If you or your child plans to attend college or a trade school between July 2027 and June 2028, it’s time to think about the FAFSA. The U.S. Department of Education opened the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid on September 23, 2026, eight days before the usual October 1 start date.

It’s the earliest launch in the program’s history, beating last year’s record by one day. “We are incredibly proud to launch the earliest FAFSA form in our nation’s history,” Education Secretary Linda McMahon said.

Here’s what you need to know.

What Is the FAFSA and Why Does It Matter?

The FAFSA is the form students use to apply for federal financial aid, including Pell Grants, work-study and federal student loans. Many states, colleges and scholarship programs also use it to decide who gets their aid. Nearly 20 million students submit it every year, according to Money.

Grants and scholarships generally don’t have to be repaid, while loans do. Being offered a loan doesn’t mean you have to accept it.

The form can make a big difference in whether students go to college at all. The National College Attainment Network reports that high school seniors who complete the FAFSA are 84% more likely to enroll in college right away, according to EducationNC. For students from the lowest-income families, completing it is linked to a 127% increase in immediate enrollment.

Key Deadlines

The federal deadline is far away, but that doesn’t mean you should wait.

  • Federal deadline: June 30, 2028, at 11:59 p.m. Central time
  • Corrections and updates: due by September 12, 2028
  • State and college deadlines: often much earlier, and some are first-come, first-served

Money lists Alaska, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Montana, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Carolina, Vermont, Virginia and Washington among the states where some aid is awarded first-come, first-served. Once the money runs out, late applicants miss out.

That’s why experts say to file early. According to Saving for College, students who file in the first three months receive, on average, twice as many grants as those who file later.

What’s New for 2027-28

The FAFSA has been redesigned in recent years after a troubled rollout of the simplified form in 2023-24. This year’s version builds on those changes:

  • Fewer questions. The form once had more than 100 questions. It now has between 30 and 40, depending on your answers, according to Money.
  • Faster completion. The Education Department says many families can finish in about 15 minutes.
  • Instant results. Students can see their estimated Pell Grant and other federal aid eligibility right after they submit the form, EducationNC reports.
  • Earnings information. The form now shows earnings data for the colleges students are considering, which can help families compare the return on different schools.
  • Text invitations. Students can invite parents or a spouse to contribute their information by text message, in addition to email.
  • Auto-fill on the way. A feature that fills in some answers from previous FAFSA submissions is expected to roll out later this fall.

Students who already submitted a 2027-28 form during the beta test don’t need to file again.

What You’ll Need Before You Start

Having your information ready makes the process much faster. Helpful documents include:

  • A StudentAid.gov account for the student and for each contributor, such as a parent or spouse
  • Social Security numbers, if you have them
  • Federal tax returns (the 2027-28 form uses 2025 tax information)
  • Records of child support received
  • Current checking and savings account balances
  • The value of investments, businesses or farms, if any

Each contributor needs their own StudentAid.gov account. Parents or spouses who don’t have a Social Security number can still create an account.

How to Apply

  1. Go to StudentAid.gov and select “Start New Form.”
  2. Choose the 2027-28 FAFSA.
  3. Log in with your StudentAid.gov username and password.
  4. Select “Student,” or “Parent” if you’re starting a form for a dependent child.
  5. Invite any required contributors and make sure they complete their sections.

Remember that you must file a new FAFSA for every school year you want aid.

Who Is Eligible?

Federal aid is available to U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, permanent residents and people with certain other qualifying statuses, such as refugees and asylees. Students who aren’t eligible for federal aid, including DACA recipients, may still qualify for state, school or private aid and should contact their college’s financial aid office.

A parent’s or spouse’s immigration status does not affect a student’s eligibility, according to EducationNC.

Apply Even If You Think You Won’t Qualify

Many families skip the FAFSA because they assume they earn too much. That can be a costly mistake, since many colleges and scholarships require the form for their own aid.

“Even if a student thinks they won’t qualify for financial aid, they won’t know for sure unless they apply,” said Sarah Austin, a policy analyst at the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA).

The Bottom Line

The 2027-28 FAFSA is shorter and faster than past versions, and it’s available earlier than ever. With some aid handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, the smartest move is to gather your documents now and file in the next few weeks rather than waiting until spring.