College Newsletter/ FAFSA Update

Today the University of California announced that all nine of its undergraduate campuses will extend their Statement of Intent to Register (SIR) deadline for first-year undergraduate students to May 15. UC campuses have made this decision for students and their families impacted by the current delays to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). In the case of UC Berkeley only, the new deadline does not yet apply to out-of-state and international first-year undergraduate students, as that campus needs more time to evaluate the situation.

Last week, the U.S. Department of Education announced that higher education institutions will not begin receiving students’ financial aid information from the FAFSA until mid-March. The delay follows major changes by the U.S. Department of Education to simplify the FAFSA. The May 15 extension is predicated on the current FAFSA schedule announced Tuesday, January 30, by the U.S. Department of Education. If there are new developments or additional delays, the University will reassess its plans, make changes as necessary based on the circumstances and communicate changes to prospective students and families.

To ensure students and families have the information they need to make informed decisions about their higher education plans, UC campuses plan to provide financial aid offers to admitted first-year students starting in mid-April. This extension will provide students time to review a complete financial aid package and make a confident decision on or before May 15.

A May 15 commitment deadline for first-year students will allow UC campuses to admit additional students promptly through the waitlist process if needed and not prolong the uncertainty of waitlisted students any longer than necessary. This date will also ensure that students have ample time to secure housing, visit campuses and prepare for a successful college transition in the fall.

Additional details about applying to the University of California and accessing financial aid can be found on our admissions website.

Source: UCnotes@ucop.edu

The California State University (CSU) has extended the intent to register deadline for fall 2024 for new first-time, first-year admitted students to no earlier than May 15, 2024, in response to the further delays in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) processing announced by the Department of Education. This extension applies to each of the 23 universities in the CSU system.

“For prospective students who have applied for the fall 2024 term and received admission to one or more CSU campuses, this deadline extension allows them and their families additional time to review financial aid offers before making their decision to commit to a particular CSU," said April Grommo, assistant vice chancellor of CSU Strategic Enrollment Management.

Typically, CSU campuses would determine aid offers by March and ask admitted students to declare their intent to register to a CSU campus by May 1. However, the U.S. Department of Education announced on January 30 that it would begin sending student FAFSA information to universities starting in mid-March—approximately two months later than initially planned. This means that universities across the country, including the CSU, won't receive the federal data within the typical timeline needed to deliver financial aid offer letters to prospective students.

“We understand the frustration that students and families may be feeling. The CSU is committed to ensuring students receive a comprehensive financial aid package," said Grommo. “Financial aid offices across the CSU's 23 institutions are working diligently to be prepared so they can award students as soon as possible after the receipt of the student FAFSA information (ISIRs)."

For information on each CSU's intent to register deadline, visit the university's admissions or registrar website.

Students who have not applied for financial aid are encouraged to do so. The priority deadline for academic year 2024-25 is April 2. For information on eligibility or how to apply, visit the FAFSA website or the California Student Aid Commission website.

Source: CalStateapply@sedlv.net