A temporary freeze imposed briefly this week by the White House on federal grants and loans left many students wondering about the impact to the FAFSA form used to apply for financial aid. President Donald Trump's administration on Wednesday rescinded the memo freezing spending. The U.S. Department of Education clarified that even if the pause had taken effect, it would not have applied to direct assistance to Americans, including federal student loans.
Despite the confusion, the FAFSA form remained available during the temporary freeze. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators confirmed that they had not received complaints about FAFSA availability from administrators at any schools.
For students concerned about the status of the FAFSA form, it was confirmed that student loans, Pell Grants, and other forms of student aid provided directly to individuals were not affected by the freeze. The Free Application for Federal Student Aid application itself is accessible for students to complete at StudentAid.gov.
The Federal Student Aid Office of the U.S. Department of Education assured students that federal student aid would continue to be awarded and disbursed without interruption. FAFSA applications for the 2024-2025 academic year are due by June 30, after which the application will no longer be available on the student aid website.
Colleges across the U.S. released statements expressing uncertainty about the impact of the funding pause and indicated efforts to understand how it could affect students, staff, and programs. However, students relying on financial aid to cover tuition and other expenses were not expected to experience any disruptions from the temporary freeze.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget emphasized that funds for various programs, including small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, and rental assistance, would not be affected by the pause.
It is important for students to note that the FAFSA form and federal student aid programs are operating as usual, ensuring that financial assistance continues to be available for those in need.
