Note: This article has been updated to reflect the announcement by FSA that the release of the new Better FAFSA will be delayed until December 2023.
When the 2024-25 Better Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opens in December 2023, it will incorporate the greatest changes to
the postsecondary financial aid application process since the FAFSA went online in 1997. To realize the benefits of the improvements, however, thousands of college access and success practitioners, school counselors, and other individuals need training
and updated resources to adapt their FAFSA completion training initiatives. The National College Attainment Network (NCAN) is committed to ensuring organizations assisting students with the greatest needs receive high-quality, accessible Better FAFSA
preparation. We will provide a suite of awareness, training, and training resources about how to support students of color and students from low-income backgrounds to complete the new Better FAFSA. Here’s what NCAN members can expect.
April-June 2023
Continued updates about changes. As NCAN continues to learn from the Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) about relevant changes to Better FAFSA questions and processes, we will update you through our blog, Success Digest, and
social media. For instance, we learned on March 21, 2023 that the release of the Better FAFSA will be delayed until December 2023. An exact date will be announced long before December and shared ASAP.
“Better FAFSA” webpage. We will create a new tab on NCAN’s homepage consolidating Better FAFSA information in one place where we can continue to add tools and resources. We will also
begin to revise and relocate materials from our FAFSA Completion Resource Library and Form Your Future™ web site
so all our resources are relevant to Better FAFSA and easy to find.
Awareness-building. NCAN members will benefit if “adjacent” organizations are also aware that big changes are coming to FAFSA completion this year. NCAN will be in touch with organizations such as MENTOR, the National Association of Secondary School Principals, and Big Brothers Big Sisters to inform them and ask
them to share the news with their own members. We will launch a tour of key national conferences to speak on the topic, “FAFSA Changes Are Coming, Will You Be Ready?” NCAN will also conduct a media outreach campaign to encourage press coverage, emphasizing
key messages:
Major changes to the FAFSA are coming.
The Better FAFSA will mean a more streamlined application process, expanded eligibility for federal student aid, reduced barriers for many student populations, and a better user experience for the FAFSA form.
July 2023
Train-the-FAFSA-trainer event. Knowing it will take a village to accomplish this transition, NCAN is planning a “train-the-trainer” Better FAFSA Completion Summit in Washington, DC in July. This approach will ensure that at least two
(and in many cases, three to five) individuals in every US state, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico have the information and resources to provide FAFSA completion training in their own regions. Trainees will be NCAN members and partners with demonstrated
experience and expertise in large-scale FAFSA completion initiatives who will deliver their own free FAFSA completion training during the 2023-24 school year. This event will train approximately 500 individuals using content provided by the Office
of Federal Student Aid. Due to capacity restraints and to ensure equitable participation from all states, this event is primarily by invitation only. But not to worry—many more training opportunities and resources are coming that are open to all!
August 2023-January 2024
Better FAFSA completion training toolkit. NCAN will share Better FAFSA completion toolkit 1.0 with our members in August and continue to update it during the fall as more materials and information become available. You will be able to
use the toolkit to train your own staff and partners. NCAN is partnering with our member and college affordability expert uAspire for some materials, and we will incorporate FSA resources as they are released. Toolkit items will include:
Better FAFSA completion training slides and instructor guide.
Special topic infographics or worksheets such as, Who Is Your Parent, How to Set Up FSA IDs for Undocumented Individuals, and What’s a Negative Student Aid Index.
Template student/parent handouts in English and Spanish (e.g., What to Bring to FAFSA Night, What to Do After FAFSA, FSA ID info sheet, What to Do if You Are Selected for Verification).
Sample messaging to share the news that FAFSA is different and more simple.
Listing of organizations and individuals who attended the “train-the-trainer” event and are a resource for local training.
“How to Complete the Better FAFSA” NCAN member training webinars. Beginning in August, NCAN will host several free-to-members webinars to train your staff who help students and families with FAFSA completion. Each webinar will accommodate
up to 1,000 participants and will be recorded for subsequent viewing. We will repeat the webinar several times through the fall in coordination with the opening date of Better FAFSA. Training materials will be based on the curriculum from the FAFSA
Completion Summit and updated with all additional information available at the time. NCAN will publish the webinar schedule no later than July so that you can plan for your staff training needs.
Better FAFSA Completion in-person training. NCAN will offer one in-person FAFSA completion training in coordination with our 2023 National Conference in Dallas,
TX. This “post-conference” add-on will take place the afternoon of Wednesday, October 18. It will be available for a modest registration fee ($49) to NCAN members and will accommodate up to 1,000 participants. In partnership with TxCAN, NCAN also
seeks sponsorship support to provide registration scholarships to local school counselors and nonprofits.
Better FAFSA e-learning units. With expertise from uAspire and Get2College, NCAN will provide three new Better FAFSA
e-learning units for those who prefer to update their knowledge using a self-paced online approach. These units are FAFSA Completion 101, FAFSA Completion 201, and FAFSA/Verification: Solving Difficult Scenarios. These new units will be available
the month following the opening date of Better FAFSA and will be free to NCAN members.
Better FAFSA user experience news. Once the Better FAFSA opens in December, NCAN will have our ear to the ground to hear how completion is going for our members, students, and families. We will share your experiences with the Office of Federal Student
Aid to inform any possible quick fixes and request improvements for future years. We will also be on the lookout for “best in class” resources that our members create so we can share them widely with the field.
In sum, NCAN will be here for you in this new Better FAFSA transition. We hope by the end of 2023, you will say that your NCAN membership has provided more value than ever before! Thank you for being a vital part of our community and for all the ways
you help students and families.
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