Which FAFSA year should I be filling out right now? 2025-2026 or 2024-2025?

If you're starting college in Fall 2025, you need to fill out the 2025-2026 FAFSA. The application period for 2025-2026 should open in December 2024 (they pushed back the timeline after the FAFSA Simplification). The 2024-2025 FAFSA is for students attending college between July 1, 2024 and June 30, 2025. Since you're starting in Fall 2025, which falls in the 2025-2026 academic year, that's the form you need. Don't stress about missing anything right now - you can't even access the 2025-2026 form yet. Just make sure you have your FSA ID set up and gather your tax information from 2023 (they use prior-prior year tax data).

omg i was so confused about this too!! my sister told me to fill out 2024-2025 but my guidance counselor said wait for 2025-2026 and i didn't know who to listen to

The whole FAFSA system is DELIBERATELY CONFUSING!!! They make it complicated so fewer people apply and they can keep more money. I bet if you called their helpline right now they'd give you the runaround or put you on hold for 2 hours. The system is broken and they don't care about students at all!!!!

I had the exact same question last year! What really helped me was using Claimyr to get through to a FAFSA agent directly. I was on hold for ages trying to call normally, but with Claimyr I got through in like 10 minutes and the agent walked me through exactly which form I needed and when it would be available. They have a video that shows how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ and their website is claimyr.com. Seriously saved me so much confusion about which year to file and what tax info I needed.

When I was doing my FAFSA last year I got so confused about the years too. I ended up filing the wrong one first and had to do it all over again lol. Make sure you know which academic year you're applying for financial aid and match the FAFSA year to that. Also, each college might have different priority deadlines for FAFSA submission so check with your schools!

Here's a simple breakdown of the FAFSA timeline for someone starting college in Fall 2025: 1. You need the 2025-2026 FAFSA form 2. This form should become available in December 2024 3. You'll use your (and your parents', if you're a dependent) 2023 tax information 4. Federal deadline is typically in June 2026, but... 5. State and institutional deadlines are usually MUCH earlier - some as early as January/February 2025 The most important thing is to submit as soon as possible after the form opens in December. Some aid is first-come, first-served, especially state grants. Even though the federal deadline gives you a long window, waiting can cost you thousands in potential aid. Also, create your FSA ID now (both you and a parent if you're dependent), as that process can take 1-3 days to verify.

i messed this up last yr and missed out on a ton of aid bc i filed the wrong yr fafsa. dont make my mistake!!

Thank you everyone for all the helpful information! To summarize what I've learned: - I need to fill out the 2025-2026 FAFSA for Fall 2025 enrollment - The form will be available in December 2024 - I should submit as early as possible for the best aid opportunities - I need to use 2023 tax information - I can list schools before being accepted - I should check with each school for their specific deadlines I'm going to get my FSA ID set up now and help my parents with theirs too. I feel so much less stressed now that I understand the timeline better. Thanks again everyone!

This is such a helpful thread! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and was getting mixed information from different sources. It's really reassuring to see that I'm not the only one confused by the FAFSA timeline changes. I appreciate everyone breaking down the process so clearly - especially the reminder about state and school deadlines being much earlier than the federal deadline. I had no idea some could be as early as January! Going to bookmark this thread and start gathering my documents now so I'm ready when December rolls around.

Just wanted to add another resource that might help - the Federal Student Aid website has a really useful FAFSA timeline tool where you can enter your planned enrollment date and it tells you exactly which form year you need and when it opens. I found it super helpful when I was figuring this out for my younger sibling. Also, if your family's financial situation has changed significantly since 2023 (job loss, medical expenses, etc.), make sure to contact your school's financial aid office after submitting your FAFSA. They can sometimes make adjustments through a process called "professional judgment" that could increase your aid eligibility. The 2023 tax info is just the starting point - they understand that circumstances can change!

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and had been panicking thinking I was already behind on FAFSA deadlines. It's such a relief to know that the 2025-2026 form isn't even available yet and I have until December to get started. I really appreciate everyone sharing their experiences - especially those who made mistakes and are warning others. It shows how easy it is to get confused with all these year designations. I'm definitely going to set up my FSA ID this week and make sure my parents do the same. One quick question - is there anything else I should be doing now to prepare while waiting for December, besides gathering 2023 tax documents?

I'm in the exact same boat as you! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and have been getting so much conflicting advice from family, friends, and even different websites. Reading through all these responses has been such a huge help - I finally feel like I understand the timeline. The key thing I'm taking away is that we need the 2025-2026 FAFSA (not 2024-2025) and it won't even be available until December 2024. I'm going to follow everyone's advice and get my FSA ID set up right away, plus help my parents with theirs. I'm also going to start gathering our 2023 tax documents now so I'm ready to submit as soon as the form opens in December. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - this community is amazing for breaking down confusing processes like this!

This thread is exactly what I needed! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and have been so stressed about the FAFSA timeline. My high school counselor mentioned it briefly but didn't go into detail about which year to file. It's really comforting to see that so many other people are in the same situation and that we're not actually behind - the 2025-2026 form isn't even available yet! I love how everyone broke down the timeline so clearly. I'm going to get my FSA ID created this weekend and start gathering our 2023 tax info. Quick question though - when you all mention submitting "as early as possible" in December, do you mean literally the first day it opens, or is there like a week or two buffer where it's still considered early? I want to make sure I don't rush and make mistakes, but I also don't want to miss out on first-come-first-served aid.

This thread has been incredibly helpful! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and was getting really confused by all the different FAFSA year options. It's such a relief to know that I need the 2025-2026 form and that it's not even available yet - I was starting to panic that I was already behind! I really appreciate how everyone has shared their experiences and mistakes so others can avoid them. I'm definitely going to get my FSA ID set up right away and start gathering my 2023 tax documents now. One thing I'm wondering about - should I also be looking into my state's specific financial aid programs now, or wait until after I submit the FAFSA? I keep seeing mentions of state grants having early deadlines but I'm not sure where to even start looking for information about what's available in my state.

This is such a valuable thread! I'm also planning to start college in Fall 2025 and have been completely overwhelmed by the FAFSA process. Reading everyone's experiences has been so reassuring - it's clear that the confusion about which year to file is really common, especially with all the recent timeline changes. I love how this community breaks down complex processes into actionable steps. I'm definitely going to create my FSA ID this week and help my parents set up theirs too. One thing that's really standing out to me from all these responses is how important it is to submit early in December once the 2025-2026 form opens, not just because of federal deadlines but because of state aid that's first-come-first-served. I had no idea that some state grant programs could run out of money if you wait too long! Going to start researching my state's specific programs now so I'm prepared. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - this thread should honestly be pinned as a resource for other students!

I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and this thread has been such a lifesaver! I was getting so many different answers when I asked people about which FAFSA to fill out. My older cousin told me to do 2024-2025, but my mom's friend said to wait for 2025-2026, and I was just sitting here confused and stressed. Reading through all these responses has made everything so much clearer - I need the 2025-2026 form, it opens in December, and I should use my 2023 tax info. I'm definitely going to get my FSA ID set up this weekend and start organizing all our financial documents now so I'm ready to submit right when it opens in December. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - you've all saved me from potentially filing the wrong form and missing out on aid!

I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and this thread has been absolutely incredible! I was getting so overwhelmed trying to figure out which FAFSA form to fill out - my guidance counselor briefly mentioned it but didn't explain the year system at all. Reading through everyone's experiences has made me realize how common this confusion is, especially with all the recent changes to the FAFSA timeline. The breakdown of needing the 2025-2026 form (not 2024-2025), that it opens in December 2024, and using 2023 tax information finally makes sense to me now. I really appreciate everyone mentioning the importance of submitting early for state aid - I had no idea some programs were first-come-first-served! I'm going to create my FSA ID this week, help my parents set up theirs, and start researching my state's specific financial aid programs now so I'm fully prepared when December rolls around. Thank you to everyone who shared their knowledge and experiences - you've turned what felt like an impossible maze into a clear step-by-step process!

Wow, this thread is amazing! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and have been so confused about the FAFSA timeline. My school's financial aid presentation was really unclear about which year to file, and I've been worried I was missing important deadlines. Reading through everyone's experiences has been such a relief - it's clear that the confusion about 2024-2025 vs 2025-2026 is really common, especially with all the recent changes to the FAFSA system. The key takeaways I'm getting are: I need the 2025-2026 FAFSA (not 2024-2025), it opens in December 2024, I should use 2023 tax information, and I need to submit as early as possible once it opens for the best shot at state aid. I had no idea that some state grants work on a first-come-first-served basis - that's crucial information! I'm definitely going to get my FSA ID set up this week and help my parents create theirs too. I'm also going to start gathering our 2023 tax documents now and research my state's specific financial aid programs so I'm fully prepared when December arrives. Thank you to everyone who shared their experiences and advice - you've transformed what felt like an overwhelming process into a clear action plan!

This thread is exactly what I needed! I'm also starting college in Fall 2025 and have been getting so much conflicting information about which FAFSA to fill out. My parents kept insisting I should do the 2024-2025 form because "that's this school year," but my college prep teacher said to wait for 2025-2026. I was so stressed thinking I was going to miss deadlines or file the wrong paperwork! Reading through everyone's experiences has made everything crystal clear - I need the 2025-2026 FAFSA for Fall 2025 enrollment, it won't even be available until December 2024, and I should use our 2023 tax information. The tip about state aid being first-come-first-served is huge - I had no clue some programs could run out of funding if you wait too long! I'm going to create my FSA ID this weekend and help my parents set theirs up too. I'll also start gathering our 2023 tax documents and research what financial aid programs my state offers. It's such a relief to finally have a clear timeline instead of just panicking about conflicting advice. Thank you everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is incredible for breaking down complicated processes like this!