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The Trump administration’s call to freeze federal loans and grants on Tuesday triggered widespread concern, especially among the nearly 18 million students in the country who rely on federal financial aid to pay for college.
The White House has since given more details about what types of programs would be affected, saying that “assistance that is going directly to individuals will not be impacted by this pause.” That means FAFSA and other student loans will not be directly affected by the directive.
In a statement, Department of Education Spokesperson Madi Biedermann confirmed the directive “does not impact Title I, IDEA, or other formula grants, nor does it apply to Federal Pell Grants and Direct Loans under Title IV, HEA.”
The pause was to begin Tuesday evening but was blocked by a federal judge minutes before it was set to go into effect.
The latest news comes after college-bound students in Los Angeles and Ventura counties were given a month-long extension to apply for federal student aid, due to the wildfires.
The priority state deadline for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and the California Dream Act applications is March 3, 2025, however, students in these two counties now have until April 2, 2025. This deadline stands for high school students and California Community College students looking to transfer or attend a four-year university.
The extension comes after Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency on Jan. 7, 2025, and was granted by the California Student Aid Commission through Assembly Bill 2500, which allows for financial aid extension applications.
With the new Trump Administration, there are also concerns within mixed-status families about submitting financial aid applications with personal information. For students concerned about the safety of themselves and their families, experts at the National College Attainment Network (NCAN) say that mixed-status families should take care about whether to submit identifying information to the federal government in an FSA ID or FAFSA.
The non-profit added that “…at this time NCAN cannot assure mixed-status students and families that data submitted to US Department of Education (ED), as part of the FAFSA process, will continue to be protected.”
The FAFSA is an application form that allows students to be considered for federal student aid, based on the family’s income. Colleges and universities also use FAFSA to determine whether incoming students are eligible for grants, scholarships and loans from the university.
California students who are non-citizens without a social security card or were issued one through DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program), will need to fill out the California Dream Act to be eligible for student aid.
Since filling out financial aid applications can be complicated, we’ve gathered resources and webinars to help you navigate the process.
The California Student Aid Commission offers free workshops for all students and families navigating the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the California Dream Act (CADAA) applications. To find your local in-person workshop, you can check the website here and for the virtual webinars, you can check the webpage here.
The Federal Student Aid website provides a tips page on how to submit financial applications, including how to create an account and start your FAFSA form. You can learn the steps and prepare the necessary documents on their webpage here.
Los Angeles Public Library has a ‘Get Ready For College Resources’ page available with a list of free resources for students and families, including online test prep, tutoring, and in-person workshops at select branch locations that can be found here.
L.A. County Library is hosting in-person financial aid workshops at select branches for students ages 13-17. Students will learn about the FAFSA form and how to apply. You can find a workshop near you by visiting their webpage here.
Finaid.org is a website curated to navigate all things financial aid. Whether you’re looking into student loans, work-study or scholarships, you can visit their webpage for more assistance.
Immigrants Rising offers legal information, mental health support, and education resources, including how to fill out the California Dream Act application. You can access more resources on their webpage and view a step-by-step guide and more information about the California Dream Act application here.
L.A. Cash for College coordinates free financial aid completion clinics and workshops for students in the Los Angeles area for their statewide campaign to increase access to financial aid programs. You can access their resource page and workshop locator on their webpage here.
The Boyle Heights Arts Conservatory is hosting a free financial aid workshop with a walkthrough and Q&A portion for the 2025-2026 FAFSA application. The workshop will also include a section on financial aid options for DACA students, transfer students, and those interested in trade schools. The workshop will take place on Saturday, February 1st from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can find more information about the workshop and how to register on their social media page here.
For additional support, students should check their school college resource centers for workshops and available resources.
Editor’s Note 5 p.m. Jan. 28, 2025: An earlier version of this story erroneously stated that 10,000 students relied on FAFSA. The number has been corrected.
