The U.S. Department of Education announced that over 5 million students and families have submitted the 2026–27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) forms, marking a significant increase compared to previous years. This figure represents nearly a 150% rise in applications submitted at this point last year.
According to the Department, the milestone was reached just three months after launching the new FAFSA form. At this time two years ago, no completed forms had been recorded, while last year’s total stood at slightly more than 2 million.
U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon commented on the achievement: “Completing the FAFSA form is a critical first step in many postsecondary education journeys. And just two short years ago, not a single American student had completed the FAFSA form by December 17th. Contrast that with today, where 5 million aspiring college students have not only started, but successfully completed and submitted their FAFSA forms. Our extraordinarily talented FAFSA team has redesigned and streamlined the form, all while launching the earliest form in history – a huge win for students and families.”
Kim Cook, CEO of the National College Attainment Network, added: “The students that our members serve rely on financial aid to make college possible. That reality is why the National College Attainment Network, and many of our member organizations have been proud to partner with The Department of Education’s Office of Federal Student Aid to implement and improve the simplified FAFSA. Because of this excellent work, the high school class of 2026 may reach the highest FAFSA completion rate ever, ensuring that more students will gain access to the Pell Grants that help make postsecondary education more affordable.”
This year’s application cycle featured several changes designed to improve accessibility and efficiency for applicants. The Department launched its earliest-ever opening for completing the aid application and modernized the process based on user feedback and system performance data.
Survey responses indicated strong approval from users: over 96% reported satisfaction with this year’s version of the form, while 91% said it took a reasonable amount of time to complete.
Expanded outreach efforts included multilingual resources and improved digital assistance tools aimed at helping more students navigate and finish their applications confidently.
A collaborative beta testing phase involving students, community organizations, and Federal Student Aid staff helped refine the updated application before its public release.
In addition to these improvements, a new transparency initiative now provides key financial earnings data for prospective students and families as they consider different institutions.
Further information about completing or accessing resources related to FAFSA can be found at fafsa.gov/fafsacentral.
