Looking for help to pay your college tuition? Here's how to navigate FAFSA if you're in Colorado
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open to all students and families wanting to get help paying for college in the 2025-26 school year.
After several rounds of beta testing, a new, improved version has been rolled out with major changes.
"It's going to be huge for a lot of families," said Robert Persichitte, affiliate finance professor at MSU Denver. He helps students with their FAFSA every year. "It is the center of all your financial aid decisions... anything that you're able to get from your school comes from this application. And if you were frustrated you couldn't get through it, it should be much easier much more streamlined."
As a student dealing with all the stresses of college life, Clarissa Ojeda appreciates that. She filled hers out over the weekend with her parents.
"In the past, it took me about an hour and a half. This time, it took me 30 minutes with my parents, so that's my file and my parents' file," she said. "The tax part is different. I had to fill in everything manually now in the past, and they just pull it in, and the questions are a lot easier to follow. It just checks one thing checklist off for my next year."
Persichitte says Ojeda's doing it right. While it's not due until next year, earlier is better when it comes to completing your FAFSA.
"And it's always going to be better to access it directly through the government site," he added. "There are a lot of third parties that will say that they're there to help you. A lot of those are just extracting money from you. You don't have to leave the money on the table."
"It makes me very happy, very joyful to know that they do help out because I know college isn't cheap," Ojeda said.
MSU Denver also offers open services for students. For more information regarding financial aid and eligibility, contact the MSU Denver Office of Financial Aid and Scholarships at 303-556-8593 or email finaid@msudenver.edu.
