FAFSA renewal frequency - once per year or every semester?

You only need to submit the FAFSA once per academic year, not every semester. Your financial aid for both fall and spring semesters (and summer, if applicable) is determined from that single annual application. The 2025-2026 FAFSA should open on December 1, 2024, and you'll want to complete it as early as possible since some aid is first-come, first-served. This application will cover Fall 2025, Spring 2026, and Summer 2026 terms. So relax! You don't need to do anything for your upcoming spring semester as long as you completed the FAFSA for this academic year.

your roommate is WRONG!!! i made that mistake my freshman year - thought i needed to reapply each semester and ended up submitting duplicate applications that actually delayed my aid disbursement by 3 weeks!!! the financial aid office was NOT happy with me. you only do FAFSA once per school year (fall+spring+summer). dont make my mistake!!!

just fyi some schools have different deadlines for their institutional scholarships vs the fafsa deadline so double check with ur school

To add some additional clarity: the FAFSA is an annual application that establishes your eligibility for federal student aid for the entire academic year. However, there are a few scenarios where you might need to update your FAFSA mid-year: 1. If your dependency status changes (marriage, having a child, etc.) 2. If your family size changes significantly 3. If there's a dramatic change in your financial situation (parent job loss, major medical expenses) In these cases, you'd submit a correction to your existing FAFSA or work with your financial aid office on a professional judgment review, not complete a brand new application. Also, remember that for the 2025-2026 FAFSA, they'll be using your (or your parents') 2023 tax information. Mark your calendar for December 1st to submit as early as possible!

Yes, @profile8 is correct - the FAFSA timeline has changed. Starting with the 2024-2025 application cycle, the FAFSA now opens on December 1st instead of the previous October 1st date. This was part of the FAFSA Simplification Act changes.

My school actually requires us to fill out a mid-year form that confirms nothing has changed with our finances. It's not a new FAFSA, just a quick form through the school's portal. Maybe your roommate is thinking of something like that? But yeah, FAFSA itself is definitely just once per year.

I spent THREE HOURS on hold trying to get through to Federal Student Aid last year when I had questions about my renewal process. Complete nightmare. Finally discovered Claimyr (claimyr.com) which got me through to an actual human in about 8 minutes. Saved my sanity! They have a video demo at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ if you want to see how it works. Super helpful when you have specific questions about your application that only FSA can answer.

@profile8 Yes, it definitely works! I was skeptical too but was desperate after multiple failed attempts to get through. The service connected me to an FSA rep quickly and I got my verification issues sorted out. Worth it when you're dealing with time-sensitive aid questions.

OK BUT SERIOUS QUESTION - if you're planning to take summer classes do you need to do anything special with your FAFSA?? i always get confused about how summer financial aid works

Thanks everyone for all the helpful responses! I've learned that: 1. FAFSA is once per academic year (not per semester) 2. The application now opens December 1st (not October 1st) 3. Summer classes might require a separate form from my school, but not a new FAFSA 4. I should watch for major life changes that might require FAFSA updates This clears up so much confusion. My roommate was definitely mixing up FAFSA with something else!

Hey Nia! Just wanted to add that it's also worth setting up an FSA ID if you haven't already - you'll need it every year to electronically sign your FAFSA. And pro tip: bookmark the official FAFSA website (studentaid.gov/fafsa) because there are a lot of scam sites that look similar and charge fees for something that's completely free. Your financial aid office is also a great resource if you run into any issues during the application process. Good luck with your spring semester!