For the first time in two years, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will open on time on October 1.
It’s welcome news for college student Precious Mannie, who struggled with the application in the past.
“I would either go to my high school counselor or my admissions counselor, but every single time I had to do it, I needed help,” said Mannie, a now-Junior at Northeastern Illinois University. “Very stressful.”
Mannie now works an on-campus job in the financial aid office to help other students in need of assistance.
Changes to the program, called FAFSA simplification, began in the 2024-25 aid year and led to numerous delays and tech issues.
Experts anticipate the process will be smoother this year.
“Before, the FAFSA had more questions than a mortgage application,” said Richard Hayes, the Vice President of Finance and Operations at Truman College, “so students should be able to get through it a lot easier than they did before.”
The form has been shortened from 108 to fewer than 40 questions.
As a result of President Donald Trump’s domestic spending and policy bill, which was signed into law in July, there are significant changes to borrowing limits, and the number of repayment plan options have been reduced.
The bill expands Pell grants for low-income students, which is welcome news at community colleges like Truman. However, Hayes says it could be challenging for graduate students moving forward.
The bill eliminates “Grad Plus” loans and caps graduate student borrowing at $20,500 a year, with a lifetime loan limit of $100,000 down from $138,500.
“Now they have to do private loans, and that means the interest rate can go as high as 26%. A lot of people are not going to be able to afford that,” said Hayes.
Another significant change, families no longer need to report the value of small, family-owned businesses or farms where they live.
However, Parent Plus loans have also been capped at $20,000 per year, and $65,000 per dependent.
Students who need help can get it for free through the Illinois Student Assistance Commission (ISAC).
“It has been improving every year, so we’re really hoping this year it is a simpler process,” said Ana Moyer, a training and professional development specialist with ISAC.
“Any Illinois resident can reach out to one of our ISAC core members and have access to all of our resources at no cost to them.”
Between November 18, 2024, and August 15, 2025, Moya says 414,000 Illinois residents completed FAFSA. According to the latest available data, 70% of the students who completed FAFSA received some type of aid.
The federal FAFSA deadline for the 2025-2026 school year is June 30, 2026, but some schools have earlier deadlines. Experts advise families to gather materials early and apply as soon as possible since aid is on a first come first served basis.
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