Students that are planning to attend McNeese State University during the 2024-25 academic year are being encouraged to complete the Free Application for Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon as possible.

The FAFSA is the process used by students to receive grants, loans and TOPS for college. For future and current McNeese students, the priority deadline is May 1. McNeese Director of the Office of Financial Aid Tania Savoit said that it is paramount that students complete the FAFSA by May 1 to have their eligibility for the 2024-25 academic year determined in a timely manner.

She said that changes made to the FAFSA process have delayed eligibility determinations.

“Due to all of the FAFSA enhancements for the 2024-25 academic year, the US Department of Education is still working to finalize the processing of the FAFSA results … As of right now, there are no colleges nation-wide that have been able to receive any FAFSA results for the 2024-25 academic year.”

If it were a typical year, McNeese would have begun processing 2024-25 FAFSA results in October 2023. However, this year the university hopes to begin that process in April 2024 after the processed FAFSA are received.

To assist students, McNeese is provided many opportunities for students and families to receive FAFSA completion assistance.

Every Thursday through April, McNeese is offering “New Year New FAFSA” appointments in Student Central for those who need in-person assistance completing the FAFSA. Staff in Student Central will have computers available and will offer one-on-one assistance while filing a FAFSA. Appointments can be scheduled online at www.mcneese.edu/student-central/fafsa-thursdays-registration.

Applicants can also receive assistance without an appointment 7:30 a.m.–5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30–11 a.m. on Fridays without an appointment at Student Central.

Additionally, an information session for financial aid and scholarship opportunities will be hosted at McNeese Preview Day on Saturday, Feb. 24.

FAFSA Changes

In November 2023, the U.S. Department of Education announced that the FAFSA process for the 2024-25 school year would be “simplified, streamlined and redesigned” through the FAFSA Simplification Act to help 610,000 new students receive the maximum Pell Grant and “deliver a better FAFSA form and experience for students and families.”

In addition to the Federal Pell Grant eligibility expansion, the formula used to determine financial aid eligibility has changed. Previously, FAFSA utilized the Expected Family Contribution (EFC). Now, a formula coined the Student Aid Index (SAI) will be utilized. This index number will be calculated using information provided by the application and the contributors, ranging from – 1,500 to 99,9999.

Once colleges are notified of a student’s SAI, the institutions will calculate how much and what types of financial aid they are able to receive. This change was made to account for inflation, allowing for an additional $1.8 billion in aid and making sure students have access to their max amount of eligible financial aid.

Other changes include the use of the term “Contributor” on the FAFSA – a student, spouse, biological or adoptive parents or parent’s spouses who are asked for their information, consent and approval to have their federal tax information transferred from the IRS to the FAFSA form and the requirement for applicants and contributors to have a StudentAid.gov account.

James Kvaal, under secretary of education, said in a January release that the Better FAFSA makes the application process “as simple and easy as possible for families to get help paying for college.”

“Updating our calculations will help students qualify for as much financial aid as possible. Thank you to the financial aid advisers, college counselors, and many others helping us put students first.”

The federal deadline for the 2024-25 FAFSA form is June 20, 2025.