FASFA App Updates Improve Usability, Security

With seniors starting to apply for college, the U.S. Department of Education announced updates to the FASFA mobile app to make the process easier for students and parents.

  • By Sara Friedman
  • 10/04/19

One year after the launch of myStudentAid, the FASFA mobile app, the U.S. Department of Education is making changes to make the app and FASFA website more compatible. 

Students and their parents are now able to switch easily between the online FASFA form and the myStudentAid app. Those who submit a FASFA form on ED's website will also get access to their Student Aid Report (SAR) via the mobile app. And students who submitted a SAR for the 2019-2020 and 2020-2021 cycles will be able to view both documents through the app.

Other updates to the app include checklists to guide students and parents through the student aid process and push notifications for reminders and updates from ED's Office of Federal Student Aid. The IRS Data Retrieval Tool is also becoming mobile-friendly.

To make information entered into the FASFA process more secure, social security numbers will be masked when entered on the online website. This functionality was made available through the myStudentAid app last year.

ED also announced a pilot for students at participating schools to receive their credit balance refunds through a new myFSApay account function in the myStudentAid mobile app. Students will be able to their own money to the account and the service will be free of charge. This pilot is expected to launch by the end of this year.

"Improving students and families' experience with the FAFSA has been a key priority since day one," said ED Secretary Betsy DeVos. "With our transformative myStudentAid mobile app and customer-centric approach, completing the FAFSA is now simpler, faster and more intuitive."

The revamped FASFA app is now available through the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.

About the Author

Sara Friedman is a reporter/producer for Campus Technology, THE Journal and STEAM Universe covering education policy and a wide range of other public-sector IT topics.

Friedman is a graduate of Ithaca College, where she studied journalism, politics and international communications.

Friedman can be contacted at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter @SaraEFriedman.

Click here for previous articles by Friedman.


Featured

  • two businessmen shaking hands

    What I Learned Working with an OPM

    At a time when higher education is being asked to do more with less, online program management partnerships can be the difference between simply surviving and truly thriving.

  • glowing digital brain above a chessboard with data charts and flowcharts

    Why AI Strategy Matters (and Why Not Having One Is Risky)

    If your institution hasn't started developing an AI strategy, you are likely putting yourself and your stakeholders at risk, particularly when it comes to ethical use, responsible pedagogical and data practices, and innovative exploration.

  • closeup of hands on laptop with various technology icons

    Microsoft Intros New AI-Powered Teaching and Learning Tools

    Microsoft has unveiled a number of updates bringing AI-powered experiences to teaching and learning. New features include a "Teach" AI tool for Copilot, a "Study and Learn" AI agent, and more.

  • magnifying glass highlighting a human profile silhouette, set over a collage of framed icons including landscapes, charts, and education symbols

    AWS, DeepBrain AI Launch AI-Generated Multimedia Content Detector

    Amazon Web Services (AWS) and DeepBrain AI have introduced AI Detector, an enterprise-grade solution designed to identify and manage AI-generated content across multiple media types. The collaboration targets organizations in government, finance, media, law, and education sectors that need to validate content authenticity at scale.