When does 2025-2026 FAFSA open and do students or parents start the form?

The 2025-2026 FAFSA isn't open yet for anyone. It should open on December 1, 2024 (assuming they stick to the same timeline as last year). And yes, under the new simplified FAFSA system, the student always initiates the application first and then sends contributor invitations to parents/spouses who need to provide financial information. Since your parents are divorced, you'll send an invitation to the parent who provided more financial support in the last 12 months - that's the one who will be your contributor on the form.

Thank you so much! Is there anything I can do to prepare before December 1st? I'm nervous about determining which parent provided more support since I split time pretty evenly between both households.

i heard its opening October 1st not December??

That used to be the case with the old FAFSA, but since the simplified FAFSA launched last year, the opening date was permanently moved to December 1st. This is now the standard timeline going forward.

To add to what others have said: yes, you (the student) must start the application first. This is different from how it worked before the FAFSA Simplification Act changes. The student creates the form, then sends invitations to contributors (parents or spouse) through the system. \n\nFor divorced parents, you'll need to determine which parent provided more financial support during the previous year, and that's who you'll list. If it's truly 50/50, you can choose the parent with the higher income (this will potentially reduce your aid) or the lower income (potentially increasing your aid eligibility). But be prepared to document this decision if asked during verification.

This is why the new fafsa is STILL A NIGHTMARE!! how r we supposed to know exactly who provided more??? My parents hate each other and won't even talk about this stuff together. They both claim they pay more. My mom says child support doesn't count but my dad says it does. I have no idea what to do!!

For clarification, child support IS counted as support from the parent who provides it. So if your dad pays child support to your mom, that counts as financial support from him. If you're really stuck, you can request documentation from both parents showing what they've provided over the year, including housing, food, medical expenses, etc. The Financial Aid office at your school can also help with this determination.

Everyone talking about December 1st opening but don't forget last year it was DELAYED til January and then the whole system was broken for months! I wouldn't count on any dates they announce until it actually happens lol

Oh no, that's what I'm afraid of! I don't want to miss any scholarship deadlines because the FAFSA is delayed again.

I went through this last year with my kid and the new FAFSA system. Here's what you do: gather ALL tax documents and bank statements now. Once FAFSA opens (hopefully Dec 1), the student (you) creates a StudentAid.gov account if you don't have one already. You'll start the application and then use the contributor invitation system to send an email invite to your parent. \n\nAbout the divorced parents situation - it's whoever provided more than 50% of your support in the previous year. If it's split evenly, technically you could choose either parent, but just know this could affect your aid amount significantly depending on their incomes.

Thanks for the detailed advice! I already have a StudentAid.gov account from last year, so at least that part is done. I'm going to talk to both parents about their contributions to see if we can figure out who provided more support.

Umm not to be that person but does anyone know what documents we need exactly?? I'm independent but my gf is dependent with divorced parents and we're both so confused about the whole process

For the student: your Social Security number, driver's license (if you have one), and any income information if you worked (W-2s, tax returns). For parents/contributors: their Social Security number, tax information (usually 2023 tax forms for the 2025-2026 FAFSA), and current asset information (bank accounts, investments, etc. but NOT including their primary home value or retirement accounts).

Last year I spent WEEKS trying to get through to someone at Federal Student Aid when my parent contributor section got stuck in processing. The phones were always busy or would disconnect me after being on hold for hours. I finally found this service called Claimyr that got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes. They have a demo video here: https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their website is claimyr.com. It was such a relief to finally talk to someone who could help! If you run into technical issues once the FAFSA opens, I'd definitely recommend giving them a try.

I've never heard of this service, but I'll definitely bookmark it in case I run into problems. Last year my friend was on hold for 3+ hours multiple times and then just got disconnected.

does it cost money tho??

Yes, there is a fee, but it was worth it to me after wasting days trying to get through on my own. They don't charge unless you actually get connected to an agent.

EVERYONE NEEDS TO KNOW that the SAI calculation is totally different now!!!! my sister got way less aid with the new formula last year even tho our family situation didnt change at all. the contributors section is a TRAP bc they look at more stuff now!!!

This is partially correct. The Student Aid Index (SAI) replaced the old Expected Family Contribution (EFC), and the formula did change. Some students received more aid, while others received less. The new formula excludes some income that was previously counted, but it also considers additional assets in some cases. Families with multiple students in college were often most affected because the 'sibling discount' was reduced. It's always best to complete the FAFSA as early as possible and then contact your school's financial aid office directly if your aid offer seems insufficient.

Just wondering... if my parents don't complete their contributor section, will my FAFSA still be processed? What happens if they refuse or just never do it?

If your contributors don't complete their sections, your FAFSA will still process but will be considered incomplete. You'll generally only qualify for unsubsidized federal loans in this scenario, not grants or other need-based aid. There are exceptions for special circumstances like parent estrangement (dependency override), but these require documentation and approval from your school's financial aid office.

Ugh that's what I was afraid of. My dad says filling out the FAFSA is \

One more thing to add - make sure BOTH you and your contributor have FSA IDs set up well before the application opens. This was a huge bottleneck last year with the new system. The FSA ID verification process can take 1-3 days to process. Don't wait until the last minute!

Great tip! I'll make sure my parents have their FSA IDs ready to go. Thanks!