The New FAFSA: What You Need to Know for 2027–2028
Updated September 2026
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is an important step in the college financial aid process. It helps determine eligibility for federal grants, loans, and work-study, and many states and colleges also use FAFSA information when awarding financial aid.
The FAFSA has undergone significant changes in recent years as part of the federal FAFSA Simplification initiative. The 2027–2028 FAFSA continues that effort with several updates designed to make the application easier to understand and complete.
If you have a student heading to college in the 2027–2028 academic year, here is what you need to know.
When Does the 2027–2028 FAFSA Open?
The 2027–2028 FAFSA was scheduled to be available by October 1, 2026 at StudentAid.gov. However, for the second year in a row, the application opened a week ahead of schedule on September 23, 2026. The application covers students attending college, career school, or trade school during the 2027–2028 academic year.
The federal deadline to submit the 2027–2028 FAFSA is June 30, 2028. However, that is not necessarily the deadline you should follow. Colleges and states often have earlier deadlines for financial aid consideration, and some aid programs have limited funds.
For that reason, families should complete the FAFSA as early as possible rather than waiting for the federal deadline.
What is the FAFSA?
The FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. It is the form students complete to apply for federal financial aid for college, career school, or trade school.
The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for several types of federal aid, including:
- Federal Pell Grants, which generally do not have to be repaid
- Federal Work-Study
- Federal student loans
States, colleges, universities, and some other organizations may also use FAFSA information when determining eligibility for their own financial aid programs. That means completing the FAFSA can be important even for families who don’t expect to qualify for federal grants.
And remember: FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. You should never have to pay a website to submit the FAFSA.
What Has Changed for the 2027–2028 FAFSA?
The FAFSA has been significantly simplified since the FAFSA Simplification Act was passed in 2020. The 2027–2028 FAFSA builds on those changes with several additional updates.
1. A QR Code Can Make Inviting a Contributor Easier
For students who need a parent or spouse to contribute information to their FAFSA, the 2027–2028 form introduces another way to send an invitation.
Students can scan a QR code to send their parent or spouse a customized text message inviting them to participate in the FAFSA.
The FAFSA already allows students to invite contributors electronically, and each contributor must have their own StudentAid.gov account. The new QR-code option is intended to make the process easier and more convenient.
2. Some Questions Have Been Reworded
Federal Student Aid has revised the wording of several student questions based on research with FAFSA users.
Changes include questions related to:
- College and career plans
- Homelessness
- High school completion
The goal is to make these questions easier for students to understand and answer correctly.
3. “Signature” Is Now “Review & Sign”
The Signature section has been renamed Review & Sign.
The signing process has also been consolidated onto one page, allowing students and contributors to review their information and complete the signing process in one place.
4. “Personal Circumstances” Is Now “Background”
The section previously called Personal Circumstances has been renamed Background.
Although the name has changed, students will still answer questions that help determine their dependency status and whether they need to provide parent information on the FAFSA.
What Happened to the Previous FAFSA Changes?
Some of the changes families may have heard about in recent years are not new for 2027–2028, but they are still important to understand.
The Student Aid Index Replaced the Expected Family Contribution
One of the biggest changes introduced by FAFSA Simplification was replacing the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) with the Student Aid Index (SAI).
The SAI is a number calculated from information provided on the FAFSA and is used to determine a student’s eligibility for certain types of federal financial aid. Despite its name, the SAI is not the amount your family will necessarily pay for college.
Tax Information Is Transferred Directly from the IRS
The FAFSA now uses the federal tax information transfer process to retrieve tax information directly from the IRS.
Students and required contributors must provide consent and approval for their federal tax information to be transferred. This is required for federal student aid eligibility, even if the student or contributor did not file a tax return.
For the 2027–2028 FAFSA, the required tax information is generally from 2025. Families should have their 2025 tax records available in case they need to reference them.
Students and Contributors Need Their Own StudentAid.gov Accounts
Students and each required contributor must have their own StudentAid.gov account.
Do not create an account for your student or share your account with your student. Each person needs a separate account because the account serves as that person’s electronic signature and provides access to the portions of the FAFSA they are required to complete.
The FAFSA Is Still Required Every Year
Completing the FAFSA is not a one-time process. Students who want to be considered for federal financial aid generally need to complete a new FAFSA for each academic year.
So, if your student is entering college in fall 2027, the 2027–2028 FAFSA is the application you’ll need to complete for that academic year.
How to Prepare for the 2027-2028 FAFSA
Even though the FAFSA is designed to be simpler than it was in the past, a little preparation can make the process much easier.
1. Create StudentAid.gov Accounts Early
If your student or any required contributor does not already have a StudentAid.gov account, create one before you begin the FAFSA.
Remember that the student and each required contributor need their own account.
2. Gather Your Financial Information
The FAFSA will obtain much of the required tax information directly from the IRS after the appropriate consent is provided. However, families should still have important financial records available, including:
- 2025 federal tax information
- W-2s and other records of income
- Records of untaxed income
- Bank account balances
- Investment information
- Records of businesses or income-producing farms, if applicable
Having this information nearby can help you answer questions that aren’t automatically transferred from the IRS.
3. Know Which Parent Will Be a Contributor
For dependent students, parent information is generally required. The FAFSA determines which parent or parents need to provide information according to federal rules.
This can sometimes be confusing, particularly for families who are divorced, separated, remarried, or have other complex family circumstances.
Federal Student Aid provides a “Who’s My FAFSA Parent?” tool to help families determine which parent needs to participate.
4. Make a List of Colleges
As you complete the FAFSA, you’ll identify the colleges and career schools that should receive your FAFSA information.
Make sure you include the schools your student is considering so they can receive the information they need to determine financial aid eligibility.
5. Pay Attention to Deadlines
The federal FAFSA deadline is June 30, 2028, but don’t wait until then!
Your state and the colleges your student is considering may have earlier deadlines. Some state and institutional aid programs also have limited funds.
The best strategy is to complete the FAFSA as soon as you reasonably can after it becomes available.
What About Pell Grant Eligibility?
The FAFSA is used to determine eligibility for the Federal Pell Grant, which can provide need-based financial assistance that generally does not have to be repaid.
Pell Grant eligibility is determined using information from the FAFSA, including the student’s Student Aid Index and other eligibility criteria.
The maximum Pell Grant award changes from year to year. The maximum award for 2027–2028 has not yet been announced and will be published by the Department of Education when available.
Because the FAFSA determines eligibility for Pell Grants and other forms of financial aid, families shouldn’t assume they will or will not qualify based solely on their income or financial circumstances.
Complete the FAFSA and let the financial aid process determine your eligibility.
Why Should I Complete the FAFSA?
You may be wondering whether completing the FAFSA is worthwhile if you don’t expect your family to qualify for need-based financial aid. It can be!
The FAFSA is used not only for federal financial aid, but also by many states and colleges when determining eligibility for their own financial assistance. Some types of aid may also have limited funding or early deadlines.
Completing the FAFSA gives your student and the colleges they’re considering the information needed to determine eligibility for applicable financial aid programs.
And remember: completing the FAFSA does not obligate your family to take out a student loan.
Final Thoughts on the 2027–2028 FAFSA
The FAFSA has changed considerably in recent years, but the goal remains the same: to help students apply for financial aid for college, career school, or trade school.
For 2027–2028, families can expect a few additional improvements, including a new QR-code option for inviting contributors, clearer wording for several student questions, and a streamlined Review & Sign process.
The most important things families can do are simple:
Create your StudentAid.gov accounts. Gather your information. Complete the FAFSA early. Review it carefully. And keep track of every deadline.
Don’t assume that your family won’t qualify for financial aid. Completing the FAFSA is the best way to find out what federal, state, and institutional assistance may be available to your student.
For the most current information and to complete the FAFSA, visit StudentAid.gov.
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