COCC financial aid director urges students to try out new, improved federal student loan application

(Update: Adding video)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The new Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) application, a key document for students to receive financial aid, has become much easier to complete. The more user-friendly application soft-launched Sunday.

The improvements include a mobile option, and questions have been cut down by roughly 50-percent. The Department of Education estimates the application will take no more than an hour to fill out.

To expedite the process, students and families can complete the Federal Student Aid ID three days before completing the FASFA application. It may also be handy for applicants to have their tax information available, in case it’s needed.

Breana Sylwester, director of financial aid for Central Oregon Community College, encourages people to try out the new, easier-to-navigate application.

“Some of the challenges that they were having in the past - the Department of Education worked with the IRS to allow students to access their IRS tax information and download that into the FASA," Sylwester said. "But there was a lot of issues with that connectivity and getting access to that. This new partnership that they have with IRS will make that a lot easier to access."

With the partnership between the Department of Education and the IRS, financial data will be added for applicants, which means fewer items for applicants to input manually.

The new FASFA form also expands eligibility for federal student aid, including Pell Grants. About 610,000 new students from low income backgrounds will be eligible to get federal Pell Grants.

COCC will be holding FASFA informational sessions throughout this month, including one on Monday, Jan. 22 at the Redmond Campus.