FAFSA confusion: Do I fill out 2024-25 or 2025-26 for Fall 2025 freshman?

You'll need to complete the 2025-26 FAFSA for your daughter starting college in Fall 2025. The FAFSA year always refers to the academic year (which spans two calendar years). Since she'll be attending in the 2025-26 academic year, that's the form you need. The 2025-26 FAFSA should open October 1, 2024. You'll use your 2023 tax information when filling it out. Don't worry about being confused - the naming convention trips up almost everyone at first!

I WAS LITERALLY IN YOUR SHOES LAST YEAR!! The whole system is DELIBERATELY confusing if you ask me. I filled out the wrong one at first and wasted HOURS of my life I'll never get back. The financial aid office at my son's college actually laughed when I told them. Not funny!!! Make sure you also check if any of your daughter's schools require the CSS Profile in addition to FAFSA - that's a whole OTHER headache they don't warn you about until it's almost too late.

lol dont feel bad i did the same thing last yr. its confusing af

To add some important details to what others have said: The 2025-26 FAFSA will open on October 1, 2024. You'll use 2023 tax information (which is different from previous years - they used to require the prior year's taxes). Also, the FAFSA has undergone major changes for the 2024-25 cycle, with a new Student Aid Index (SAI) replacing the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC). These changes will continue for your 2025-26 application. I recommend creating your FSA ID for both you and your daughter now, as that process can take a few days to verify. That way you'll be ready to go as soon as the application opens in October. Lastly, check each college's priority deadline for financial aid. Some schools have early deadlines (as early as November for some private colleges), and submitting by their priority deadline can give your daughter access to more institutional aid.

my niece is also going to college next year and my sister was confused about the same thing! just remember that the FAFSA year is based on when the SCHOOL YEAR ends, not when it starts. so 2025-26 means the school year that starts in 2025 and ends in 2026. hope that helps remember it!

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - if you're having trouble reaching someone at Federal Student Aid to ask questions (their call center can be IMPOSSIBLE to get through to), I discovered a service called Claimyr that got me connected to an agent in under 10 minutes when I was trying to resolve a FAFSA issue for my twin boys last year. You can see how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ - basically skips the hold time. Their website is claimyr.com. Saved me hours of frustration during the application process when I had specific questions about reporting our farm income correctly.

Just to add to the confusion 😂 - make sure you're also aware of any state financial aid deadlines, which might be different from the FAFSA and individual school deadlines. Some states give aid on a first-come, first-served basis until funds run out, so submitting your FAFSA early can matter a lot depending on where you live. Also, don't forget that many scholarships require FAFSA completion too, even if they're not need-based. My daughter almost missed out on a merit scholarship because we didn't realize this and almost skipped the FAFSA thinking we wouldn't qualify for need-based aid.

I see a lot of great advice has already been shared! One more tip: once the application opens in October, try to complete it within the first few weeks if possible. Even though the priority deadline might be later, submitting early can help if there are any issues with your application that need to be resolved. The new FAFSA had quite a few technical glitches this past cycle, and early filers had more time to sort out problems before school deadlines hit. Also, start gathering your documents now: 2023 tax returns, W-2s, current bank statements, investment records, etc. Being prepared with all your financial information will make the process much smoother when the time comes.

Thank you all SO much for these helpful responses! I feel much more confident now. To summarize what I've learned: 1. I need the 2025-26 FAFSA for Fall 2025 enrollment 2. It opens October 1, 2024 3. We'll use our 2023 tax information 4. I should create FSA IDs for myself and my daughter now 5. Check for both school AND state priority deadlines 6. Also check if any schools require the CSS Profile 7. Apply early in case of technical issues I'm going to start gathering all our documents now and will mark October 1st on my calendar. This community has been incredibly helpful - thank you again!

Welcome to the FAFSA journey! As someone who just went through this with my oldest last year, I can tell you that you're asking all the right questions early, which puts you ahead of the game. One thing I wish I had known earlier is to also check if your daughter's potential schools have any institutional financial aid forms beyond FAFSA and CSS Profile. Some schools have their own supplemental forms that can unlock additional aid opportunities. Also, if your family has any unusual financial circumstances (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), document those now as you may need to submit a "special circumstances" appeal later. The learning curve is steep but manageable - you're going to do great! And don't hesitate to reach out to the financial aid offices at your daughter's prospective schools directly. They're usually very helpful and can give you school-specific guidance.