FAFSA Opens for 2017-2018 School Year

Students will be able to submit a 2017–18 FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) as early as Oct. 1, 2016, rather than beginning on Jan. 1, 2017. The earlier submission date will be a permanent change, enabling students to complete and submit their FAFSAs as early as October 1 every year. (There is NO CHANGE to the 2016–17 schedule. The 2016–17 FAFSA became available Jan. 1, 2016.)

Beginning with the 2017–18 FAFSA, students will be required to report income and tax information from an earlier tax year. For example, on the 2017–18 FAFSA, students (and parents, as appropriate) will report their 2015 income and tax information, rather than their 2016 income and tax information.