FAFSA for 2025-2026 opening date confusion - did my school send incorrect info?

no your right, FAFSA for 25/26 did open Oct 1. your school counselor is confused, probably thinking about last years delay when they pushed it back to december. this years form is definitely open now, i just submitted mine last week with no problems.

The school counselor is actually correct, but their explanation was confusing. The 2025-2026 FAFSA hasn't opened yet. The FAFSA that opened on October 1, 2023 was for the 2024-2025 academic year. The 2025-2026 FAFSA won't open until October 1, 2024. The FAFSA operates on a specific cycle where each application opens on October 1st of the year before the academic year it covers. So: - 2024-2025 FAFSA: Opened October 1, 2023 - 2025-2026 FAFSA: Will open October 1, 2024 If you're working on a FAFSA application now (October 2023), you're filling out the 2024-2025 form, which is the correct one for students attending college from Fall 2024 through Spring 2025.

Let me clarify this confusion about FAFSA years and timing: If your son is currently a high school junior (class of 2025), then: 1. He will be starting college in Fall 2025 2. He needs the 2025-2026 FAFSA form 3. That form will open on October 1, 2024 (next year) 4. You CANNOT fill it out right now The FAFSA that just opened this October (2023) is for students who will be in college during the 2024-2025 academic year (current high school seniors). The year in the FAFSA refers to the academic year it covers, not when you fill it out. So your school counselor is absolutely correct - if you've been trying to fill out a FAFSA now for a high school junior, you're working on the wrong form.

This kinda drives me CRAZY about FAFSA! They name these forms in the most confusing way possible. Why can't they just say "FAFSA for students starting college in Fall 2025"?? Instead they use these academic years that nobody understands. Every year parents get confused by this exact same issue!

I've been trying to reach FAFSA's help desk about a similar issue and kept getting disconnected or waiting for hours. Finally tried using Claimyr (claimyr.com) and got through to an actual FAFSA agent in about 10 minutes. They confirmed what others have said - if your son is a high school junior now, you'll need to wait until October 2024 to file the 2025-26 FAFSA. They have a video demo showing how it works: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ. Helped me avoid waiting on hold forever.

side question but dose anyone know if the parent plus loans rules are changing for 2025 or if we still need credit check? my credit isn't great and I'm worried about getting denied when my daughter goes to college

Just to add one more helpful tip - even though you can't submit the FAFSA for your son yet, you can still be preparing. Make sure you both create FSA IDs now (they take 1-3 days to process), calculate your Expected Family Contribution using online calculators, and research scholarship opportunities. Many merit scholarships have deadlines throughout his junior and senior years, so don't wait on those!

my daughter's school said the same thing! i was so confused because we already submitted something a few weeks ago... now im worried we did the wrong one. she's a senior this year tho, graduating in 2024. did we do the right one??