The form to apply for federal financial student aid now must roll out by Oct. 1 annually under a bill signed into law by President Joe Biden on Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2024. (Photo by Getty Images)
More than 180,000 applicants seeking financial assistance for college have already begun applying using the 2026-2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form, following the U.S. Department of Education’s rollout of the application more than a week before the agency’s deadline.
The rollout comes more than a month after Virginia’s colleges and universities, as well as others around the country, opened for the 2026-2027 school year. The launch also follows a lengthy overhaul, which the agency said will “simplify” and “modernize” the application process. The department has also made changes to the formulas used to determine aid eligibility.
The deadline to publish the revamped FAFSA form was set for October 1 by Congress and then-President Joe Biden.
The State Council of Higher Education for Virginia, the coordinating body for the state’s colleges and universities, stated it has already begun promoting it to students and their families.
“We’re happy about the release of FAFSA and that things are going smoothly so far,” said Erin McGrath, SCHEV Associate Director of college access and PK12 Outreach, in a statement to The Mercury.
Virginia Community Colleges, which represents 23 colleges in the commonwealth, added that it is “pleased” about the release. The delay with the application process created uncertainty for Virginia’s higher education institutions.
“After a few challenging years, the VCCS is pleased about the early release of the FAFSA for Aid Year 2026-2027,” said Laurie Owens, director of financial aid for VCCS. “We look forward to a more streamlined process for our students and families through the simplified contributor invite process as well as the real-time identity verification process. Financial aid will never be simple, but enhancements such as these will certainly help.”
On Aug. 27, U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon certified to Congress that the 2026–27 FAFSA form would launch “on time” in the fall after a “successful” beta test with education leaders, students and families took place in Florida in the same month.
The agency said 97% of respondents reported “satisfaction” with the form, and 90% said it took a “reasonable time” to complete it.
The number of 2026-2027 FAFSA applications has increased from 43,531 on Sept. 24 to 183,752 as of Sept. 25.
Out of a total of 183,752 applications, the agency reported that 53% had been submitted as of Sept. 25. A total of 31% had been processed, and 29% had been processed without rejection.
“I am extremely proud to announce the earliest launch of the FAFSA form in history, which ensures American students and families have access to critical resources as they begin or continue their postsecondary education journey,” McMahon said in a statement on Wednesday.
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