Information for the 2025-2026 FAFSA

Information for the 2025-2026 FAFSA Year

Covers Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the basic application to apply for and be considered for financial aid. Please be sure to add UMFK’s school code 002041.

Apply Early!

Complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA beginning October 1, 2024, online at the Federal Student Aid website. Don’t delay. This is for consideration for financial aid for the fall 2025 semester! Get it done early! Students who apply early usually get a better financial aid package.

If you want to be considered for federal financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the first step in the financial aid process. (Note: The 2025-2026 FAFSA covers the Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 semesters.)

The FAFSA is used to apply for federal student aid, such as grants, work-study, and loans for undergraduates. Graduate program students can use the FAFSA to apply for Direct Unsubsidized Loans (only).

Who is Eligible to Apply?

You must be a U.S. Citizen or eligible non-citizen to apply.

More about the FAFSA:

A FAFSA can be completed online at the Federal Student Aid website. When completing the FAFSA, we recommend the following:

1. Acquire appropriate FSA IDs and passwords, which are required for all FAFSA Contributors. Apply for IDs at least three days before completing your FAFSA.
2. List the University of Maine at Fort Kent (school code 002041) as a recipient school for UMFK to receive your FAFSA information electronically.
3. Use the Direct Data Exchange (DDX) tool on your FAFSA if eligible to do so. The tool will automatically import your IRS tax information directly onto your FAFSA if you’ve granted permission. (Note: IRS tax amounts transferred will not be visible to you.)

When to Apply?

We suggest completing the FAFSA at least several weeks prior to the beginning of the start date of your first class to allow adequate processing time.

Complete the FAFSA Online

Resources for Support

The following are places to reach out for FAFSA assistance:

• Monitor the Department of Education’s website for information on changes related to FAFSA.
• Call the FAFSA Help Line/Federal Information Center at 1-800-433-3243

As always, please get in touch with the UMFK Financial Aid Office at (207) 834-7605 or umfkaid@maine.edu with any questions you may have.

1. The 2025-2026 FAFSA will be available in October 2024
2. The priority filing date is March 1, 2025
3. Create your FSA ID username and password (If you don’t already have one) at least 3 days before completing your FAFSA. All FAFSA Contributors require an FSA ID.
4. Current students: monitor the 2025-2026 FAFSA Information page in the UMFK portal for the latest updates

Important Recent FAFSA Changes

• The Student Aid Index (SAI) has replaced the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).
• Everyone entering information on the FAFSA needs an FSA ID.
  Everyone providing information on the FAFSA needs an FSA ID to access the form. People without a Social Security Number (SSN) can obtain an FSA ID.
• FSA IDs need to be matched with the Social Security Administration prior to use.
  FSA ID information (name, date of birth, and Social Security Number) has always been matched against Social Security Administration records. An FSA ID needs to be created and matched with the SSA before it can be used to start or access a FAFSA. The matching process will take 1-3 days.
• FSA ID two-step verification is required for all.
  Everyone who attempts to use their FSA ID to access a 2025-2026 FAFSA will go through a two-step verification process. It is no longer possible to log into a FAFSA using student demographic information. When setting up an FSA ID, individuals should take advantage of every type of verification available (email, text, and authentication apps) to make completing the two-step verification easier.
• The FAFSA is a roles-based form.
  Individuals (student/parent/spouse) providing information on the FAFSA will see only questions related to their role. When a student logs in, they will see only questions that they need to answer as a student. For dependent students, a parent will need to log in to see the questions related to their role as a parent. (They will not see the student questions.) Whoever starts the FAFSA first will need to identify the “contributors” (other people who need to provide information on that FAFSA). It will be critical that the contributor’s information match the information on the contributor’s Social Security card to prevent issues logging into the FAFSA.
• Number in college will have no impact on federal financial aid eligibility.
  The Student Aid Index (SAI) formula will no longer be divided by the number in college. Students with multiple siblings in college may see an increase in their SAI even with no change in income.
• Asset exemptions have changed.
  Families who receive any federally means-tested benefits (i.e., TANF, SNAP, SSI, etc.) are not required to provide any asset information. Only families with an adjusted gross income greater than $60,000 (up from $50,000) or those who filed certain tax return schedules are required to provide asset information. For those required to provide asset information, there is no longer an exemption for reporting a small family-owned business or family farm value, though primary residence and retirement plan exemptions do still exist.
• Pell Grant eligibility has been expanded.
  Pell Grant eligibility continues to be calculated based on the SAI (similar to how it has been based on the EFC) but is also determined using Federal Poverty Tables, which take into account the family makeup, size, and income. Poverty table guidelines are used to determine eligibility for maximum and minimum Pell Grants.
• Pell Grant eligibility is more transparent.
  Because one pathway to determining Pell Grant eligibility is based on the poverty tables, it is possible to establish whether a student is eligible for a minimum or maximum Pell Grant even before a FAFSA has been filed. Federal Student Aid (FSA) provides a new resource called the Pell Lookup Table, which allows students and others to determine minimum or maximum Pell Grant eligibility based on their family makeup, household size, and adjusted gross income. This early awareness tool will hopefully encourage more lower-income students and families to file the FAFSA.