2027–28 FAFSA: Key Dates, Deadlines and What's New

The 2027–28 FAFSA is already open: the U.S. Department of Education made the Free Application for Federal Student Aid available to everyone on September 23, 2026, about a week ahead of its October 1 target. If you plan to be in college, career school or trade school at any point between July 2027 and June 2028, this is the form that unlocks federal grants, work-study and federal student loans, and many states and schools use it for their own aid too.

This guide covers the key dates for the 2027–28 form, which year’s tax information it asks for, the state deadlines that tend to arrive much sooner than the federal one, and the changes the Department has published for this cycle.

Key takeaways

The 2027–28 FAFSA form went live for the general public on September 23, 2026.
The federal deadline is June 30, 2028 (11:59 p.m. Central time for online forms), but many state and school deadlines fall in early to mid-2027.
The form uses 2025 tax-year information, transferred from the IRS with each contributor’s consent.
Most online forms are now processed in real time, and the form adds questions for contributors who filed a 2025 tax return with Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory.
The maximum Pell Grant for 2027–28 had not been announced as of November 6, 2026; StudentAid.gov says it will be announced in early 2027.

Table of Contents

When the 2027–28 FAFSA opened

Federal Student Aid tested the new form with real applicants before the public launch. According to the Department’s 2027–28 FAFSA beta testing announcement, the first beta phase launched on August 7, 2026 with community partners in several states and territories, and a second, broader beta opened on August 25, 2026, when any student or parent could ask to join. The form then went live to the general public on September 23, 2026, ahead of the October 1, 2026 target.

The FAFSA Central updates page on FSA Partner Connect confirms that anyone can now reach the 2027–28 form at fafsa.gov. During beta testing the Department noted that partners helped nearly 2,000 students complete forms in the first phase, and that submitting during beta did not give students an advantage over people who applied later—it simply offered an early start.

2027–28 FAFSA deadlines: federal, state and school

There is not one FAFSA deadline but several, and the one that matters most for you is usually the earliest.

The federal deadline

The official 2027–28 FAFSA form tells applicants to submit as early as possible, but no earlier than October 1, 2026, and states that the Department must receive the application no later than June 30, 2028. The Department’s 2027–28 Counselors and Mentors Handbook adds that online forms must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time on June 30, 2028.

The same handbook says Federal Student Aid expects the deadline for corrections to be in September 2028. The handbook does not give an exact day, so check StudentAid.gov before relying on a specific date.

State deadlines

Each state sets its own rules. StudentAid.gov’s article on three FAFSA deadlines to know explains that some states use priority dates and others use hard deadlines, and some require an extra state application. The 2027–28 FAFSA form lists state deadlines on its second page. A few examples from that list:

State	2027–28 deadline listed on the FAFSA form
California	March 2, 2027 (postmark) for many state programs; additional community college Cal Grant awards September 2, 2027
Texas	January 15, 2027 for priority consideration
Florida	May 15, 2027 (date processed)
Illinois	As soon as possible after October 1, 2026; Monetary Award Program (MAP) awards made while funds exist
Ohio	October 1, 2027
New York	June 30, 2028; additional forms may be required

Several other states, including Kentucky and Washington, simply tell students to apply as soon as possible after October 1, 2026. If your state is not shown here, look it up on page 2 of the official form or ask your high school counselor or college financial aid office.

College and career school deadlines

Schools set their own aid deadlines too. StudentAid.gov notes that a school’s deadline varies and usually comes well before the academic year begins, and that some schools publish priority deadlines on their financial aid pages. Because some state and school aid is limited, applying early can matter.

Which tax year the 2027–28 FAFSA uses

The 2027–28 form asks about 2025 federal income tax returns. The counselors’ handbook describes 2025 as the base year for this cycle, and the form’s tax questions ask whether the student or contributor filed a 2025 return. Questions about federal benefits cover 2025 or 2026.

In most cases you will not type this information in yourself. The student and every required contributor must give consent and approval for their federal tax information to be transferred from the IRS. The form states that without this consent the student will not be eligible for federal student aid—even if a contributor did not file a tax return. Asset questions are different: they are reported as of the day you sign the form, not as of the tax year.

What’s new on the 2027–28 FAFSA

The Department’s technical guide for schools, the 2027–28 FAFSA Specifications Guide, Volume 1, lists the changes for this cycle. The ones most likely to matter to families are:

Real-time processing. Most online forms are now processed in real time, so applicants can see their status in the same session and begin corrections right away. StudentAid.gov says most forms are processed immediately, though some take one to three days.
Workforce program indicator (carried over). The guide reminds schools that an indicator for enrollment in an eligible workforce program was added to student records during 2026–27. It is not a question on the form; the school’s financial aid administrator sets it. It expands Pell Grant eligibility to some students who already hold a bachelor’s degree, though they still must meet the other Pell rules, including the Student Aid Index requirement.
U.S. territory tax filers. New questions ask whether a contributor filed a 2025 income tax return with Puerto Rico or another U.S. territory, along with combined adjusted gross income and combined income tax paid.
Revised wording. Several questions were reworded, including those on high school completion, homelessness, family size, state of residence and tax filing status. The homelessness question now asks whether the student experienced certain situations instead of using the term “unaccompanied.”
Renamed sections. “Personal Circumstances” is now “Background,” and “Signature” is now “Review and Sign.”
Planned renewal form. The guide says renewal FAFSA forms will be offered to prior-year applicants, but it gave no confirmed date.

The school limit is unchanged: online applicants can list up to 20 schools, while the paper form has room for 10.

Earnings information for first-year students

A feature added during the 2026–27 cycle may also appear after you submit, although the announcement does not specifically address 2027–28. According to a Federal Student Aid announcement on the lower earnings indicator, first-year undergraduates may see a notice on their FAFSA Submission Summary if graduates of a school they listed earn less, at the median, than typical high school graduates in that state. The indicator uses College Scorecard data, is informational only, and does not affect aid eligibility or the Student Aid Index.

Pell Grant rules that carry into 2027–28

Some changes from the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Public Law 119-21), which the Department says was signed on July 4, 2025, started with the 2026–27 form and continue to shape eligibility. Federal Student Aid’s 2026–27 Pell eligibility update explains two of them:

A student whose Student Aid Index is equal to or greater than twice the maximum Pell Grant is not eligible for a Pell Grant. For 2026–27 that threshold is 14,790. Dependents of certain deceased service members and public safety officers who qualify under a special rule are exempt.
Any foreign earned income exclusion reported on the form is added to adjusted gross income when Pell eligibility is determined.

The maximum Pell Grant for 2026–27 is $7,395, as set out in the Department’s Dear Colleague Letter GEN-26-01. The 2027–28 maximum—and therefore the 2027–28 “twice the maximum” cutoff—had not been published as of November 6, 2026. StudentAid.gov’s Pell Grant article says it will be announced in early 2027. Our Federal Pell Grant guide explains how awards are calculated.

Key dates at a glance

Date	What happens
August 7, 2026	First beta phase of the 2027–28 FAFSA begins with community partners
August 25, 2026	Second beta phase opens to students and parents who request to join
September 23, 2026	2027–28 FAFSA form goes live for everyone
Early 2027	2027–28 maximum Pell Grant expected to be announced (per StudentAid.gov)
July 1, 2027	2027–28 award year begins
June 30, 2028	Federal deadline to submit the 2027–28 FAFSA (11:59 p.m. Central time online)
September 2028	Expected deadline for corrections (exact date to be published)

How to get started on the 2027–28 FAFSA

Create a StudentAid.gov account for the student, and make sure each required parent or spouse contributor has their own account.
Gather the email address of each contributor, records of child support received, and current balances of cash, savings, checking and investments.
Look up your state and school deadlines so you know your real target date.
Start the form at fafsa.gov, invite contributors, list up to 20 schools, and sign.
Review your FAFSA Submission Summary and respond to any “action required” items.

For a full walkthrough, see our step-by-step guide on how to fill out the FAFSA. If you are comparing schools, our breakdown of community college vs. four-year college costs may help.

Note: This article is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rules can change, so confirm details with the official source or your school’s financial aid office. See our Disclaimer.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2027–28 FAFSA open now?

Yes. Federal Student Aid made the 2027–28 form available to the general public on September 23, 2026. You can start it at fafsa.gov after logging in with your StudentAid.gov account.

What is the deadline for the 2027–28 FAFSA?

The federal deadline is June 30, 2028, and online forms must be submitted by 11:59 p.m. Central time that day. State and school deadlines are often much earlier—for example, Texas lists January 15, 2027 for priority consideration—so check those first.

Which year’s taxes do I use for the 2027–28 FAFSA?

The 2027–28 form uses 2025 tax-year information. Each contributor consents to having their federal tax information transferred from the IRS, so most tax details are filled in automatically.

How much is the maximum Pell Grant for 2027–28?

It had not been announced as of November 6, 2026. StudentAid.gov says the 2027–28 maximum will be announced in early 2027; the 2026–27 maximum is $7,395.

Can I fix mistakes after I submit?

Yes. You can correct many items online through your StudentAid.gov account, such as typos, missing signatures and your school list. Federal Student Aid expects the 2027–28 correction deadline to fall in September 2028.

Official sources

Last checked: November 6, 2026. We review this guide when the official rules change.

FAFSA 2027–28: Key Dates and What’s New