From Draft NOtices, July-September 2021
Draft Registration No Longer Required for Federal Financial Aid
On December 27, 2020, the law that bans federal financial aid for non-registrants was repealed in an amendment to the Consolidated Appropriations Act of 2021.
Changes have not been made yet in the draft registration-related language of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), but the repeal of the aid ban became effective as of June 17, the date that the change in rules was published in the Federal Register (Vol. 86, No. 115, page 32252). A notice about the repeal was sent to educational institutions nationwide, but because the FAFSA form still says draft registration compliance is required to receive aid, some campuses may wrongly advise aid applicants. 
The FAFSA form will eventually be fully revised, but not until the form published for the 2023-2024 school year. In the meantime, if anyone encounters problems with a campus financial aid office, they should contact COMD for a copy of the letter that was sent to schools by the Department of Education.
It is important to note that this change in law only affects federal student aid. Laws passed by states banning non-registrants from receiving state education funding are currently still in effect. To follow the example of the change made in federal law, state legislation would be needed.
Right now, COMD is talking to other organizations about seeking legislation to repeal the ban on state aid in California. Those interested in campaigning for such legislation in California should email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
This article is from Draft NOtices, the newsletter of the Committee Opposed to Militarism and the Draft (http://www.comdsd.org/).
