FAFSA 2025-2026 not open yet - when can seniors apply?

The 2025-2026 FAFSA should open on October 1, 2024. The Department of Education typically makes the form available on October 1st for the following academic year. So for your son attending college in Fall 2025, you'll complete the 2025-2026 FAFSA starting October 1, 2024. After last year's delays with the FAFSA Simplification rollout, they've promised better implementation this cycle. I recommend setting a calendar reminder for October 1st and completing it that first week. Many state and institutional aid programs have priority deadlines, and some are first-come-first-served.

Just to add to what was already mentioned - make sure you and your son BOTH create FSA IDs now, before October. You'll each need your own separate FSA ID to sign the FAFSA electronically. This step alone can take several days to process sometimes, so doing it early saves headaches. For documents, you'll need your 2023 tax info (not 2024), social security numbers, and bank/investment statements. The new simplified FAFSA pulls more tax data automatically, but having everything ready still helps.

My kid is also a senior and our college counseling office sent an email saying they expect the form to open late September this year, not October 1st!!! So confusing when everyone says different things. Now I don't know what to believe.

my daughter is in college now and we had to deal with all the FAFSA drama last year. it was a NIGHTMARE!!!! waited until December even though they said October. then the website kept crashing. then they had calculation errors. then colleges couldn't even download the data until February. please be prepared for delays again this year just in case

After spending HOURS on hold with the Federal Student Aid help center last year when we had FAFSA issues, I finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com). They got me connected to an actual human at the FSA help center in about 15 minutes instead of waiting for hours. They have a video showing how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ Definitely bookmarking this service for October when the new FAFSA opens up in case we run into any problems again.

Don't forget about CSS Profile too if your kid is applying to private schools!!!!! FAFSA isn't the only form. Some schools need both and CSS Profile usually opens in early October too but has different questions than FAFSA.

Based on the FAFSA Simplification Act timeline, the 2025-2026 form should be much improved over last year. The big changes already happened with the 2024-2025 form (SAI replacing EFC, fewer questions, more data directly from IRS, etc.). One additional thing to consider - if your son is selecting colleges now, make sure to list ALL potential schools on the FAFSA when you file. You can list up to 10 schools initially and add more later. Many states require their state schools to be listed in a specific position (often first) to qualify for state grants.

Just to clarify some information - the FAFSA for the 2025-2026 academic year will 100% open on October 1, 2024, barring any unexpected announcements from Federal Student Aid. For your son's financial aid as a freshman in 2025, you'll report your 2023 tax information (not 2024). This is called prior-prior year reporting. The simplified FAFSA will import more tax data directly from the IRS using the Data Retrieval Tool, but you'll still need to answer questions about assets and household information. I strongly recommend completing the form within the first few weeks it's available. Even though the federal deadline isn't until June 2026, many state and institutional aid programs have much earlier deadlines, some as early as December or January.

As someone who just went through this process with my daughter last year, I wanted to add a few practical tips that helped us navigate the FAFSA successfully: 1. Create a dedicated email folder for all FAFSA and financial aid correspondence - you'll get a lot of emails from schools and Federal Student Aid, and staying organized is crucial. 2. Take screenshots of each page as you complete the FAFSA. If the system crashes or you lose your progress (which happened to us twice), having visual records of what you entered saves time. 3. Double-check your Student Aid Index (SAI) calculation once you receive your FAFSA Submission Summary. If it seems way off from what you expected, don't hesitate to contact the school's financial aid office directly. 4. Start gathering bank statements and investment account balances from the date you plan to submit your FAFSA. The form asks for account balances "as of today" when you submit. The earlier you complete it after October 1st, the better your chances for need-based aid. Good luck to you and your son!