Will FAFSA disappear if the Ministry of Education is closed?

If the Ministry of Education is no longer present, is it? FAFSA Do you also disappear?

The Ministry of Education processes the free demand for federal students and runs federal financial aid programs. However, the The section may not be present for a longer periodWith the Minister of Education, Linda McMahon, she talks about ways to close her. the The department’s employees have been reduced by about half This month and Studentaid.gov The site went for hours.

“These workforce discounts raise serious questions about the future jobs of federal aid programs,” student loan expert Eileen Robin He said in an email. “There was little communication on how the administration planned to maintain effective operations and prevent disorders.”

If you are worried about filling 2025-26 Fava – Or you have already provided it- here you need to know.

Does FAFSA go away?

Even if the Ministry of Education is canceled, experts do not believe that federal aid for students or that FAFSA will disappear.

“Software System and Communication Center through contractors, but there is still an important work at home,” student loan expert Mark Cantroitz He said in an email. “after FAFSA FIASCO last yearThe end of the employees can be a disaster. “

Robin and Kantrowitz say that the FAFSA process can be transferred to another agency.

Robin noted that FAFSA is the “trigger application” not only for federal financial aid programs but also for many governmental and institutional assistance programs.

“It will be a great pledge to replace FAFSA, but this does not mean that at some point it cannot be,” Robin said. But since a complex program depends on the application, “we don’t really expect FAFSA to go at this time.”

Where can FAFSA go?

Experts say the other federal agency is the most likely candidate to take over the treatment of FAFSA if the Ministry of Education is closed. The possibilities include the Ministry of Treasury or the internal revenue service because the FAFSA model is already connected to the Tax Authority system to download the tax declaration data.

Canties said that the US Treasury is the most likely destination for student loan programs. He added that regardless of the agency it takes, the federal government must continue to manage and manage student assistance.

“The states are unable to deal with student loans,” said Canties. “Special lenders lack the capacity and appetite to privatize the Federal Student Loan Portfolio.”

If FAFSA moves to the cabinet, Kantrowitz probably said that borrowers will not notice much of the difference.

“Most of the jobs are performed (from student loan programs) through contractors,” he said. “The cabinet lacks experience in the rules of higher education, so there may be some initial chaos.”

Are you still offering FAFSA?

If you need help paying the college price, experts say you should Continue to use FAFSA. The model is used to determine your eligibility for financial assistance, including Pell Scholarships, Scholarships, Labor Study Programs and student loans.

Robin referred to one of the people who added concerns about submitting the FAFSA file: students who need to report information from one of the parents or husband who does not have documents. Applicants who are not non -American citizens with Qualifier documents You may be eligible for financial help; The financial “shareholders” situation, such as parents and husbands, does not affect eligibility.

the Privacy Law of 1974 The agency prevents the participation of some information that is determined without written approval or an explicit agreement. under Current agreementsThe administration shares FAFSA information for applicants – but not shareholders – with the Ministry of Internal Security to verify the applicant’s status. Robin said that the aggressive position of this administration against illegal immigrants has many families who are concerned about providing information that can be illegally shared with immigration authorities.

She does not have a global advice for these applicants. “You must reach … What is best for the family and what they are comfortable.”

What do you expect if you submit your FAFSA request

If you have already submitted your FAFSA model, the Ministry of Education says it will deal with your online request within a day to three days (paper submissions takes longer).

After processing your form, you can log in to Studentaid.gov To see your application summary and make corrections. However, due to employment discounts, you should expect a delay if you have any questions or problems with your request, experts warned.

The summary should include a student aid index, which the department sends directly to the schools you included in your FAFSA model. Schools use Sai to calculate the amount of financial aid they will give you. If you are concerned that your school has not received your information to determine your financial aid package, contact your school’s financial aid office.