Will the FAFSA Disappear if the Department of Education Is Closed?

If the Department of Education no longer exists, does the FAFSA disappear, too? The Department of Education processes the Free Application for Federal Student Aid and administers federal financial aid programs. However, the department may not be around for much longer, with Secretary of Education Linda McMahon talking about ways to close it. The department staff was slashed by nearly half this month and the studentaid.gov website went down for hours. "These workforce reductions raise serious questions about the future functionality of federal aid programs," student loan expert Elaine Rubin said in an email. "There has been little communication about how the department plans to sustain efficient operations and prevent disruptions." If you're worried about filling out the 2025-26 FAFSA -- or have already submitted it -- here's what you need to know. Is the FAFSA going away? Even if the Department of Education is abolished, experts do not think federal student aid or the FAFSA is goi ... Read full article.