We made this decision in hopes of reducing the stress and worry that we know students and families are feeling in the wake of the Department of Education’s overhaul of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

You may be aware that the Department of Education has made significant changes to the FAFSA in accordance with the FAFSA Simplification Act of 2020. The changes are broad and some are aimed at potentially increasing financial aid eligibility. However, those federal changes have also resulted in a significant delay in the delivery of FAFSA applicant data to institutions, including Suffolk.

In past years, families could begin filling out the FAFSA on October 1. This year, it opened on December 30 with a number of glitches and challenges, some of which are continuing today. As of January 31, the Department of Education indicated it will not release FAFSA information to universities until “the first half of March,” which is approximately five months after we normally get it.

Our goal has always been to give families ample time to make informed decisions about this exciting next step in a student’s educational journey. We understand that a full picture of a student’s aid offer is critical in the decision-making process, and in many cases one of the last steps. Given the delays we are experiencing with the federal government, we will be doing everything we can to make sure students and families considering a Suffolk education have the time and information they need to make the right decision.

• You can review the most up-to-date information surrounding the FAFSA changes, and we will continue sending updates via email as they become available
• If you have any questions about financial aid, please reach out to your assigned counselor or our office at 617-573-8470 for assistance
• If you have not done so already, please complete the FAFSA online as soon as you are able. Remember to use our school code of 002218 so we can receive your data

The entire Suffolk community is here to support you through this. We encourage you to reach out as we are happy to be a resource.