How FAFSA-Submission Patterns Changed by Income Level

Independent applicants saw a net increase in applications submitted over last year, while dependents' applications decreased — with the exception of those from higher income backgrounds.

Data are through August 26 of each cycle. The current application cycle refers to applications for the 2024-25 award year and the prior cycle refers to the 2023-24 award year. An independent student is one of the following: at least 24 years old, married, a graduate or professional student, a veteran, a member of the armed forces, an orphan, a ward of the court, or someone with legal dependents other than a spouse, an emancipated minor, or someone who is homeless or at risk of becoming homeless.
Source: GAO analysis of Department of Education dataGet the dataCreated with Datawrapper