2025-26 FAFSA Open. Don’t wait to apply for school financial aid, experts say

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2025-26 academic year was released in November, and if you haven’t already applied for financial aid, you should act fast.

This year’s FAFSA includes various improvements and revisions, such as fixing a bug that required parents filing a joint tax return to complete each form, the Department of Education said in a press release. These changes come later last year’s disastrous broadcast This left some students unable to get the help they needed for school.

Despite past challenges, experts still say it’s important Fill out the FAFSA before going to college. This free form opens access to various types of federal financial aid, including grants, work-study and student loans.

Here are some steps you can take for a smooth FAFSA application.

1. Submit your FAFSA form soon

One of the best steps you can take when applying for financial aid is to fill out the FAFSA early. Typically, the form becomes available on October 1 each year. The 2025-26 FAFSA was only available to a limited number of students in October while the Department of Education gathered feedback and worked on technical faults. The department initially aimed for a December 1 launch, but completed the tests early.

Smart Money Tips on topics that matter to you

CNET Money brings financial information, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday.

If you’re already thinking about next year’s application, a top Department of Education official said they expect the 2026-27 FAFSA to go live again on October 1, 2025.

It is important that you submit your application as soon as possible, as some financial aid is distributed on a first-come, first-served basis. If you wait too long, you may receive significantly less financial aid than you originally applied for.

Smart Money Tips on topics that matter to you

CNET Money brings financial information, trends and news to your inbox every Wednesday.

It’s also important to get your FAFSA in before your college and state deadlines. Each school sets its own FAFSA deadlines, but they often fall between January and March. You can check the last date of your state Federal Student Aid website.

2. Sign up for an FSA ID

You should do this before you start filling out the FAFSA create your account at StudentAid.gov. This includes assigning your FSA ID, which is your unique username and password.

“Students and donors should get an FSA ID as soon as possible,” said financial aid expert Mark Kantrowitz.

Everyone contributing to the FAFSA will need their FSA ID. If you are a dependent student, this means that both you and at least one parent will each need their own FSA ID. A senior education official noted that one common problem with FAFSA testing was that parents did not create their own FSA IDs, which take time to verify and can delay the application process.

If you are not a citizen of the Commonwealth of Independent States, you must enter your Social Security number to create your StudentAid.gov account. Parents do not need to have an SSN, but if they do, they should enter their SSN.

According to Kathy Mueller, executive director of Mapping Your Future, a financial aid literacy organization, it’s important to get the information right the first time.

“Unfortunately, some of the problems encountered in the past occurred when Social Security numbers and dates of birth were entered incorrectly,” he said.

3. Know your addiction status

Dependent students must complete the FAFSA with at least one parent, while independent students can complete the FAFSA on their own. There are a number of questions you can ask yourself determine your addiction statusfor example:

• Are you 24 or older?

• Are you studying for a Masters or PhD?

• Are you a veteran or currently serving on active duty in the US Armed Forces?

• Were you orphaned, in state care or foster care before the age of 13?

• are you married

If you answered yes to any of the above questions, you may be considered an independent student. If the answer is no, you are a dependent student.

Dependent students must complete the FAFSA with the assistance of at least one parent. If your parents are married and file joint taxes, for example, only one parent must contribute to the form (although they must report for both parents). If your parents are married and filed separate taxes, both must contribute to the FAFSA.

Note that students and parents fill out separate sections of the FAFSA. Make sure you are working on the correct section to avoid mistakes. The Federal Student Aid website suggests that the student complete and save their unit before the parent starts their unit.

4. Organize before you start filling out the form

Organizing all of your important documents ahead of time can help create a smoother FAFSA application. The FAFSA will ask for your and your donor’s contact information, as well as details about your financial situation. Among the information you may need:

• Tax returns from two years ago

• Current balances of any bank accounts

• Net worth of investments, businesses and farms

• Child support records

In the new version of the FAFSA, you must consent to the transfer of federal tax information directly to the form Financial Aid Direct Information Exchange. Opting out of this automatic transfer will disqualify you from receiving federal student aid, even if the contributor manually enters tax information on the form.

5. Check and double check for accuracy

The old FAFSA asked you 108 questions, but the new FAFSA asks significantly fewer. The form is shorter, but you don’t want to rush through it. The student aid website says it should less than an hour to complete, but take extra time to make sure you understand each question and give accurate answers.

Filling it out all at once, rather than spreading it out over several days, can help prevent technical glitches and reduce inconsistencies in your answers, Kantrowitz said.

Review everything to make sure all your answers are correct before you click submit. Errors can result in delays that can affect your financial aid awards.

After you submit your FAFSA, you will receive your Student Aid Report, which will summarize your FAFSA details and evaluate your eligibility for financial aid. If you discover any errors at this point, you can correct them by logging into your StudentAid.gov account or by contacting your college or career school.

What to do if you have questions about the FAFSA

Filling out the FAFSA can be difficult, especially if you’ve never done it before. Fortunately, there are resources that can help you along the way.

On your FAFSA form, you’ll see different question mark icons that give you tips on how to answer the question when you click it. You can also find answers to common questions FAFSA Helpas well as through a conversation with Aidan, a Federal Student Aid virtual assistant.

If you want to talk to a person, you can enter live chat, send an email Federal Student Aid Information Center or call 800-433-3243. The contact center has increased the number of employees this year and extended the night and Saturday Until March 2, 2025.

Finally, you can contact your high school counselor or your college’s financial aid office for help.

By taking these steps and seeking help along the way, you can ensure that your FAFSA is filed correctly and increase your chances of receiving financial aid.