On May 5, 2023, a new graduation requirement was signed into law that now affects seniors graduating from public high schools in Oklahoma. Beginning with the senior class of 2025, each public high school student is now required to submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to graduate. This new law raised many questions in its inaugural year.
“What if I don’t plan to go to college?” “What if my parents refuse to contribute their information to my FAFSA?” “What if I’m hospitalized and I don’t file a FAFSA before graduation?” Students, parents and counselors raised some great questions. One important point to mention here is that students, parents or counselors can submit an “opt-out” form to their school to waive this requirement for each student who chooses not to submit a FAFSA, but that form must be submitted before the student graduates.
Since this was our first year to monitor the new requirement, it will be a while until we can see any long-term results, but so far, the news is very positive. As of May 30, 2025, Oklahoma is leading our nation in the year-over-year percentage change in FAFSA completions. So far, Oklahoma students have completed 60.7% more FAFSAs than were completed during this time last year.*
You may be wondering how this increased activity can benefit the future of Oklahoma students. The FAFSA is an application that shows a family’s financial situation. Applicants are required to report their income for the tax year that falls two years prior to the year the student will be attending college. Information is transmitted directly from the appropriate year’s tax return to the student’s FAFSA. Most high school seniors are considered to be dependent students, so one or both parents are usually required to report their income as well.
There are different types and sources of financial aid available to help students pay for college, but without completing a FAFSA, most students aren’t aware of the amount of aid they would be eligible to receive. After a student completes a FAFSA, their eligibility report is sent to the higher ed institution(s) of their choosing, and each college can then notify them of the amount(s) of financial aid they are eligible to receive at their school. In other states who have had this requirement for more than one year, there has been a consistent increase in college enrollments for the fall semester following high school graduation.**
On an average, the more postsecondary education a student completes, the more income they can earn over their lifetime. This potential increase in income can positively affect a student for years to come. As college enrollment increases, the future of Oklahoma residents can grow brighter and brighter.
*National College Attainment Network (NCAN), NCAN’s FAFSA Tracker, May 30, 2025.
** National College Attainment Network (NCAN), New Study: Universal FAFSA Increased Completion, (Some) Enrollment in Texas.