WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT NEW COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID APPLICATION

Students can start applying today for college financial aid after a months-long delay, and with some key changes this year that will make more families eligible, experts are urging everyone to apply whether or not they think they will qualify.

That’s important, experts say, because billions of federal aid dollars go unclaimed nationwide. California’s high school class of 2022 left half a billion dollars on the table, according to the National College Attainment Network.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application (CADAA) for undocumented students are both open today.

California’s priority deadline to submit the FAFSA or CADAA has been extended to April 2 for this school year only, a month later than usual due to the delay in the opening of aid applications. But some experts are urging students to fill out the forms as soon as possible, considering the delay and the fact that some college aid is on a first-come, first-serve basis.

This year’s delay is also expected to put pressure on colleges and universities, which will have less time than usual to write financial aid offer packages for student applicants. Despite the later April deadline, the University of California is “strongly encouraging” students to file no later than March 2.

The FAFSA was delayed from its usual Oct. 1 opening date because it underwent a major overhaul that is meant to make it easier for students to complete.

Federal officials expect hundreds of thousands more students nationwide to qualify for aid under the revamped application — including 59,000 more in California who are expected to qualify for the Pell grant due to updated eligibility guidelines, which are tied to family size and the federal poverty level.

At the same time, under the new federal financial aid formula, families will lose a discount previously given for having multiple children in college.

Experts urge all students to fill out a financial aid application even if they think they won’t qualify for aid. Students will need an application on file to qualify for not only federal Pell grants or state Cal grants but also for performance-based scholarships at certain colleges, said Tanya Bulette, counseling coordinator at the San Diego County Office of Education. Undocumented students are not eligible for federal aid, but they can receive state aid under certain circumstances.

“Even if their income says they will not receive the grants … it’s still important to apply,” Bulette said.

Only an estimated 61 percent of California high school seniors had completed a FAFSA or CADAA by last school year’s state aid deadline, according to the California Student Aid Commission, even though a new state law went into effect last year that requires all school districts and charters to confirm that all high school seniors have completed a FAFSA or CADAA.

One of the biggest differences with the new FAFSA is that it is significantly shorter. Some students may have to answer as few as 18 questions on the new form, compared to as many as 103 on last year’s form. Some students will be able to skip as many as 26 questions on the new form.

There are several other changes to the FAFSA, including:

• More families will be able to have their financial information input to the form directly from their IRS tax filings.

• The term “expected family contribution” is changed to “student aid index.” The student aid index is a calculated number that is used to determine student eligibility for federal aid and is based on several factors, including family size and the incomes and assets of parents, students and spouses. The lower the student aid index, the more likely a student qualifies for aid. Administrators subtract the student aid index from the student’s cost of attendance to determine need for financial aid.

• Everyone who contributes financial information to the FAFSA — including students, students’ spouses and biological or adoptive parents — must obtain an online Federal Student Aid ID to fill out the form. Parents and spouses no longer need a Social Security number to get an FSA ID, as there is a new verification process.

• Students can list up to 20 colleges or universities on the FAFSA, up from 10 institutions.

The CADAA also gets a notable change this year. A separate affidavit that undocumented students must complete to qualify for exemption from nonresident tuition and for state aid will now be integrated with the CADAA — a change some experts hope will help more undocumented students get aid. Bulette reminds students that undocumented families need not worry about providing information for financial aid applications; undocumented students and students with undocumented parents can complete the aid applications without fear of repercussions for immigration status because financial aid information is not sent to immigration enforcement, she said.

On Jan. 20 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., there will be free workshops at more than 20 locations for any San Diego County high school seniors who would like one-on-one help in completing the FAFSA, CADAA or Chafee Grant application for foster youth.

Students can sign up for a workshop using the online registration form, which can be found at calsoapsandiego.org/workshops.