FAFSA delay has students and universities facing setbacks
LATROBE, Pa. (KDKA) — Receiving financial aid can be the difference in whether some students attend college or not, making the application process critical for those who need it.
A new application launched by the United States Department of Education has been facing technology issues, causing a setback in some college financial aid offers.
The Department of Education announced its Free Application for Federal Student Aid form will not be available to universities until mid-March, leading some colleges to extend their deadline to give families time to get it done.
"Our admission staff, our financial aid staff has had a lot of conversations with families just being frustrated because the process isn't working the way it should. They keep getting error messages," said Simon Stuchlik, vice president of marketing at Saint Vincent College.
FAFSA is an electronic form that is required for federal grant, work-study and student loan eligibility for all current and future college students.
Saint Vincent College said it also uses the data collected in FAFSA to determine eligibility for additional need-based scholarships and grants made available through the generous donations from SVC alumni, friends and family.
Saint Vincent College extended its deadline until May 1.
"We all strongly believe that it's worth it because of how much it helps students," Stuchlik said.
"We want to recognize the difficult position that these ongoing delays are causing families," said Mary Gazal, assistant vice president for financial aid at Saint Vincent College. "Extending our priority filing deadline helps us do everything in our power to make a high-quality college education more accessible for our students."
"Saint Vincent, they're always able to adjust to people's needs, and I think that's one of the main reasons that students should come here. They're always just open and trying to help as many students to get here as smoothly and easily as possible," said Diana Mosten, a student at Saint Vincent College.
Stuchlik said according to an article by the Chronicle of Higher Education, student aid impacts low-income families and first-generation students the most.
"I think it's really important for people that need it," said Iverson Agyei, a student at Saint Vincent College. "If you can't afford tuition by yourself, obviously, they give you money. And also while you're in school, they give you like a couple hundred dollars if you can't afford books or anything like that."
Scuchlik said the downfall to extending the deadline is for its administration reviewing the applications.
"There will be a faster turnaround for us than being able to get financial aid notifications out and to let students know how much need-based aid they might be getting. And it will be a lot of work, it will be an all-hands-on-deck approach for us when that deadline comes. But it's well worth it to help students attend college," Stuchlik said.
He said any student facing challenges while applying should contact the financial office.
"We want to encourage students and families to remain patient in this process," explained Gazal. "While undoubtedly frustrating for everyone involved, we are committed to helping you succeed in your college journey."
KDKA-TV reached out to several local universities to learn how they're handling the application challenges.
IUP said it has a rolling deadline for financial aid applications.
"Students can submit as they complete the FAFSA (form) and we will work to get them the aid that they qualify for," said Michelle Fryling, a spokesperson for IUP.
PennWest California said it does not have a FAFSA deadline for students.
"In fact, we assist students and families throughout the year to help them navigate the financial aid process and afford their education. We do encourage Pennsylvania students to submit their FAFSA before May 1 so they can be fully considered for Pennsylvania State Grants through PHEAA. However, even if a student submits their FAFSA after May 1, they will still be fully considered for any institutional merit and need-based aid," a spokesperson said.
For those applying to the University of Pittsburgh, it said, "With Tuesday's announcement from the Department of Education, FAFSA data required to determine financial aid offers will not be available until at least mid-March. This delay will likely result in financial aid offers being sent out mid-April at the earliest to admitted, first-year students starting at Pitt in the Fall. Pitt is communicating updates directly to students and families through email and this website."
Robert Morris also does not have a deadline. A spokesperson there said it will work with families until classes begin in the fall.
KDKA-TV also reached out to Penn State University, Carnegie Mellon University and Duquesne University but has not heard back yet.
