FAFSA 2027-28 is already open: what to know before you file

If you have a high school senior or plan to be in college next fall, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2027-28 school year is already open. The Education Department launched it in late September, the earliest opening in the form's history, ahead of the traditional October 1 start.

The form is free and is filed at studentaid.gov. The redesigned version lets students invite parents or other contributors by text message, and the department says it now shows earnings outcomes for the schools a student lists. Students who took part in the beta test this summer do not need to submit again, according to NASFAA.

The federal deadline is far off, June 30, 2028, but that is the wrong date to aim for. States and colleges set their own, much earlier deadlines, and some aid is first come, first served. In California, the Cal Grant deadline is March 2. Hoodline, citing the program's own figures, reported that students who file in the first three months tend to receive about twice as many grants on average as those who file later.

Before you start, gather what you are likely to need: your StudentAid.gov account login, Social Security numbers, tax information, and records of savings and investments. Your school counselor or a college financial aid office can answer questions about your specific situation, and it costs nothing to ask.

This week, set up or recover the StudentAid.gov logins for the student and any parent contributor. Doing that part first makes the rest of the form much easier.