The U.S. Department of Education announced Aug. 7 that the 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will be launched through a phased rollout process with a limited testing period beginning Oct. 1 and full availability planned by Dec. 1.
The department said that the goal of the phased rollout of the 2025-26 FAFSA form, consistent with software industry best-practices, is to work with limited groups of users to identify and resolve the kind of system errors that can derail millions of students and contributors and thousands of colleges. A phased rollout will also allow the department to incorporate user feedback to ensure the application’s instructions are clear and easy-to-use for students and contributors and provide resources for the community that supports students and families.
“Following a challenging 2024-25 FAFSA cycle, the department listened carefully to the input of students, families, and higher education institutions, made substantial changes to leadership and operations at Federal Student Aid, and is taking a new approach this year that will significantly improve the FAFSA experience,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona. “Thanks to the partnership of our stakeholders, we’ve developed a better implementation process for 2025-26. I look forward to continuing to work with our partners to ensure this school year’s FAFSA implementation better serves our nation’s students.”
The U.S. Department of Education also stated that student application success rates have significantly increased nationwide over the past six months, with the submission gap from the prior year falling from roughly 40 percent in March to under 4 percent, as of today. According to the National FAFSA Tracker, South Carolina’s 2024 FAFSA completion rate is 49.5 percent as of July 5, down approximately 12 percent from the same time in 2023.
The department noted that additional information on the testing period will be released in the coming weeks. The department continues to provide helpful tools and information for students and parents on StudentAid.gov, and also provides resources and support for counselors, mentors, college access organizations, postsecondary schools, and state agencies through webinars and updates on FSA Partner Connect.
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