FAFSA 2025-2026: No 'Renew' Button Anymore? Confused about 'Start New Form' Option

You're right - the 'renew' button isn't there anymore for 2025-2026. Everyone needs to select 'start new form' now after logging in. But don't panic! It should still pull in basic information from your FSA ID account (name, contact info, etc.). However, with the new simplified FAFSA, you will need to re-enter some financial information and school selections. The form is shorter overall though, so it shouldn't take as long as you're fearing.

Thank you! That's somewhat reassuring. Do you know if I'll need to re-enter all my school codes again? That was such a pain last time.

YEP IT'S GONE!! This new system is DRIVING ME CRAZY!! I spent THREE HOURS trying to figure out where the renew button went before giving up and hitting 'start new form' - and guess what? I had to redo PRACTICALLY EVERYTHING!! The only thing it remembered was my basic info. Had to re-enter all tax info, all schools, EVERYTHING!!! Why would they make it WORSE???

same. took me 4ever 2 do mine last week. total waste of time compared to last yr

Financial aid advisor here - yes, this change is confusing many families. The Department of Education removed the renewal option as part of the FAFSA Simplification Act implementation. While it seems counterintuitive, they've redesigned the entire form to be shorter overall. When you select 'start new form': - Your basic demographic info will transfer (name, DOB, contact info) - You will need to re-enter your schools (unfortunately) - Financial information requires new consent for direct IRS data transfer - Household information needs to be re-entered On the positive side, the new form has fewer questions overall, and the direct data transfer from the IRS is more comprehensive when it works properly.

Thank you for explaining! That helps a lot. I wish they'd made it clearer on the website that this was an intentional change and not a glitch. Do you know approximately how long it should take to complete with the new format?

I had the same panic moment last week! Started a new form and yeah, it pulled in some of my basic info but I had to re-select all my schools and redo the financial stuff. But honestly it only took about 40 minutes total which was shorter than last year. The new SAI calculation seems totally different though, got a completely different number than last year even though our finances are about the same??

40 minutes isn't too bad! Did you use the direct IRS data transfer thing? And yeah, I heard the SAI calculation changed completely - hoping it works in my favor but who knows...

I've been trying to reach the Federal Student Aid helpline for THREE DAYS about this exact issue! Kept getting disconnected or waiting forever. Finally used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get through to an actual person at FSA. They have this video showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ The agent confirmed that yes, everyone has to use 'start new form' and re-enter their school codes and financial information. But she also said the new form is designed to be less time-consuming overall, so it should be faster than previous years once you get used to the new format.

does that claimyr thing actually work? i might try it cuz i have questions about my SAI score that makes no sense

Just to add some clarity about timing - most students are completing the new form in 30-45 minutes, which is actually about 10-15 minutes faster than the previous version. The main areas where you'll save time: 1. Fewer questions overall (about 36 fewer questions) 2. Improved IRS Data Retrieval Tool that transfers more information automatically 3. Simplified household questions However, you will need to: - Re-select your schools - Re-authorize the IRS data transfer - Update any special circumstances If you're having technical difficulties, try using a different browser or clearing your cache. Chrome and Edge seem to work best with the new system.

It did NOT take me only 30-45 mins!!! Maybe if everything goes PERFECTLY. But the stupid IRS transfer thing kept timing out and I had to restart it 3 TIMES!! Plus the contribution calculator made absolutely NO SENSE with my parents' situation. This new system is BROKEN!!!

I was confused by this too but just completed mine last weekend. Here's what happened when I clicked 'start new form': - My personal info was already filled in - Had to re-add all schools (annoying) - The IRS data transfer was actually easier than before - The dependent questions were much simpler - Took about 35 minutes total The new SAI calculation gave me a lower number than last year's EFC, which I think means more aid? Not sure though. The whole process was different but not necessarily harder. Just... different.

This is super helpful, thank you! I'll set aside an hour this weekend to tackle it. Fingers crossed the SAI works in my favor too!

One more tip - before you start, make sure you have: 1. Your FSA ID login info ready 2. A list of school codes you want to apply to (up to 20 now instead of 10) 3. Your tax returns or W-2s nearby in case the IRS data transfer has issues 4. Parent FSA ID information if you're a dependent student Start when you have at least an hour of uninterrupted time. The system will timeout if you leave it inactive too long, and that's when most people run into problems.

Great checklist! I didn't realize they increased the school limit to 20 - that's actually a nice improvement. Will definitely make sure I have all this ready before starting.

Just wanted to add that if you're still having trouble with the IRS data transfer timing out, try doing it during off-peak hours (early morning or late evening). I had the same issue as @Liam Fitzgerald where it kept failing during the day, but when I tried again at 6 AM it went through perfectly on the first try. The servers seem less overloaded then. Also, make sure you're using the exact same name and SSN format that's on your tax return - even small discrepancies can cause the transfer to fail.

Just wanted to add my experience from completing the 2025-2026 FAFSA two weeks ago! I had the exact same confusion about the missing "renew" button and honestly spent way too much time searching for it before finding this thread. For anyone still hesitating - yes, you have to click "start new form" and yes, it feels weird, but it really isn't as bad as it seems. Here's what worked for me: - Did it on a Tuesday evening around 9 PM (off-peak hours definitely help!) - Had all my school codes copied from last year's confirmation email - The IRS data transfer actually worked smoother than in previous years - Total time: about 40 minutes, which included double-checking everything The new form layout is actually more intuitive once you get used to it. And like others mentioned, my new SAI came out lower than last year's EFC even though our income was similar, so hoping that translates to better aid packages. One thing I'd emphasize - don't stress if you make a mistake entering school codes. You can always go back and submit corrections later through your StudentAid.gov account. That knowledge would have saved me 10 minutes of paranoid double-checking every code! The anxiety about starting "from scratch" is way worse than actually doing it. You've got this!