Student Financial Aid Form Now Available

PHOTO PROVIDED BY ONEGOAL
PHOTO PROVIDED BY ONEGOAL

Student Financial Aid Form Now Available

By Tia Carol Jones

The Department of Education recently released the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for families and students to fill out.


OneGoal is an organization that has a mission to transform postsecondary education through advising and support. Through its program, OneGoal partners with high schools and school districts in low-income communites to provide postsecondary planning, preparation, and support so that students can enroll in and graduate from postsecondary programs. As an organization, OneGoal also understands the importance of filling out the FAFSA.


Maria Alejandra Canales, Managing Director of Program Implementation at OneGoal, encourages families to fill out the form as early as possible since it is available. She said there are things parents should know before they can submit the form, which is a multi-step process.


First, parents have to set up an FAFSA ID account. She suggested that parents carve out time to go through the process. Because FAFSA is tied to financial aid for students attending college, parents should have the financial information handy while they are filling out the form.


“It’s a lot easier now, but it will still take time. It will take time to complete and work with your student or your child in order to position them to access lots of funding that is available that oftentimes goes underutilized because the FAFSA isn’t completed on time,” Canales said.


A recent report from the United States Government Accountability Office found that there were nearly 9% fewer high school seniors and other first time applicant submittals with the last FAFSA, especially among lower-income students. The report found students and their parents who do not have Social Security numbers might not have been able to fill out the form in the past, because the FAFSA website wouldn’t allow those without a Social Security Number to fill out the form. 


According to the Department of Education, the Department has taken steps to modernize internal systems and processes, address issues in the FAFSA system, and put in place features that further enhance the user experience and improve functionality of the form. In addition, the Department released and updated resources and materials to help students and families better navigate the FAFSA form and process.


Canales said for families with mixed-family status, those who have parents who do not have a Social Security Number, should not have problems with the process because of the improvements made to the process. She said the call center has been staffed to capacity for people who have questions, she advised people to  take advantage of the fully staffed contact center.


Canales said with the new incoming administration there are unknowns but the FAFSA is still critically important. OneGoal is watching specifically for implications in a new administration that might affect students in regards to mixed status families. OneGoal is working with the National College Access Network to ensure they are advising students as much as possible and giving them information vital for them to navigate filling out the FAFSA, because Financial Aid is critical for most students to attend college.


“We want to make sure we are continuing to support them in as many ways as possible so that they get access to the funds they need,” she said.


Families and students who would like additional assistance with filling out the form can visit StudentAid.gov or call 1-800-433-3243. To fill out the form, visit www.fafsa.gov.


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