ACT NOW TO NAB THE MOST MONEY FOR COLLEGE

A new federal financial aid application drops on October 1—and being an early bird will likely pay off.

- EMMA PATCH

AFTER a challenging period in which a redesign led to widespread delays in applying for and receiving financial aid, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) appears to be back on track. The new and improved form, which includes changes courtesy of the Big Beautiful Bill passed by Congress this summer, will become widely available for the 2026–27 college year on October 1, its traditional release date.

“The government has repaired all the problems from last year’s FAFSA fiasco,” says Mark Kantrowitz, an expert on student financial aid.