The 2024-2025 FAFSA is available. File now at www.studentaid.gov/fafsa. Tennessee residents should file by April 15, 2024. Please monitor your student email and continue to reference this webpage for more information and future updates.
ABOUT FAFSA SIMPLIFICATION
The FAFSA Simplification Act passed by Congress in 2020 laid the foundation and set the requirements for an updated and revamped FAFSA process with the end goal being a more streamlined FAFSA submission process and increased aid eligibility for students across the country. As a result, significant changes to the FAFSA and the need analysis formula within it are being implemented for the 2024-2025 school year.
Due to these major changes, students and schools have seen major delays in the FAFSA availability and processing of data. We appreciate your patience as we continue to work for our students as effectively as possible while we adjust to the processing and timeline changes put upon us this year.
Department of Education’s Published Timeline
- By end of March 2024: ED intends to clear the backlog of submitted FAFSA applications.
- First half of April 2024: Students should be able to make updates and corrections to their FAFSAs. ED will start reprocessing FAFSA applications that had some previously identified issues.
2024-25 FINANCIAL AID TIMELINE
- December 31, 2023: The 2024-2025 FAFSA became available on www.studentaid.gov.
- End of March 2024: Carson-Newman began receiving 2024-2025 FAFSAs from the Department of Education. ED intends to clear the backlog of submitted FAFSA applications.
- April 2024: The Financial Aid Office can begin putting together complete Financial Aid Offers and send Notification Letters to new students anticipated to attend in fall 2024. Keep in mind there may be a needed calculation and test period in our own system. Students should be able to make updates and corrections to their FAFSAs. ED will start reprocessing FAFSA applications that had some previously identified issues.
- April – May 2024: The Financial Aid Office will begin to offer financial aid to new freshmen, transfers, and graduate students who have filed valid FAFSAs for the 2024-2025 school year.
- June 2024: The Financial Aid Office will begin to offer financial aid to continuing students who have filed valid FAFSAs for the 2024-2025 school year.
- June 2024: Billing is sent.
- August 2024: Registration Confirmation (e-confirm) opens, and payment of bills due one week before classes begin.
- August 26, 2024: Fall classes begin.
Student Aid Index (SAI)
Beginning in the 2024-2025 academic year, the Student Aid Index (SAI) will replace the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) that has been used previously to determine students’ need-based aid eligibility. The SAI is calculated by information provided by the student and his or her contributors on the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
Cost of Attendance (COA) – Student Aid Index (SAI) = Student’s Need
Our Financial Aid Office will use this calculation to determine students’ need-based aid eligibility.
For more information regarding FAFSA Simplification, SAI, changes to the FAFSA form and Pell Eligibility, see the Department of Education’s 2024-25 Student Aid Index (SA) and Pell Grant Eligibility Guide.