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The FAFSA for 2027-28 Just Opened — Earlier Than Ever

The Education Department opened the application months ahead of last cycle's rollout, with a redesigned form officials say takes about 15 minutes to complete.

By THRYV Life Desk·Published September 24, 2026·Updated September 24, 2026·3 min read
The FAFSA for 2027-28 Just Opened — Earlier Than Ever
Education · Illustration commissioned for THRYV. Photography is replaced with original imagery as each story is produced.

The takeaway

The 2027-28 FAFSA opened on September 23, 2026, the earliest release date the Education Department has ever offered, after the chaotic multi-month delays of the 2023 rollout left millions of students and colleges waiting. Officials say the redesigned form now takes about 15 minutes to complete. Students and families can apply now at studentaid.gov.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2027-28 school year opened on September 23, 2026 — the earliest the Education Department has ever released the form.

Why it's opening earlier

The move follows the troubled rollout of the overhauled FAFSA in 2023, when technical glitches and processing errors left millions of students and colleges waiting for financial aid information for months. Moving the release date up gives families and school financial aid offices more runway before spring enrollment deadlines.

What's different this time

The department says the form has been simplified and can now be completed in about 15 minutes, a contrast to the hours-long process some families reported during the rocky 2023-24 cycle.

How to apply

Students and families can start the 2027-28 FAFSA now at studentaid.gov. Filing earlier can matter for aid that's awarded on a first-come, first-served basis at the state or institutional level, so financial aid experts generally recommend applying as soon as the form is available rather than waiting until closer to enrollment deadlines.

Sources

This article is original writing by THRYV. We link to primary reporting and official documents rather than reproducing them.

  1. FAFSA opens earlier than ever for college students after past delays — ABC News 4

Why you can trust this article

Written and edited in-house by the THRYV Life Desk. We do not republish or reword agency copy, and we do not invent quotes, statistics, testimonials or ratings. Where figures move frequently, we point you to the primary release rather than printing a number that will be out of date. Advertising and affiliate partnerships have no influence on our reporting — see our editorial standards, fact-checking policy and affiliate disclosure. Spotted an error? Write to newsroom@thryv-news.com.

General information only. Not personalised financial, medical or legal advice.

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