A glitch in the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) has prevented Texas students with immigrant, non-citizen parents from applying for financial assistance, but a temporary workaround has been rolled out by the U.S. Department of Education to help students meet deadlines.
Key Points
FAFSA glitch prevents non-citizen parents from submitting financial information
Temporary workaround allows students to submit incomplete FAFSA forms and meet deadlines
Department of Education expects a fix for the glitch by the first half of March
Pros
Temporary workaround allows students to submit incomplete FAFSA forms to meet deadlines
1 in 4 Texas children have at least one parent who is not a U.S. citizen, highlighting the importance of addressing this issue
Cons
The workaround is considered confusing and burdensome by some immigration advocates
Students may risk having their FAFSAs rejected if parents do not later add their signatures