much.
“Most functions (on student loan programs) are implemented through contractors,” he said. “The Ministry of Finance has no experience with higher education rules, so there may be initial chaos.”
Do you still have to submit FAFSA?
If you need a college payment assistance, experts say you should Continue to use FAFSA. The template is used to determine your eligibility for financial aid, including pell grants, scholarships, work programs and student loans.
Rubin noticed a group of people who added concerns to submit FAFSA: Students who need to report information from a parent or spouse who is an immigrant without documents. Applicants with whom they are non-American citizens with Qualifying documentation may be entitled to financial assistance; The status of financial “associates”, such as parents and spouses, does not affect eligibility.
The Privacy Law of 1974 prohibits the Agency from sharing certain identification information without written consent or explicit agreement. Under Current contractsThe Department shares the information about the FAFSA applicants – but not associates – with the Ministry of Interior Security to confirm the status of the applicant. But the aggressive stance of this administration against immigrants without documents has many families concerned about reporting information that can be illegally shared with immigration authorities, Rubin said.
It has no universal advice for these applicants. “It really has to go down … which is best for the family and what they are comfortable.”
What to expect if you submitted the FAFSA application
If you have already submitted your FAFSA form, the Ministry of Education says it will process your application over the Internet within one to three days (submissions on the paper form lasts longer).
Once your form is processed, you can log in Students To see the submission summary and make corrections. However, in order to reduce staff, you should expect delays if you have any questions or questions with your application, experts warn.
The summary should contain the student aid index, which the Department sends directly to the schools you listed on your FAFSA form. Schools use your time to calculate the amount of financial assistance they will offer. If you are worried that your school has not received your information to determine your financial aid package, contact your school's financial assistance office.