New FAFSA application is live in 'soft launch' mode

The Education Department initiated a "soft launch" of the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application form over the weekend, and already over 400,000 applications have been submitted.

Every year, more than 17 million students and approximately 5,500 colleges and universities use the FAFSA form. It is normally available in October, but due to major overhauls to the application process, it wasn’t available until Dec. 31.

Despite the soft launch limiting access to the form to certain hours of the day, with planned pauses for website maintenance, over 150,000 applications have been successfully submitted and an additional 250,000 applications are in progress, according to an Education Department spokesperson.

However, the soft launch was not without some problems.

"Even by soft-launch standards, this weekend’s rollout was challenging and students, families, and financial aid administrators who have been waiting for this release for months are understandably frustrated,” Justin Draeger, president and CEO of the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA), said in a statement.

What to expect during the soft launch

The soft launch is a way of rolling out the redesigned FAFSA that ramps up availability and volumes gradually to avoid spikes and system shutdowns while allowing the Education Department to adjust the technology to real-world conditions.

While the FAFSA form is in soft launch, students and their families should be prepared for a few glitches and exercise patience.

Read more: Your complete guide to FAFSA for the 2023-2024 school year

“I was able to submit the FAFSA on Tuesday, but there continue to be glitches,” Mark Kantrowitz, author and student loan expert, told Yahoo Finance. “Last year, more than 50,000 FAFSAs were received per day during the first two quarters of the application season. So, the current pace falls short, presumably due to the limited availability.”

During the soft launch, the form will be available periodically on StudentAid.gov. The Education Department will initiate pauses for site maintenance and to make updates to the form as needed. An end to the soft launch period has not been announced.

Applicants may experience a waiting room feature to help control website volumes and ensure optimal performance of the form.

If applicants complete the form during the soft launch period, their information will be submitted to Federal Student Aid (FSA) and they won’t have to reapply after the soft launch period ends.

If the site is under a planned pause, try at a later time to access the form as the hours of availability are increasing throughout the week.

Applicants can expect the form to be available consistent with call center hours, according to an Education Department spokesperson, noting that officials are aware of issues with the form and are working to address them while monitoring for any additional issues that users encounter during the soft launch.

File FAFSA as soon as it's available

Due to the late rollout of FAFSA, it is important that students and their families file FAFSA as soon as it is available.

Although the website says there is no need to rush to apply, high school seniors who applied for early decision should move quickly to process financial aid. Additionally, late filing may limit aid awards, which are often on a first come, first served basis.

Students and parents should create their Federal Student Aid (FSA) ID before completing the FAFSA.

“Despite potential delays, taking proactive steps now like obtaining FSA IDs and preparing essential documents will help streamline the process for families when the application is fully available,” Rick Castellano, vice president at Sallie Mae, told Yahoo Finance.

Ronda is a personal finance senior reporter for Yahoo Finance and attorney with experience in law, insurance, education, and government.