FAFSA application for 2026-27 or 2027-28
Complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the academic year you will attend school. Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, provides the form at StudentAid.gov. The 2027-28 form is available for attendance from July 1, 2027, through June 30, 2028.
Which FAFSA form do I need?
Choose 2026-27 for attendance during July 1, 2026-June 30, 2027, or 2027-28 for July 1, 2027-June 30, 2028. Match the form to the school year rather than the calendar date when you happen to apply. Ask the school which award year applies to a summer session.
At the application page, select Start New Form, sign in, and choose the academic year. Review the student identity information before continuing. An existing form for the previous year is not the application for the next year.
Can I apply if my parents earn $120,000 or more?
There is no single income cutoff for all federal student aid. Income is one factor, and the requirements differ among grants, loans, and other aid. A household salary by itself does not establish that a student should skip the application.
Filing the form and qualifying for a particular award are different steps. Complete the requested information and review the resulting eligibility information and your school’s offer. An estimated aid amount is not a guarantee that the school will offer it.
What do I need before starting the FAFSA application?
Prepare your StudentAid.gov account, the financial information requested for the chosen form year, and the list of schools that should receive the information. If a parent or spouse must participate, they need their own account.
Use the form questions or the Who’s My FAFSA Parent tool to identify the required parent contributor. Invite the person using the email address requested. The student’s account is a signature credential, so the contributor should not complete their section by using the student’s login.
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QR Code GeneratorWhat bank-account information does FAFSA ask for?
Follow the asset questions on your form. Federal Student Aid distinguishes cash, checking and savings balances from investments. Its checklist says to report current asset amounts as of the date you sign, rather than reusing asset values from the tax year.
The form’s instructions determine what is reportable. A question about emptying an account does not replace those reporting instructions. If a financial circumstance needs explanation, ask the school’s financial aid office how it should be documented.
What is the FAFSA deadline for fall 2027?
Use the 2027-28 form for the academic year containing fall 2027. The federal FAFSA submission deadline is June 30 at the end of that academic year. Earlier school and state-aid deadlines can affect aid availability, so ask the school for its priority date.
Complete the form before the earliest deadline relevant to you. The final federal date is not a suggested date to begin. You can list schools you are considering before deciding which one you will attend.
Which FAFSA mistakes should I check before submitting?
Check the academic year, identity details, schools, required contributor sections, and signatures. The form guides you through the information it needs. There is no universal ranking here of the single most common mistake.
A contributor invitation is not a completed contributor section. Have each required person finish their work in their own account, then confirm the form has actually been submitted.
Does a processed FAFSA mean my aid is approved?
After processing, review the FAFSA Submission Summary in the student account. It shows information such as eligibility estimates, form answers, school information, and next steps. Most forms process immediately; some require one to three days.
The school makes the final decision on its aid offer. If the summary identifies an error, use the correction route. A contributor can correct their own section, while the student reviews the overall summary and school follow-up requests.
FAQ
Can a parent use the student’s login?
Each required contributor uses their own StudentAid.gov account. Keep each person’s account and signature separate.
Do I submit a separate FAFSA for every school?
List the schools you want to receive your information on the form. You can later add or remove schools through the correction process.