Better FAFSA, Better Future

We will continue to update this webpage as we receive more information from the Department of Education. (Last updated 4/15/2024)

Current Financial Aid processing timeline (as of 4/15/2024):

  • We expect to start packaging financial aid letters in mid/late-April.
  • We expect to start sending out requests for additional information, as needed, in mid/late-April

(4/3/2024) UMaine and UMM began receiving FAFSA information from the Department of Education. Communications to incoming, new students; as well as continuing students were sent to confirm initial receipt. In addition, the Department of Education announced:

On January 30, 2024 the Department of Education announced in a press release that, as a result of updates to information being used in the Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation, there will be additional delays to FAFSA processing – specifically to the timeframe as to when schools can expect to receive FAFSA information. 

Instead of receiving 2024-2025 FAFSA information by January 31, 2024, the date initially provided by the Department of Education, the Department of Education announced that schools will not receive FAFSA information until the “first half of March”.

Based on this new information, UMaine is currently developing updated timelines for 2024-2025 financial aid offer letters, as well as additional resources to assist with estimating expenses for the 2024-2025 academic year.  Students should monitor their @maine.edu email for updates.

(1/1/2024) The Department of Education has officially soft launched the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Studentaid.gov indicates that during this soft launch period the application will only be available for short periods of time, while ongoing technical updates and maintenance are performed.

While we encourage you to attempt to complete your FAFSA as soon as possible, if you and/or your contributors are unable to access the application during this soft launch period, please be assured that you have not missed any University of Maine financial aid-related deadlines at this time.

In 2020, the FAFSA Simplification Act was enacted into law as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. The FAFSA Simplification Act represents a significant overhaul of federal student aid, including the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, need analysis, and many policies and procedures for schools that participate in the Title IV programs. The changes will provide:

  • a more streamlined application process,
  • expanded eligibility for federal financial aid,
  • reduced barriers for certain student populations, and
  • a better user experience for the FAFSA form.

Changes to the FAFSA:

  • The number of questions on the FAFSA has decreased from over 100 to less than 50.
  • The EFC (Estimated Family Contribution) is now the Student Aid Index (SAI).
  • Students can list up to 20 schools on their FAFSA via the online application.
  • Applicants will be asked to report their sex, race, and ethnicity on the FAFSA itself, but students will be offered a choice of “Prefer Not to Answer”. Schools and states won’t see responses to these questions on the FAFSA.
  • The Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) has been renamed the Federal Taxpayer Information (FTI)
  • The Custodial Parent on your FAFSA will no longer be the parent with whom you lived more during the past 12 months, but rather the parent whom provided you with more financial support.
  • Students, spouses, parents, and stepparents will now need to provide their consent in the new Consent to Retrieve and Disclose Federal Tax Information section of the FAFSA for federal student aid eligibility.
    • This consent will allow the IRS to share FTI.
    • If any party 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.

Changes to Calculating Aid Eligibility:

Students and families will see a different measure of their ability to pay for college, and they will experience a change in the methodology used to determine aid.

  • The new need analysis formula:
    • removes the number of family members in college from the calculation
    • allows a minimum SAI of -$1,500
    • implements separate eligibility determination criteria for Federal Pell Grant.
  • Child support received will be included in assets and not as untaxed income.
  • Families who own a small business/farm that also serves as primary residence will now have assets of that business/farm considered in their need analysis calculation.