This bill requires the Department of Education (ED) to make the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) available by October 1 of each year. (Students apply for federal student aid by completing the FAFSA.)

Under current law, ED must enable applicants to submit the FAFSA and initiate the processing of submitted FAFSAs by January 1 of the applicant’s planned year of enrollment, and to the maximum extent practicable, on or around October 1 prior to the applicant’s planned year of enrollment. This bill removes the January 1 flexibility and imposes a statutory deadline for release of the FAFSA as October 1.

The bill also requires ED to certify to Congress by September 1 whether or not the FAFSA will be ready on October 1. If the FAFSA will not be ready by October 1, then the bill requires the Secretary of Education to testify to Congress on (1) the anticipated failure to meet the deadline, and (2) the financial impact on students and families.

Link to bill here.