Next FAFSA to be available in October, but not for all.

According to the U.S. Department of Education, students seeking financial aid for college in the 2025-26 academic year will have to wait until early December to access the updated FAFSA form, delaying its full availability.

The FAFSA is traditionally open to students on October 1, but changes made to the financial aid system last year have caused delays, pushing back the timeline for the second consecutive year.

Initially, a limited number of students and institutions will have access to the FAFSA on October 1 for testing purposes, with plans to gradually open it to all students by December 1. Further details on the specific groups eligible in October will be provided by the Education Department in the near future.

The Education Secretary, Miguel Cardona, stated that the decision to delay the FAFSA was made to improve the overall process compared to the previous cycle. He acknowledged the challenges faced during the 2024-25 cycle and assured that changes have been implemented to enhance the experience for next year.

Following pressure from Democrats and advocacy groups, the Education Department prioritized accuracy over speed for the upcoming FAFSA form, aiming to prevent any negative repercussions on students. Rushing the release of an incomplete application was deemed detrimental by experts like Bill DeBaun from the National College Attainment Network.

Congressional Republicans criticized the delay in the full rollout until December 1, with Senator Bill Cassidy calling it unacceptable. The GOP committee demanded documents from the Biden administration regarding the FAFSA rollout.

Read more: GOP committee orders Biden administration to hand over documents on FAFSA rollout

Students requiring financial aid for the 2024-25 school year can still complete the previous version of the FAFSA, which will remain open until June 2025.

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