FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Allie Arcese
Sr. Director, Strategic Communications
[email protected]

WASHINGTON, D.C., JULY 18, 2025 — The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators’ (NASFAA) newly released 2025 Administrative Burden report reveals a sharp escalation in administrative load and resource constraints facing college and university financial aid offices nationwide.

The report, released every five years since 2010, is based on a survey of financial aid professionals at NASFAA member institutions to better understand how ongoing regulatory changes are affecting college financial aid offices. The 2025 report drew on the responses of more than 900 institutions representing all higher education sectors.

Key findings of the 2025 report include:

• 91% of respondents report a “greatly increased” or “somewhat increased” amount of time and resources devoted to processing each aid application over the past five years.

• More than half (52%) of financial aid administrators say their offices experienced moderate (38%) or severe (14%) resource shortages during peak periods over the last five years.

• Of those reporting shortages, 68% indicated the lack of resources was permanent, not temporary.

The report highlights that administrative burdens —notably regulation compliance, verification tasks, and the fallout from recent FAFSA implementation issues — are severely limiting financial aid offices’ ability to prioritize direct student support and counseling efforts. These challenges come as financial aid offices continue to struggle with staffing shortages and translating complex policy changes that will directly impact their students. 

“Financial aid professionals are the access and affordability stewards of our institutions. They don’t just process paperwork — they are essential to helping students navigate complex funding systems, stay enrolled, and ultimately graduate,” said NASFAA President & CEO Melanie Storey. “When these offices are stretched thin, students pay the price through delays, confusion, and missed opportunities. Investing in financial aid staffing and infrastructure isn’t optional — it’s essential to ensuring access and success in higher education.”

NASFAA policy experts are available to speak to members of the media about the 2025 Administrative Burden Survey Report. To set up an interview, please email [email protected].

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About NASFAA

The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) is a nonprofit membership organization that represents more than 29,000 financial aid professionals at approximately 3,000 colleges, universities, and career schools across the country. NASFAA member institutions serve nine out of every 10 undergraduates in the U.S. Based in Washington, D.C., NASFAA is the only national association with a primary focus on student aid legislation, regulatory analysis, and training for financial aid administrators.