2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4

Forms and Documents

Forms and supporting documents for this ICR

Document	Type	Status	Availability
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Public	Form	New	Available
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Not for Profit	Form	New	Available
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - For Profit	Form	New	Available
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Student	Form	New	Available
FAFSA Beta 2-4 Interest Form Emergency Memo Final 9.10.24.docx	Supplementary Document	Uploaded 2024-09-10	Available
1845-NEW FAFSA Beta 2-4 Supporting Statement 2024 Final 9.10.24.docx	Supporting Statement A	Uploaded 2024-09-10	Available

IC Document Collections

Information collection document groups

IC ID	Collection	Type	Status	Form
270817	2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Public	Form	New	NA
270816	2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Not for Profit	Form	New	NA
270815	2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - For Profit	Form	New	NA
270813	2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Student	Form	New	NA

ICR Details

OMB Control No: 1845-0186	ICR Reference No: 202409-1845-002
Status: Historical Active	Previous ICR Reference No:
Agency/Subagency: ED/FSA	Agency Tracking No:
Title: 2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4
Type of Information Collection: New collection (Request for a new OMB Control Number)	Common Form ICR:  No
Type of Review Request: Emergency	Approval Requested By: 09/11/2024
OIRA Conclusion Action: Approved without change	Conclusion Date: 09/10/2024
Retrieve Notice of Action (NOA)	Date Received in OIRA: 09/10/2024
Terms of Clearance:

table that charts list comparision

	Inventory as of this Action	Requested	Previously Approved
Expiration Date	01/31/2025	6 Months From Approved
Responses	45,700	0	0
Time Burden (Hours)	4,300	0	0
Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0

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Abstract: Federal Student Aid, an office of the Department, subsequently developed an application process to collect and process the data necessary to determine a student’s eligibility to receive Title IV, Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended, program assistance. The regular application process involves an applicant’s submission of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®). After submission and processing of the FAFSA form, an applicant receives a FAFSA Submission Summary, providing a summary of the processed data they submitted on the FAFSA form. The applicant reviews the summary, and, if necessary, will make corrections or updates to their submitted FAFSA data. Institutions of higher education listed by the applicant on the FAFSA form also receive a summary of processed data submitted on the FAFSA form, which is called the Institutional Student Information Record (ISIR). The appropriate state higher education agency will also receive the ISIR data to coordinate eligible state funds to be provided to the applicant via the institution of higher education. The Department will conduct three additional beta testing periods (Beta 2–4) for the 2025-26 FAFSA process beginning in October 2024 to prepare for general availability of the form in December 2024. The implementation of the 2025-26 FAFSA process is being conducted through a phased beta process to ensure a stable and reliable platform for submission of required information for all filers, contributors, and other financial aid community users such as high schools and high school districts, institutions of higher education, state agencies and community-based organizations (CBOs) who assist college bound students. Beta 2-4 will expand the number of participating organizations including high school districts, institutions of higher education, state agencies and CBOs who assist college bound students. Beta 2–4 will also increase the number of students and their contributors to further stress test the system and allow for refinements of the process.

Emergency Justfication: If the Department were required to put the collection through the normal clearance process, we would be unable to conduct this critical testing by the launch of the 2025-26 FAFSA form, which could result in significant delays for students to apply and receive their aid eligibility for the 2025-26 award year. Any delay in getting access to the FAFSA form would increase the potential for public harm through delayed access to student financial aid and the possibility of decreasing the likelihood of postsecondary enrollment. As a result, in order to meet the September 2024 form launch date, the Department is requesting that OMB approve the collection associated with 2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2–4 no later than the morning of September 11, 2024 to inform the full launch of the FAFSA by December 1, 2024.

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Authorizing Statute(s): US Code: 20 USC 1090 Name of Law: Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended
  

Citations for New Statutory Requirements: None

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Associated Rulemaking Information
RIN:	Stage of Rulemaking:	Federal Register Citation:	Date:
	Not associated with rulemaking

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Federal Register Notices & Comments

Did the Agency receive public comments on this ICR? No

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Number of Information Collection (IC) in this ICR: 4

table that charts list of burden

IC Title	Form No.	Form Name
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - For Profit	NA	NA
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Not for Profit	NA	NA
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Public	NA	NA
2025-26 FAFSA Beta Testing Phases 2-4 - Student	NA	NA

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ICR Summary of Burden

table that charts list of burden

	Total Approved	Previously Approved	Change Due to New Statute	Change Due to Agency Discretion	Change Due to Adjustment in Estimate	Change Due to Potential Violation of the PRA
Annual Number of Responses	45,700	0	0	45,700	0	0
Annual Time Burden (Hours)	4,300	0	0	4,300	0	0
Annual Cost Burden (Dollars)	0	0	0	0	0	0

Burden increases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: Yes

Burden Increase Due to: Miscellaneous Actions

Burden decreases because of Program Change due to Agency Discretion: No

Burden Reduction Due to:

Short Statement: This is a new collection. The anticipated 4,300 burden hours is based on 45,700 responses from 45,700 respondents in all of the Beta 2-4 testing phases.

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Annual Cost to Federal Government: $0

Does this IC contain surveys, censuses, or employ statistical methods? No

Does this ICR request any personally identifiable information (see OMB Circular No. A-130 for an explanation of this term)? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Does this ICR include a form that requires a Privacy Act Statement (see 5 U.S.C. §552a(e)(3))? Please consult with your agency's privacy program when making this determination.     Yes

Is this ICR related to the Affordable Care Act [Pub. L. 111-148 & 111-152]? No

Is this ICR related to the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act, [Pub. L. 111-203]? No

Is this ICR related to the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (ARRA)? No

Is this ICR related to the Pandemic Response? No

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Common Form ICR:  No

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On behalf of this Federal agency, I certify that the collection of information encompassed by this request complies with 5 CFR 1320.9 and the related provisions of 5 CFR 1320.8(b)(3).

The following is a summary of the topics, regarding the proposed collection of information, that the certification covers:

(a) It is necessary for the proper performance of agency functions;

(b) It avoids unnecessary duplication;

(c) It reduces burden on small entities;

(d) It uses plain, coherent, and unambiguous language that is understandable to respondents;

(e) Its implementation will be consistent and compatible with current reporting and recordkeeping practices;

(f) It indicates the retention periods for recordkeeping requirements;

(g) It informs respondents of the information called for under 5 CFR 1320.8 (b)(3) about:

(i) Why the information is being collected;

(ii) Use of information;

(iii) Burden estimate;

(iv) Nature of response (voluntary, required for a benefit, or mandatory);

(v) Nature and extent of confidentiality; and

(vi) Need to display currently valid OMB control number;

(h) It was developed by an office that has planned and allocated resources for the efficient and effective management and use of the information to be collected.

(i) It uses effective and efficient statistical survey methodology (if applicable); and

(j) It makes appropriate use of information technology.

If you are unable to certify compliance with any of these provisions, identify the item by leaving the box unchecked and explain the reason in the Supporting Statement.

Certification Date: 09/10/2024

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