Dept. of Education updates FAFSA ahead of Pell Grant expansion

Enrollment for federal student aid is now open, and more than a million students have already applied for help paying for college.

Last month, we told you how the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, is getting revamped.

The form launched December 30 and it has fewer questions to make it easier for families to provide their tax information.

The department also expanded eligibility for the maximum Pell Grants, and about 1.5 million more students could be given grants that don’t have to be paid back like loans do.

In North Carolina, the department expects an increase of about 45,000 students to be eligible. South Carolina could have about 19,000 more students eligible for the Pell Grants.

You can find the simplified FAFSA form at this link.

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