Multiple delays associated with the FAFSA Simplification have impacted the timeline of providing financial aid packages for LCCTC students and students throughout the United States.
Usually, the FAFSA is open for students and their families to fill out from October 1 and is open until June 30. This year, due to an overhaul of the FAFSA form and processes, the FAFSA did not open until December 30, 2023.
On January 30, 2024, The Department of Education (ED) announced a further delay. Schools will begin receiving results of students’ FAFSA information, “ISIRs,” when ED begins processing them during the first half of March. ED will process the ISIRs in a batch sequence and it may be a few weeks until all batches are completely processed. Financial Aid Offices can only provide financial aid packages with student ISIR information, and students and families can only amend their FAFSA once the ISIR information is released.
Understandably, this delay is frustrating for students and their families hoping to make decisions for their future. Our financial aid team is optimistic that once ISIRs are released to schools and schools have been able to test their systems, they will be able to begin processing financial aid packages. Until then, we are following the updates provided by the Department of Education.
The Lancaster County Career & Technology Center Financial Aid Office is here to answer questions about the FAFSA process. Still, please understand that we can only provide financial aid packages once we have student ISIR information.