The FAFSA began back in 1953, when the beginning stages were created by John Monro of Harvard University. It journeyed through the years building itself up to what we know it to be today. In 1992 it became known to us as the FAFSA and the rest is history. 

• 1990 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1990 (elimination of student aid eligibility at high default schools)
• 1989 Student Loans Reconciliation Amendments
• 1988 Tax Reform Technical Amendments (created Education Savings Bonds)
• 1988 Supplemental Loans to Students Reform Bill
• 1987 GSL Program renamed the Stafford Loan Program
• 1985 Montgomery GI Bill – Active Duty
• 1983 Student Loan Consolidation and Technical Amendments Act of 1983 (GSL 8% interest rate, EFC)
• 1982 Defense Authorization Act of 1982/1983 (Selective Service registration required for financial aid eligibility)
• 1981 Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (Federal student loans depend on financial need again and add an origination fee)
• 1978 Middle Income Student Assistance Act (expanded federal student assistance programs to include middle-income students in addition to the low-income students by expanding eligibility for the BEOG grant and eliminating income restrictions for GSL loans)
• 1976 CSS introduces the Financial Aid Form (FAF) as a replacement for the Parent’s Confidential Statement (PCS) and Student’s Financial Statement (SFS)
• 1972 Basic Educational Opportunity Grant (origin of the Pell Grant, first federal need analysis formula). Maximum grant was initially $452.
• 1972 Educational Opportunity Grant renamed Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant (SEOG)
• 1965 Educational Opportunity Grant Program (precursor to Pell Grant)
• 1965 Guaranteed Student Loan (GSL) Program, precursor to Stafford Loan Program.
• 1961 CSS Introduces the Married Student Supplement which later evolved into the Student’s Financial Statement (SFS)
• 1958 National Defense Education Act, PL85-864 (graduate fellowship program and the National Defense Student Loan Program (NDSL), the precursor to the Perkins Loan Program, first Federal student aid program for low-income students)
• 1956 CSS Introduces the Parent’s Confidential Statement (PCS)
• 1954 College Scholarship Service (CSS) Created