This week, a short-lived freeze on federal grants and loans initiated by the White House left many students uncertain about the implications for the FAFSA form, which is essential for securing financial aid.
On Wednesday, the administration under President Donald Trump revoked the memo that instituted the freeze on spending. The U.S. Department of Education clarified that even if the freeze had been executed, it wouldn’t have impacted direct financial support provided to individuals, notably federal student loans.
Despite the confusion, it seems that the FAFSA remained accessible. The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting financial aid professionals, reported on Wednesday that it had not encountered any complaints from school administrators regarding the availability of the FAFSA.
Nonetheless, many borrowers took to social media to inquire about whether the FAFSA was put on hold.
Is the FAFSA form currently on hold?
The answer is no. The freeze had no bearing on student loans, Pell Grants, or other forms of individual student aid.
Students can still access the Free Application for Federal Student Aid at StudentAid.gov.
The Federal Student Aid Office of the U.S. Department of Education reassured in a statement that, “We continue to award and disburse federal student aid.”
For those applying for the 2024-2025 academic year, FAFSA applications are due by June 30, after which the application will no longer be available on the student aid website. It’s important to note that individual colleges may have specific deadlines and often request that applications be submitted prior to the federal cut-off in the summer.
How has the Trump administration’s suspension of funding impacted college students?
Institutions across the country issued statements indicating that the effects of the freeze were still uncertain and that they were seeking to understand its potential ramifications for students, staff, and programs. However, students who depend on financial aid to handle tuition payments and additional expenses were not anticipated to face any interruptions due to the funding pause.
The U.S. Office of Management and Budget assured that “Funds for small businesses, farmers, Pell grants, Head Start, rental assistance, and other similar programs will not be paused,” in a statement regarding the matter.
