FAFSA 2027-28: What Families Need to Know This Year
"We probably won't qualify for anything, so should we even bother with the FAFSA?"
I hear this every year, and my answer is almost always YES. The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is the form colleges and many states use to decide financial aid, and some scholarships require it even when they have nothing to do with income. If you want the basics first, start with What is the FAFSA and how is it used?
Here's what to know for this year.
When it opens
The 2027-28 FAFSA is for students starting college in the fall of 2027, which means this year's seniors. It opened on September 23rd (October 1st is their typical target date). Some state and college aid is first come, first served, so plan to file in the first few weeks after it opens rather than waiting until spring. NOTE: Though completing the FAFSA early is important for some colleges/scholarships, I generally recommend giving the form a couple of weeks after opening before completing it in case there are software is...