A FAFSA delay may have potential college students waiting longer to get financial aid offers from schools.

Colleges and universities were told that they would start receiving student financial information at the end of January, those the U.S. Department of Education now says it will not send that information until the first half of March.

FAFSA, a form that potential and current college students fill out with their financial information to qualify for need-based scholarships, is used by colleges, universities, trade schools and states to distribute funds to help cover the cost of tuition and other college expenses for students.

According to Bridge Michigan, Michigan universities generally received the financial information about three days after students submitted their FAFSA forms, allowing colleges to start making financial offers in December and January.

This year, though, an effort to simplify the form and expand the number of qualifying students has caused a delay, with some people still being unable to complete the form.