The 2027-28 FAFSA Is Open Early: What Families Should Do Now

The 2027-28 FAFSA is here earlier than most families expected. On August 25, the U.S. Department of Education opened the second phase of beta testing for the federal financial aid form to any student or parent who asks to join, and Education Secretary Linda McMahon certified to Congress that the full 2027-28 FAFSA will launch by October 1, 2026, according to reporting from the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators.

For high school seniors in the class of 2027, current college students, and the parents helping them, that turns September into a working month. The form that unlocks Pell Grants, federal work study, federal loans, and much of the state and campus aid in this country is effectively open now, and several major scholarships close before it officially launches. Here is what changed and what to do this month.

What Happened With the 2027-28 FAFSA

The Department is rolling out the new form in stages. The first beta phase began on August 5 with a limited group of school districts, community groups, and colleges. NASFAA reported that during that first phase the Department worked with 17 organizations in seven states, which submitted almost 2,000 forms.

The second phase is open to the public by request. According to the Department’s updated beta testing plan for colleges, students and parents can ask to participate at StudentAid.gov/joinbeta, and the Department admits new groups of users throughout the month. This is not a practice run. Beta submissions are official 2027-28 applications that go to the colleges a student lists, and applicants can include up to 20 schools.

The October 1 promise also carries more weight than it used to. Under the FAFSA Deadline Act, which became law in 2024, the Department must certify to Congress by September 1 that the form will launch on time. NASFAA reported that McMahon made that certification on Tuesday, August 25.

What Is Different on This Year’s Form

When the Department began developing the 2027-28 form in February, it listed several changes it planned to make. Returning students will see information carried over from their previous applications. Questions and instructions were rewritten in plainer language. Parents with more than one child applying for aid will be able to reuse their information instead of typing it in again for every child. That last change matters for families sending siblings to college a year or two apart.

The tax year is the other detail to get right. The 2027-28 form looks back to 2025, so students and parents will need their 2025 federal tax returns, W-2s, and records of other earnings, as Fastweb’s updated FAFSA checklist lays out. Most tax data transfers directly from the IRS once each contributor gives consent on the form, which cuts down on errors. You will still want bank balances and records of untaxed income close by.

Why Filing Early Matters for Black Families

The federal FAFSA deadline is far away. The money that runs out is not. Some state grant programs have limited funds and reward early filers. Illinois is a clear example: the agency that runs its Monetary Award Program tells students to file as soon as possible after the form becomes available. Colleges set their own priority dates too. North Carolina A&T State University, for instance, strongly encourages filing by March 1 to be considered for the maximum need based awards.

For families who count on grants rather than loans, timing can matter as much as the answers on the form. Filing early also gives you room to fix mistakes, respond to requests for documents, and compare aid offers side by side before a spring deposit deadline. If your family went through a stressful FAFSA season in recent years, you are not alone. The Department’s February announcement acknowledged years of mismanagement of the form and promised fixes. The best protection is a head start.

Scholarship Deadlines Coming Up Fast

Several of the biggest national scholarships for seniors close before or right as the FAFSA opens. Check each program’s official page before you submit, because eligibility rules are specific.

The Gates Scholarship: September 15

The Gates Scholarship opened on July 15 and closes on September 15, 2026. It is a highly selective, last dollar award for high school seniors from low income households. Applicants must be eligible for a Pell Grant, hold at least a 3.3 GPA, be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident, and plan to enroll full time in a four year program. Our earlier guide to landing a Gates Scholarship walks through the essays and the interview stage.

Coca-Cola Scholars Program: September 30

The Coca-Cola Scholars Program awards $20,000 to 150 students each year. The application for the class of 2027 closes on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, at 5 p.m. Eastern. Seniors need at least a 3.0 GPA and must be U.S. citizens or eligible noncitizens.

QuestBridge National College Match: October 1

QuestBridge pairs high achieving, lower income seniors with partner colleges that can offer full four year scholarships. The National College Match application is due October 1 at 11:59 p.m. Pacific time, and match results come out on December 1.

Students leaning toward a Black college should also look at the Thurgood Marshall College Fund scholarships we covered this summer.

What This Means for You

You do not have to finish everything this week, but you can set yourself up so October goes smoothly.

Step 1: Create accounts for everyone who has to sign

The student and each parent who serves as a contributor need their own StudentAid.gov account. Fastweb’s checklist notes that you will need your Social Security number and your own email address to create one. Do not share an email between parent and child, and if a parent does not have a Social Security number, check StudentAid.gov for the current steps before October.

Step 2: Gather 2025 records

Pull 2025 tax returns, W-2s, and records of any untaxed income, plus current bank and investment balances. Put everything in one folder, paper or digital.

Step 3: Decide whether to join the beta

If your paperwork is ready and a college or scholarship needs an early FAFSA, request access at StudentAid.gov/joinbeta. Remember that anything you submit in the beta is a real application. If you would rather wait, plan to file in the first week of October.

Step 4: List every school you are considering

You can add up to 20 colleges. Include reach schools, HBCUs, and your local community college so every option can build an aid offer.

Step 5: Write down your priority dates

Look up your state grant rules and each college’s FAFSA priority date, and put them on a shared family calendar. Our breakdown of this year’s FAFSA and Pell Grant changes is a helpful refresher on how the aid formula works.

Financial aid rewards families who move early and keep good records, not families who know someone. The form is open, the dates are public, and the first deadlines are days away. Start with one step tonight.