How does the government shutdown impact California students’ FAFSA applications
CAPITOL RIGHT NOW. AND TODAY IS DAY 35 OF THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN, TYING IT FOR THE LONGEST SHUTDOWN IN U.S. HISTORY. THE OTHER ONE HAPPENED DURING PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP’S FIRST TERM IN OFFICE. THERE STILL SEEMS TO BE NO END IN SIGHT, AS DEMOCRATS AND REPUBLICANS REMAIN AT AN IMPASSE. RIGHT NOW, SENATE DEMOCRATS ARE PUSHING TO EXTEND THE EXPIRING AFFORDABLE CARE ACT SUBSIDIES. SO FAR, THEY HAVE VOTED 13 TIMES AGAINST REOPENING THE GOVERNMENT. THEY INSIST THEY NEED PRESIDENT TRUMP AND REPUBLICANS TO NEGOTIATE WITH THEM FIRST. BUT FOR NOW, SENATE REPUBLICANS ARE REFUSING TO NEGOTIATE, SAYING THEY’LL ONLY DO SO ONCE THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS. THEY SAY THEY’LL TALK ABOUT HEALTH CARE AFTER THE BUDGET IS PASSED. THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN IS AFFECTING EVERYTHING FROM HEALTH CARE TO FOOD ASSISTANCE AND EDUCATION COULD BE NEXT. NEVERTHELESS, EXPERTS SAY STUDENTS SHOULD STILL COMPLETE THEIR FAFSA APPLICATIONS. JOINING US LIVE NOW TO TALK MORE ABOUT HOW THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN COULD IMPACT HIGHER EDUCATION, WHAT STUDENTS SHOULD DO ABOUT THEIR FAFSA. WE HAVE SHAUN PATEL. THANKS FOR JOINING US. WE APPRECIATE YOUR TIME. DOCTOR PATEL. WHAT IMPACT DOES THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN HAVE ON STUDENT FINANCIAL AID RIGHT NOW? YEAH, GIVEN THE YOU KNOW, THE GOVERNMENT’S BEEN SHUT DOWN FOR OVER A MONTH. THE GOOD NEWS IS THAT FEDERAL STUDENT LOANS AND PELL GRANTS ARE FUNDED THROUGH MANDATORY SPENDING, WHICH MEANS THEY’RE NOT DIRECTLY HALTED BY SHUTDOWN. HOWEVER, THE PROCESSING SPEED OF NEW FAFSA APPLICATIONS MAY BE SLOW DUE TO STAFF FURLOUGHS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION AND THE OFFICE OF FEDERAL STUDENT AID. YEAH, I WAS GOING TO SAY I MEAN, YOU CAN FILL OUT YOUR APPLICATION, BUT IS THERE ANYBODY TO LOOK AT IT AND PROCESS IT AND DECIDE HOW MUCH AID YOU’RE GETTING? EXACTLY. YEAH. SO THE FAFSA WEBSITE AND APPLICATION REMAINS OPEN. THEY ARE ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS. AND I STILL RECOMMEND ACTUALLY GETTING IT IN AS SOON AS POSSIBLE, BECAUSE ALL THE APPLICATIONS ARE TIME STAMPED. SO WHEN THE GOVERNMENT REOPENS AND THEY BEGIN PROCESSING THOSE APPLICATIONS, IT WILL BE ON A FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE BASIS. SO DON’T DELAY JUST BECAUSE THE GOVERNMENT SHUT DOWN AND FAFSA IS OPEN RIGHT NOW. STUDENTS CAN APPLY RIGHT NOW RIGHT? YEAH, THIS WAS ACTUALLY THE FIRST YEAR IN A FEW YEARS THAT THE FAFSA APPLICATION HAS ACTUALLY OPENED EARLIER THAN USUAL. TYPICALLY, IT’S BEEN DELAYED. ON TOP OF THAT, THE APPLICATION HAS BEEN STREAMLINED. THE TECHNOLOGY IS MUCH BETTER. IT CAN DIRECTLY CONNECT TO THE IRS SO IT CAN STREAMLINE A LOT OF, YOU KNOW, WHAT USED TO BE MANUAL INPUTTING OF FINANCIAL DATA. SO, YOU KNOW, FROM A TECHNOLOGY STANDPOINT, IT’S GREAT. FROM A STAFF STANDPOINT, YOU MAY EXPECT DELAYS FOR RESPONSES DUE TO THE GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN. DO IF A STUDENT HAS PARENTS WHO AREN’T TOGETHER, DO THEY HAVE TO HAVE BOTH PARENTS FILL OUT THE FAFSA, OR CAN JUST ONE PARENT FILL OUT THE FAFSA? YOU STILL NEED BOTH PARENTS TO FILL OUT THE FAFSA. DEPENDING ON GUARDIANSHIP, BUT THE REASON FOR THAT IS BECAUSE THEY GO OFF THE FAMILY’S FINANCIAL AID. TOTAL FINANCIAL AID PICTURE. SO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE BOTH PARENTS BANK STATEMENTS, BROKERAGE STATEMENTS. 1099 W-2S, IT’S A LOT OF WORK TO FILL OUT THE APPLICATION, EVEN THOUGH THEY’VE STREAMLINED IT. AND PARENTS REALLY DO NEED TO BE INVOLVED. IT’S NOT SOMETHING STUDENTS CAN DO BY THEMSELVES. BUT AND SO EVEN IF THE STUDENT IS AN ADULT AND ON THEIR OWN, AND THE PARENTS ARE NO LONGER CLAIMING THEM, THEY STILL NEED TO INCLUDE THEIR PARENTS INFORMATION. IF THEY’RE 19, 20, 21 YEARS OLD. YEAH, IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE SITUATION BECAUSE TYPICALLY FAFSA, THE VAST MAJORITY ARE FILLED OUT BY HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS WHO ARE 17 YEARS OLD. NOW, IF YOU’RE 18 AND ABOVE AND YOU ARE COMPLETELY INDEPENDENT, THEN YOU MAY ONLY NEED YOUR FINANCIAL AID DATA. BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE STUDENT. IF THEY’RE FULLY 1920, LIKE YOU SAID, YOU MAY NOT ACTUALLY NEED YOUR PARENTS. AND SO AFTER THEY FILL OUT THE FAFSA, SAY THEY DON’T GET THE FINANCIAL AID THEY NEED, WHERE ELSE CAN STUDENTS LOOK FOR FINANCIAL AID HELP? YEAH, I REALLY RECOMMEND DIVERSIFYING YOUR FUNDING OPTIONS. SO LOOK AT STATE LEVEL GRANTS, SCHOLARSHIPS, LOOK AT PRIVATE SCHOLARSHIPS. THERE ARE BILLIONS OF DOLLARS GIVEN OUT BY PRIVATE COMPANIES, LOCAL NON-PROFITS, COLLEGE 5 TO 9 SAVINGS PLANS DON’T JUST DEPEND ON THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT AND FAFSA, BECAUSE WHEN THERE’S A SHUTDOWN LIKE RIGHT NOW, IT CAN BE VERY STRESSFUL. ALL RIGHT,
How does the government shutdown impact California students’ FAFSA applications
Updated: 7:26 PM PST Nov 4, 2025
The government shutdown is affecting everything from health care to food assistance and education could be next. Nevertheless, experts say students should still complete their FAFSA applications. The CEO of Prep Expert, Dr. Shaan Patel, joined KCRA 3 to talk about how the government shutdown may impact higher education and what students should do about their FAFSA applications. Watch the interview to find out what impact the government shutdown will have on student financial aid. See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
The government shutdown is affecting everything from health care to food assistance and education could be next. 
Nevertheless, experts say students should still complete their FAFSA applications.
The CEO of Prep Expert, Dr. Shaan Patel, joined KCRA 3 to talk about how the government shutdown may impact higher education and what students should do about their FAFSA applications. 
Watch the interview to find out what impact the government shutdown will have on student financial aid.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel