FAFSA 2027-28 Now Open: How to Apply for Federal University Aid and What’s Changed This Year

If you have children attending college, community college, or technical school next year, you can now fill out the application for federal aid. The 2027-28 FAFSA form is available at fafsa.gov, as announced by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid.

• This FAFSA is for aid for studies between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028.

Why it matters: the FAFSA is the gateway to Pell Grants, federal loans, and work-study programs. Many universities and states also use it to distribute their own aid.

How Long Does it Take?

The Department of Education indicates that most forms are processed immediately and some take one to three days. After that, the student can view their FAFSA Submission Summary, and the information is sent to the schools they chose.

Those who already submitted the 2027-28 FAFSA during the test period do not have to resubmit it.

What’s Changed in the 2027-28 FAFSA?

• QR Code Invitation: the student can scan a QR code and send a text message to their parent, spouse, or other family member to join the form.
• Clearer Questions: questions about study plans, housing situation, and high school completion have been rewritten.
• Single-Page Signature: the «Signature» section is now called «Review and Sign».
• The «Personal Circumstances» section is now called «Background».

Available in Spanish

The Spanish-language PDF form and school code search are now available, according to the Department of Education.

Beware of Charges

The first F in FAFSA stands for free: it’s free. The Department of Education warns that some websites charge for help filling it out and are not affiliated with the government. Official help is free on Department of Education sites.

Tip: check your state and university deadlines. Some aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sources: U.S. Department of Education, Federal Student Aid: 2027–28 FAFSA Form Now Available; FAFSA Updates.