The 2024-2025 FAFSA

The new FAFSA, for 2024-2025, is called the Simplified FAFSA. You will find, if you have completed FAFSAs before, that there are 50% less questions. However, during this transition to the new FAFSA, the Department of Education has run into many technical difficulties. They have already advised the Higher Education Community that the 2025-2026 will be a slower rollout than what is normal. To find out more details on what to expect for both 2024-2025 and 2025-2026 FAFSAs please visit our FAFSA Simplification page.

What is the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)?

The FAFSA is the application that students must complete to apply for federal student aid, which is used to attend an eligible college. Federal student aid includes Federal Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (FSEOG), Federal Student Loans, and Federal Work-Study (FWS). The FAFSA is also used to determine eligibility for state grant (or scholarship) programs (such as New York Tuition Assistance Program (TAP) and New Jersey Tuition Aid Grant (TAG)). Much of Berkeley College Institutional Aid also requires the FAFSA.

Do students still have to complete the FAFSA every year?

Yes. Eligibility for federal student aid does not carry over from one school year to the next. Students will need to fill out the FAFSA for each school year in which they plan to be a student. Eligibility for financial aid can differ from year to year for various reasons, including a student’s or family’s financial situation and the number of family members enrolled in college.

How do students create the FSA ID required to complete the FAFSA?

Please click on the following link for instructions on how to create an FSA ID.   

Can any student be selected for verification?

Yes. A student can be selected for verification by either the U.S. Department of Education or by Berkeley. Verification is a process by which a student is required to submit documentation that the data reported on the student’s FAFSA is accurate. Berkeley's financial aid administrators may make corrections or updates to your FAFSA based on the documentation provided as part of the verification process.

Starting with spring 2022 Berkeley College has teamed up with ProEducation Solutions. If the U.S. Department of Education selects you for verification or requires us to resolve some issues with your FAFSA information, ProEd will use an automated tool called ProVerify+ to make the process easier and faster for you. Learn more about Verification and Conflict Resolution.

 

Loan Information

You must complete a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) each year listing Berkeley College’s school code in order to be awarded a Direct Federal Stafford Loan. You will receive an award notice from the College Financial Aid Office after your FAFSA has been processed. Check your award notice to make sure that a Stafford Loan has been awarded. If you have been awarded a Stafford Loan, you must complete a Stafford Loan Application and Loan Entrance Counseling. If you want to borrow a Stafford Loan but your award notice does not include one, or you did not receive an award notice, contact your Financial Aid Office for assistance.

Berkeley College participates in the William D. Ford Direct Loan Program. Eligible students and their parents borrow Stafford and/or PLUS loans directly from the U.S. Department of Education, and repay their loans directly to a loan servicer that is appointed.

Instructions for Completing the Direct Stafford Loan Application and Loan Entrance Counseling

Complete your Stafford Loan entrance counseling by logging onto https://studentaid.gov/app/counselingInstructions.action?counselingType=entrance and sign in using your FSA ID.

Complete your Direct Stafford Loan application (MPN) by logging onto https://studentaid.gov/mpn/  and sign in using your FSA ID

Instructions for Completing the PLUS Authorization for credit check and PLUS Loan Application

Complete the PLUS Authorization for credit check and PLUS Master Promissory Note by logging onto https://studentaid.gov/plus-app/ and sign in using your FSA ID.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION PLUS BORROWERS MUST HAVE WHEN COMPLETING THE CREDIT CHECK

  1. FSA ID and password
  2. The total loan amount, loan period and award year