Families planning to apply for federal financial aid for higher education will soon have the option to use a new, streamlined version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). The new "Better FAFSA" application is two-thirds shorter than its predecessor with just 36 questions compared to 108 on the old version. Because the updates to Better FAFSA are so extensive, there has been a delay in opening the application to families. This means that students and parents will have a reduced time frame to complete the application. The application window will open at the end of the year rather than its typical October 1 opening date.
Reminder: Idaho students interested in applying for the Idaho Opportunity Scholarship will need to fill out Better FAFSA in order to be eligible. The deadline to apply for the Opportunity Scholarship is March 1.
Additionally, Office of the State Board of Education staff members are offering free webinars for families interested in learning more about financial aid, Better FAFSA and state scholarship programs:
- November 9, 7:00 pm MT – Click here to register
- December 7, 7:00 pm MT – Click here to register
