FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Students file it to be considered for federal financial aid for college, career school, or trade school. Federal Student Aid (FSA), an office of the U.S. Department of Education, runs it, and you can file it for free at StudentAid.gov. Many states and colleges also use your FAFSA information to decide their own state and college financial aid.
If you plan to be in school between July 1, 2027, and June 30, 2028, you need the 2027–28 FAFSA. It opened on September 23, 2026, and uses 2025 tax information. This page explains what the form is, what it does, and where to go next.
What FAFSA stands for: the direct answer
Each word in the name tells you something useful:
- Free: There is no charge to file. You never need to pay a website to submit it.
- Application: It is a request to be considered for aid. It is not money itself.
- Federal: The U.S. government runs it through the Department of Education.
- Student Aid: The aid includes grants, work-study, and loans.
What the application does and does not do
What it does
- Collects financial and personal information from the student and, when required, a parent or spouse. The FAFSA determines which contributors must provide information based on the student’s circumstances.
- Transfers federal tax information from the IRS, with each person’s consent, so you don’t have to re-enter it.
- Produces a Student Aid Index (SAI). Colleges use the SAI with their cost of attendance (COA, the estimated yearly cost of tuition, housing, food, books, and other expenses) to estimate your financial need.
- Sends your results to the colleges you list, up to 20 on the online form.
What it does not do
- It is not a financial aid offer. Each college sends its own financial aid offer, usually after you’re admitted. Your FAFSA Submission Summary, the document you receive once the form is processed, shows your answers and estimated eligibility for federal aid. It is not an offer.
- It is not a loan. Filing doesn’t commit you to borrowing.
- It is not a college application, and it doesn’t guarantee any amount of aid.
Aid types the FAFSA can help students access
| Type | Repay? | What to know |
| Federal Pell Grant | Generally no | Need-based. The 2026–27 maximum is $7,395. Amounts are set for each award year, so check StudentAid.gov for the 2027–28 figure. |
| Federal Work-Study | No; you earn a paycheck | Part-time jobs for eligible students. Funding and jobs aren’t guaranteed. |
| Direct Subsidized Loan | Yes | Federal loan for undergraduates with financial need. |
| Direct Unsubsidized Loan | Yes | Federal loan not based on need. |
| State and college aid | Varies | Many programs use FAFSA data, and some also require their own forms. |
Loan limits changed on July 1, 2026, and the limit that applies to you depends on your program and enrollment. The financial aid guide explains the aid types in more depth and how to compare financial aid offers.
Who should check eligibility and apply
Anyone planning to attend college in the U.S. should find out whether they qualify, because you can’t be considered for most federal aid without a FAFSA. Eligibility requirements vary by type of federal student aid. The following are common requirements, although exceptions and additional conditions may apply:
- U.S. citizenship, U.S. national status, or eligible noncitizen status.
- A Social Security number, with limited exceptions.
- A high school diploma, GED, D, or equivalent.
- Enrollment in an eligible degree or certificate program.
- Satisfactory academic progress under your college’s standards.
- No unresolved default on a federal student loan or unpaid refund owed on a federal grant. Repayment arrangements can sometimes affect this, so ask your college’s financial aid office if it applies to you.
Dependent and independent students. The FAFSA decides this through its own questions. A dependent student reports parent information, even if the student lives apart from the parent. An independent student does not. Everyone who must contribute, such as a parent or spouse, must give consent for their federal tax information to be used and sign the form, or the Department can’t calculate eligibility. If your parents are divorced or separated, see whether you need both parents for the FAFSA.
Meeting the basic rules doesn’t mean every student gets the same aid. Need-based aid depends on your SAI and your college’s cost, and many scholarships set their own rules.
Where to apply for free
File at StudentAid.gov, the official site. You and each required contributor need a separate StudentAid.gov account (often called an FSA ID). Create yours before you start, and have your Social Security numbers, 2025 tax information, records of untaxed income, bank and investment balances, and the school codes for the colleges you want to receive your results.
Be cautious with sites that charge a fee or ask you to “pay to submit.” The form prohibits paid preparers, and the official application is free.
If you discover a mistake after submitting your FAFSA, many corrections can be made online through StudentAid.gov. However, some financial changes, such as a significant change in finances or an amended tax return, require assistance from your college’s financial aid office. For deadlines, statuses, and fixes, read our FAFSA guide.
Choosing the appropriate award year
A FAFSA covers one award year, running from July 1 to June 30. More than one year’s form can be open at the same time, so match the form to the dates you’ll be in school.
| 2026–27 FAFSA | 2027–28 FAFSA | |
| Attendance period | July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027 | July 1, 2027 – June 30, 2028 |
| Tax information used | 2024 | 2025 |
| Opened | September 24, 2025 | September 23, 2026 |
| Federal deadline | June 30, 2027 | June 30, 2028 |
The 2025–26 form is closed: its federal deadline was June 30, 2026.
The federal date is the last possible day, not the date to aim for. States and colleges set their own FAFSA deadlines, often much earlier, and some aid is first-come, first-served. File as soon as you have your documents, then check your state’s date and every college’s priority deadline.
What to read next
- Ready to apply or fix a problem? Our FAFSA guide covers contributors, statuses, corrections, and adding schools.
- Want the bigger picture? Our guide to financial aid for students covers grants, scholarships, work-study, loans, and how to compare aid offers.
FAQs
- Is the FAFSA a loan?
No. The FAFSA is an application. It determines what aid you may be eligible for, and that can include grants, work-study,y and loans. Loans are only one possible part of an aid offer, and you decide whether to accept them.
- Do I have to repay what I get through the FAFSA?
It depends on the type. Grants generally don’t need to be repaid, and work-study is earned through a paycheck. Federal student loans must be repaid with interest. Your college’s financial aid offer shows which is which.
- Do I need to file the FAFSA every year?
Yes. Aid doesn’t carry over. File a new FAFSA for each award year you want to be considered for aid, and check your college’s deadlines each time.
