FAFSA Simplification Act
The FAFSA Simplification Act was enacted by Congress as part of the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021. This law reduces the number of questions students will have to answer on the form, makes crucial changes to the Higher Education Act of 1965 to expand Pell Grant eligibility and removes outdated restrictions to make federal student aid more accessible to all students.
WPI’s Office of Financial Aid hosted two information sessions to help returning students and families understand the changes to the 2024-2025 FAFSA. If you missed the presentation, you can find a copy here:
Videos of frequently asked questions can be found below.
2025-2026 FAFSA Open Now
The 2025-2026 FAFSA is now open for all students during the final stage of beta testing. Students who file a FAFSA during this beta testing period will not need to complete it again.
Students applying for Fall 2025 admission should check WPI's FAFSA application deadlines to make sure the FAFSA is filed in time to be considered for institutional need-based financial aid.
Please note that while the 2025-2026 FAFSA is currently open, WPI will not be able to load the 2025-2026 FAFSA data until mid-December. It may show in the student portal as "Not Received" until we are able to load this data.
For FAFSA Contributors without Social Security Numbers
The following document outlines instructions for submitting your FAFSA if your contributor does not have a social security number, available in both English and Spanish.
Federal Student Aid Estimator Tool
The Federal Student Aid Estimator provides students and families an estimate of their 2024-2025 federal financial aid using the new Student Aid Index (SAI).
Please note: This is not a FAFSA. Students will need to complete a 205-2026 FAFSA to be considered for federal or need-based institutional financial aid.
Federal Student Aid Videos
Federal Student Aid has released a series of educational webinars and videos related to recent changes in federal aid, including the FAFSA. You can view these videos on their YouTube channel here.
Worcester Polytechnic Institute is committed to keeping students, families, and our community updated. As we receive more information from the Department of Education and Federal Student Aid, we will update this webpage.
Last updated: November 18, 2024