October 16, 2023

This week, The Hope Center at Temple University was joined by eight partners in calling for improvements to the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to help students connect with public and tax benefits to meet their basic needs. The letter was submitted to the U.S. Department of Education (ED) on the second draft of the 2024-25 FAFSA. The letter calls for:

1. Adding benefits like the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), and Child Tax Credit to the form;

2. Implementing data-sharing agreements with federal and state agencies to share information on benefits, and

3. Issuing new guidance on using FAFSA data to help students and families get the information they need on public and tax benefits.

The letter was led by The Hope Center and signed by Higher Learning Advocates, Benefits Data Trust, Swipe Out Hunger, Young Invincibles, SchoolHouse Connection, State Higher Education Executive Officers, Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP), and The Institute for College Access & Success (TICAS). We thank these partners for their support.

The Hope Center also submitted separate technical comments on the 2024-25 FAFSA this week, requesting changes that would help more students navigate the form and gain access to the financial aid they need to be successful in higher education. The letter requests improvements such as:

1. Correcting the process for students who are experiencing homelessness or are self-supporting and at risk of experiencing homelessness;

2. Expanding access to aid for students not in contact with a parent(s);

3. Providing clearer help for students estimating their family size;

4. Fixing outdated Income Protection Allowance (IPA) tables to catch up with inflation;

5. Further enhancing the FAFSA Submission Summary; and

6. Removing harmful guidance limiting aid beyond the requirements of federal law.