FAFSA 2027 Form Update Opens for Public Comment
Published Date: 5/26/2026
Notice
Summary
The Department of Education is updating the 2027-2028 FAFSA form, which millions of students and families use to apply for federal student aid. They’re asking for public feedback by June 25, 2026, to make sure the form is clear, useful, and not too time-consuming. This update aims to keep the application process smooth and efficient, affecting over 32 million responses and millions of hours spent filling it out.
Analyzed Economic Effects
4 provisions identified: 3 benefits, 1 costs, 0 mixed.
FAFSA decides Title IV aid eligibility
The FAFSA is the form the Department of Education uses to decide if you are eligible for Title IV federal student aid programs, including the Federal Pell Grant, FSEOG, Federal Work-Study, Direct Loans, TEACH Grants, Children of Fallen Heroes Scholarship, and the Iraq and Afghanistan Service Grant.
Application burden reduced by millions of hours
For the 2027-2028 FAFSA cycle, the Department estimates 32,946,253 annual responses and 16,065,539 annual burden hours, and reports a net decrease in applicant burden of 4,347,214 hours compared with prior estimates.
FAFSA must be free of charge
Under Section 483 of the Higher Education Act, the Department must produce, distribute, and process the FAFSA free of charge for applicants.
IRS-provided tax data cannot be edited on FAFSA
If your FAFSA includes federal tax information (FTI) obtained directly from the IRS, you will not be able to make corrections to that IRS-provided tax information through FAFSA correction tools.
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