FAFSA stands for Free Application for Federal Student Aid. Filing the FAFSA is the first step in applying for financial aid, and it’s a requirement for students who plan to pay for education after high school with the help of federal, state, or institutional aid such as grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans.
For instructions and FAQs on the 2023-2024 FAFSA, please visit our Filing the 2023-2024 FAFSA page.
Historically, the FAFSA has been available beginning October 1st each year. However, because of the FAFSA Simplification Act passed by Congress in 2020, significant changes are being made to the 2024-2025 FAFSA application and processing system. As a result, the 2024-2025 FAFSA will not be available until sometime in December 2023. (Federal Student Aid has yet to announce the exact date.)
For instructions and FAQs on the 2024-2025 FAFSA, please visit our Filing the 2024-2025 FAFSA page.