U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon has informed Congress that the 2026–2027 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form will be released on schedule this fall. In a letter sent to congressional leaders, McMahon confirmed that the form will be available by the mandated October 1 deadline.
“Under President Trump’s leadership, our team has prioritized technical competence and expertise, which has led to the earliest testing launch of the FAFSA form in history,“ said U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. “The Biden Administration failed the FAFSA rollout two years ago, leaving millions of American students and families without clear answers or a path forward in their educational journey. Congress gave us a mandate to improve the form and deliver it on time for students, families, and institutions of higher education – and I am proud to certify that the form will launch on time this fall.”
Federal Student Aid (FSA) began beta testing for the new FAFSA form in early August. The process allowed a select group of students early access to identify issues and provide feedback before full deployment. This approach is standard practice in software development to address technical problems and enhance user experience ahead of a public release.
Secretary McMahon attended one such beta testing event in Florida earlier this month with education leaders, students, and families. Following this event, FSA launched an expanded phase called ‘Beta 2,’ enabling any current or prospective student to request access at StudentAid.gov/joinbeta.
Congress passed the FAFSA Simplification Act and FUTURE Act in 2019 with the aim of making it easier for students to apply for federal aid. Under Section 484(d)(4)(B) of the Higher Education Act as amended by the FAFSA Deadline Act, the Department is required to certify each year’s launch date to Congress by September 1.
Further details about FAFSA can be found at FAFSA Central.
