Students can now apply for federal college aid. Officials hope for a smoother rollout this year

AP Education Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — The federal FAFSA form used to apply for college financial aid opened to high school seniors across the nation on Thursday, a year after a disastrous rollout by the Biden administration delayed the application for months. After weeks of testing, the Education Department says there have been no major problems with the online form. It’s opening to the public later than the traditional Oct. 1 start date, but far sooner than last year’s late January launch. The overhaul was meant to simplify the famously complex form, but technical problems made it more challenging than ever.