While the FAFSA student aid application has been made easier to use, shorter, and the Pell Grant and Max Award should increase, the calculator in the on-line form has an error which will provide a Student Aid Income figure which will be higher than it should be and qualify the student for less aid than they should receive.
This error, that the different percentages of protected income should be inflation adjusted annually was not included in the current calculation table, was noted repeatedly in the comments period. The Department of Education said it did not have the time for 2024-25 year and would correct it for the 2025-26 period. The Law specified the period of April 2020 to April 2023, which was a period of high inflation, should be used in implementation.
Student aid from an educational institution takes many forms. Be sure to not depend on the gross aid amount and look at the different components of the aid offered to see what is really covered. Here is a simple list of categories. You may find there are conditions or exclusions of some expenses.
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