Latest Updates on FAFSA/TASFA

Updates

Updated as of 4/2/24: Below is a summary of key dates and deadlines. STC is closely following the updates provided by the US Department of Education (ED). As we learn more information, we’ll update dates accordingly.

Key Date	December 29, 2023	FAFSA Application Opens TASFA Application Opens
Deadline	April 15	Texas Aid Priority Deadline
Key Date	Early May	STC will start receiving Financial Aid Applications
Key Date	June	Students will receive financial aid award offers

Frequently Asked Questions

• Why file the FAFSA/ TASFA?

  Colleges and Universities across the country use the FAFSA to award federal, state and institutional aid. The FAFSA SAI is used to determine the eligibility for grants, work study, scholarships and loans. After successfully completing the FAFSA the Department of Education process it and it will provide a summary sheet via email.

• Will there be assistance to help us fill out the financial aid application?

  Yes. South Texas College has a team of Financial Aid experts available on Pecan, Starr and Mid-Valley Campuses Monday through Thursday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Fridays, 8 a.m. to noon.

• When are the 2024-2025 financial aid applications opening?

  Both the 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) are now open.

  The FAFSA application is free and available online: 
  FAFSA Application | Federal Student Aid

  The online TASFA application is currently not available.
  2024-25 TASFA Paper Application

• Is the financial aid priority deadline changing?

  Yes. Please refer to the Updates section of this webpage as this date can change.

• I submitted my FAFSA to STC, when will you get it?

  The Department of Education (ED) is keeping schools updated on their timeline, which is fluid and changing. Please refer to the Updates section of this webpage for the latest date provided to schools.

  Please note, you must include the STC school code (031034) and successfully submit your application for the Department of Education to send it to STC once it becomes available for release.

• Who needs to provide information on my FAFSA? What is a contributor?

  A contributor is anyone who is required to provide consent for Federal Tax Information (FTI) and a signature on the FAFSA including:

  • The student
  • The student’s spouse (if applicable)
  • A biological or adoptive parent; or
  • The spouse of a remarried parent who is on the FAFSA (i.e., a stepparent)

  The new FAFSA is student-driven, meaning the student’s answers on their section will determine who will be a contributor (in addition to the student). Students will need the contributor’s name, date of birth, Social Security Number (SSN), and email address to invite them to complete their required portion of the FAFSA. Contributors will need to provide personal and financial information on their section of the FAFSA.

  If a dependent student’s parents are unmarried and living together, both parents will be contributors, will need to have separate Federal Student Aid (FSA) IDs, and need to provide consent. Dependent students whose parents filed their U.S. income tax return as Married Filing Jointly only require one parent contributor to complete the FAFSA. If the student’s parents filed separately, both parents will be considered contributors and therefore need separate FSA IDs.

  If an independent student is married and filed separately, both individuals are contributors and must have FSA IDs.

  To create an FSA ID, please visit the Create Account webpage on the Federal Student Aid website.

• Who is required to provide consent on my FAFSA?

  For the FAFSA to process successfully, consent must be provided by all required contributors (student, parent, parent spouse, and/or student spouse) on the FAFSA. This allows the Federal Tax Information (FTI) transferred from the IRS to be provided to higher education institutions, state higher-education agencies, and designated scholarship organizations.

  Consent is provided once for the academic year and cannot be revoked in that academic year. This consent is necessary even if the contributor does not have a Social Security Number (SSN), did not file taxes, or filed taxes in another country. To provide consent, contributors must have an FSA ID. The process of creating an FSA ID for those without a SSN is available using the Department of Education’s system to validate identity with credit bureau data.

• My parents are not together. Which one should I add to my FAFSA?

  Determining what parent(s) to include on the FAFSA is changing. Income and assets are to be reported for the parent who provides the most financial support even if the student does not live with that parent or lives with the other parent.

  In previous years, if a student’s parents were divorced or separated, the parent with whom the student lived the most in the past 12 months prior to filing the FAFSA was to be listed; however, this is no longer the primary consideration.

  Parental Income on the FAFSA:

  • Parents who live together
    • Parental income and assets in the case of a student whose parents are married and not separated, or who are unmarried but live together, shall include the income and assets of both parents.
  • Divorced or separated parents
    • Parental income and assets for a student whose parents are divorced or separated, but not remarried, is determined by including only the income and assets of the parent who provides the greater portion of the student’s financial support.
  • Death of a parent
    • Parental income and assets in the case of the death of any parent is determined as follows:
      • If either of the parents has died, the surviving parent shall be considered a single parent, unless that parent has remarried.
      • If both parents have died, the student shall not report any parental income or assets.
  • Remarried parents
    • If a parent who is divorced or widowed and would be included on the FAFSA has remarried, the income of the parent’s spouse must be included if the student’s parent and the stepparent are married as of the date the FAFSA is completed.
  • Single parent
    • For a single parent who is not divorced, separated, or remarried, the income and assets of the single parent shall be included.
• Is anything changing with Pell grant eligibility?

  The FAFSA Simplification Act will expand the Pell Grant to more students and will link eligibility to family size and the federal poverty guidelines that were in effect during the tax year being requested on the FAFSA.  Additionally, for students who qualify, the amount of Pell Grant will be based on enrollment intensity, which means they will look at how many credit hours you’re registered for to determine how much will be paid out.

• Are there any changes to Household Size and Number in College?

  Though the FAFSA will ask how many of the student’s household members are in college, the answer will not be calculated into the Student Aid Index (SAI). As such, undergraduate students with siblings in college may see a change in their federal aid eligibility. Guidance for how a student should report their family size will align more closely with what was reported on the student’s/parent’s tax returns.

• What's happening to the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT)?

  A new IRS Direct Data Exchange (DDX) will replace the IRS Data Retrieval Tool (DRT) built into the FAFSA for importing student, parent, parent spouse, and/or student spouse Federal Tax Information (FTI). Previously, users had the option to enter their tax information manually or use the IRS DRT.

  All persons on the FAFSA must provide consent for the Department of Education to receive tax information or confirmation of non-filing status directly from the IRS. In a very small number of cases, students and families will have to enter their tax data manually, but for most, that data will be automatically transferred into the application. This change makes it easier to complete the FAFSA and reduces the number of questions to be answered.

• Are there any changes to reporting assets on my FAFSA?

  When applicable, families must now report the value of their small business or family farm. If the family farm includes the principal place of residence, students should determine the total net value of all farm assets and subtract the net value of their principal residence to determine the final value of their farm assets.