The FAFSA normally opens on October 1 for the following school year and stays open until June 30 after that school year ends. The 2026-27 FAFSA opened early, on September 24, 2025, and closes June 30, 2027. The 2027-28 FAFSA is expected around October 1, 2026. File as soon as your year's form is available, because early filers tend to receive more aid.
Aid is often first-come, first-served, so timing matters as much as eligibility. Here is the full FAFSA timeline and how to use it.
When does the FAFSA open?
The FAFSA opens for each new school year on October 1 of the prior year, though the exact date can shift. For 2024-25 the form was delayed into December during a major overhaul, but it has since returned to schedule, and the 2026-27 FAFSA actually opened ahead of time, on September 24, 2025. Plan around October 1 and file as soon as your year's form is live at studentaid.gov.
What is the FAFSA deadline?
The federal FAFSA deadline is June 30 after the school year, so the 2026-27 form closes June 30, 2027. But the federal date is the last one that matters: your state and your colleges set their own, often much earlier, deadlines, and many award limited funds first-come, first-served. Treat the earliest deadline on your list as your real one, and track them with our FAFSA deadlines guide.
Why should you file as early as possible?
Because filing early can mean more money. Students who file in the first few months tend to receive more grant aid on average than later filers, partly because some aid runs out. Filing early also gives you time to fix errors and submit verification documents without missing deadlines.
A few reasons not to wait:
- Some state and institutional aid is first-come, first-served.
- Early filing leaves room to correct mistakes before deadlines.
- You will have your aid picture sooner, which helps you compare offers.
Which tax year does the FAFSA use?
The FAFSA uses your income from two years earlier, called the prior-prior year. The 2026-27 FAFSA uses your 2024 tax information, which is already filed, so you do not need to wait for a current return. This is exactly why you can file as soon as the form opens.
What is the FAFSA timeline, step by step?
File when the form opens, review your FAFSA Submission Summary, respond to any verification, then compare the offers your colleges send. A simple sequence:
- Create your studentaid.gov account before the form opens.
- File the FAFSA as soon as your year's form is available.
- Review your FAFSA Submission Summary and fix any errors.
- Submit verification documents quickly if your school requests them.
- Compare your colleges' aid offers and meet each school's deadlines.
Our step-by-step guide to filling out the FAFSA and our guide on what happens after you submit the FAFSA cover each step.
Your next step
The FAFSA opens around October 1 each year (the 2026-27 form opened September 24, 2025) and closes June 30, 2027, but your state and college deadlines come first, so file as early as you can. Set a reminder for October 1, gather your documents, and submit right away. Read our complete 2026-27 financial aid guide, then create your free CollegeLens plan to turn your aid into a clear cost picture.
You're doing the hard, smart work of getting ahead of the deadlines. That's exactly how families claim the most aid available.
-- Sravani at CollegeLens