09/30/2026
The FAFSA for the 2027-28 school year opened on September 23. Filing early matters: some aid is first-come, first-served, and state and school deadlines come faster than you think.
Get a head start with this checklist:
🔑 A https://hubs.la/Q04yLpsz0 account (FSA ID) for you, and for a parent if you're a dependent student. Create it now; verification can take a few days.
🔢 Social Security numbers for you (and for your parent or spouse, if their info is required).
🧾 2025 federal tax returns and W-2s. The 2027-28 FAFSA uses 2025 income info.
🏦 Records of untaxed income and current balances for cash, savings, and investments.
🏫 Your school list. Add every school you're considering, even the maybes.
Already enrolled? File again anyway. FAFSA is an annual thing, not a one-and-done.
Grad students, this means you too. Federal Direct Unsubsidized Loans now cap at $20,500 a year for most new graduate students, so knowing your federal numbers early matters more than ever.
If there's still a gap after federal aid, grants, scholarships, and savings, an Abe® student loan can cover up to 100% of school-certified expenses.¹ Find your rate in minutes with no commitment and no impact to your credit score at https://hubs.la/Q04yLpxq0. (https://hubs.la/Q04yLpw30)²