New York Will Require Students to Complete FAFSA or Opt Out

Inside Higher Ed

Ryan Quinn

April 23, 2024

New York State will require public school districts to certify that every high school senior completes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA), a similar financial aid form for undocumented students, or a waiver saying they or their parents have opted out of financial aid. The requirement is part of the new fiscal year 2024–25 budget.

“Governor [Kathy] Hochul is committed to ensuring students know what aid is available to them and can access that support for college,” the governor’s office said in a news release Monday. The opt-out waiver form will indicate that a student or their parents are aware of the possible aid they could receive.

States across the country have been struggling to ensure college access amid the U.S. Education Department’s continued bungled rollout of the new FAFSA application. The National College Attainment Network estimated that FAFSA completions were down 24 percent in New York state as of March 29 and over 45 percent specifically in New York City, making the city’s decline steeper than in any U.S. state.

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