BELLINGHAM, WA – Congress just passed legislation that overhauls the FAFSA form, streamlining the process and aims to make college more affordable.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is how college students apply for yearly, need-based financial aid.

As chair of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, Senator Patty Murray negotiated the proposal that will make the form easier to fill out.

In addition, the law expands eligibility for federal aid significantly by changing how aid is calculated.

US News reports the average tuition cost per year can be as high as over $42,000 for a private college, with the public in-state average at over $10,000.

Changes to the FAFSA application include cutting questions on the form down to 36 from 108 and allowing direct tax information transfer from the IRS.

The new FAFSA form will take effect for the 2024-25 application, which families and students can likely fill out starting Dec. 31, 2023.

The deadline for application is June 30, 2025, though colleges often set their own deadlines.

Forbes recommends filling the form out as early as possible to qualify for maximum aid.