Education Department announces earliest FAFSA launch in program history

The Education Department announced Wednesday the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms for the 2027-2028 school year were open for students, the earliest the forms have been available.

The FAFSA forms, which traditionally opened Oct. 1, had a few chaotic starts under the Biden administration while reforms were made to the applications, leaving schools and students in a time crunch.

The Trump administration beat its own record from last year’s application opening on Sept. 24.

“We are incredibly proud to launch the earliest FAFSA form in our nation’s history, which ensures American students and families have access to the critical resources they need on their postsecondary education journey,” said Secretary of Education Linda McMahon.

“The Trump Administration redesigned and streamlined the form with American students and families in mind, while also helping applicants see potential earnings outcomes for their schools of choice and utilizing a state-of-the-art fraud detection system to safeguard taxpayer dollars,” she added.

For some families, the department said, the form can be completed in 15 minutes, and improvements to this year’s applications include clearer language, an easier renewal process and the ability to invite contributors by text.

The early launch should give students and schools ample time to calculate the financial assistance someone can get while they decide which college to attend.