Dept. of Ed. boasts ‘FAFSA form is working’ after months of frustration for families

The Education Department says it’s “proud” that the FAFSA form is working – following its disastrous years-long rollout that led to mass frustration for families and bipartisan backlash from Congress.

“We are proud to say that the FAFSA form is working, and over 1.5 million students have successfully submitted their 2025–26 forms,” Education Secretary Miguel Cardona said on Thursday. “The steps we’ve taken to improve the system have created a smoother, more reliable experience for students and families, and we remain vigilant about addressing any issues that arise so that millions more can complete their forms this cycle.”

Congress in 2020 directed the Education Department to simplify the FAFSA application process. Yet a series of technical difficulties and delays botched the rollout, making things anything but simpler for the millions of students who use the forms to apply for federal financial aid.

Last year, the application wasn’t available to students until December 30, three months past its usual October 1 date, forcing colleges to prepare late financial aid packages and students to make rushed choices about their academic futures. 

That delay and a series of glitches led to a 9%  decline in first-time FAFSA applicants, the Government Accountability Office notes, and an “overall decline of about 432,000 applications as of the end of August.” When families called the Education Department’s call center for assistance, 74% of their calls went unanswered. 

The delays sparked backlash and legislation from Congress, as congressional Democrats demanded answers and as the Republican-led House Education Committee criticized the glitches for “forcing students and families to make this life-changing decision with zero information about their eligibility for financial aid.”

It wasn’t just FAFSA applications that declined – it was student enrollments as well. College enrollment for 18-year-old freshmen sank 5 percent this year compared to last year, according to data recently released by the National College Attainment Network. 

Experts have said the FAFSA rollout is likely the “No. 1 culprit” for that decline. 

“My gut, as one who looks at a lot of FAFSA completion data, is that if we had had a normal FAFSA year last year, we would not be staring at a 5 percent decline in 18-year-old enrollment this semester,” Bill DeBaun, the senior director of the National College Attainment Network, told Inside Higher Ed.

Despite the delays – and their lingering effects in higher education – the Education Department insists the form is finally working, noting that it has surpassed 1.5 million student submissions for the 2025-2026 application cycle. 

“A fully functional, simpler process is just the beginning,” Cardona said.