How to Complete the 2027–28 FAFSA Step by Step: Student and Parent Guide
The 2027–28 FAFSA is open now, and you complete it in seven steps: (1) create a StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID) for the student and for every contributor, (2) gather your documents, (3) start the form at StudentAid.gov and invite your contributors, (4) have every contributor give consent for the IRS Direct Data Exchange, (5) finish each section and sign with your FSA ID, (6) submit and save your confirmation, and (7) review your FAFSA Submission Summary and Student Aid Index (SAI). The 2027–28 form covers college attendance from July 1, 2027 to June 30, 2028, uses your 2025 tax information, and the federal deadline is June 30, 2028 — but state and college deadlines are much earlier, so file as soon as you can. The FAFSA is always free.
2027–28 FAFSA: Key Facts First
- What it is: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid — the single form that unlocks federal grants (including the Pell Grant), federal work-study, federal student loans, and most state and college aid.
- Where: Only at StudentAid.gov, the U.S. Department of Education's official site. It is free — any site charging a fee is not the real FAFSA.
- Which form: Attending college between July 1, 2027 and June 30, 2028 → file the 2027–28 FAFSA. Still in school for 2026–27 and haven't filed? That form stays open until June 30, 2027.
- Tax year used: 2025 taxes (the "prior-prior year"), transferred from the IRS.
- Federal deadline: June 30, 2028, at 11:59 p.m. Central Time. Corrections are due by September 12, 2028.
- The deadlines that actually matter: Your state and your colleges set earlier deadlines, and some state grant money is first-come, first-served. Treat "as early as possible" as your deadline.
Step 1: Create StudentAid.gov Accounts (FSA IDs) — a Few Days Early
The student and every contributor need their own StudentAid.gov account — the username and password (often still called the FSA ID) act as your legal electronic signature. A contributor is anyone required to provide information on your form: for most dependent students that means one or both parents; for married independent students, a spouse.
Create the accounts at least a few days before you plan to file. New accounts go through an identity check against Social Security Administration records, and an account isn't fully usable until that match is confirmed — which can take a few days. Parents and spouses without a Social Security number can still create an account and contribute, using the alternative identity-verification process described on StudentAid.gov. Each person must use their own email address and their own account — never share one login.
Step 2: Gather Your Documents and Information
- Social Security numbers for the student and parent contributors (or the student's Alien Registration Number if an eligible noncitizen)
- 2025 federal tax information — transferred directly from the IRS in Step 4, but keep your return handy to check figures
- Records of untaxed income and benefits the form asks about
- Current balances for cash, savings and checking accounts, plus the net worth of investments, businesses and farms, if applicable
- The list of colleges you want to receive your FAFSA — you can list up to 20 schools on the online form, and you can add more later
Step 3: Start the Form and Invite Your Contributors
Log in at StudentAid.gov, choose the 2027–28 FAFSA form, and start as the student. Answer the dependency questions first: most undergraduates under 24 are dependent students and must include parent information, unless an exception applies (for example, you are married, a veteran, or have legal dependents of your own).
From inside the form, you will invite your contributors by entering their name, date of birth, Social Security number (if they have one) and email address. Each contributor gets an email invitation, logs in with their own account, and completes their section of your form. Your FAFSA isn't complete until every invited contributor finishes their part.
Step 4: Every Contributor Must Consent to the IRS Direct Data Exchange
This is the step families most often get wrong. Under the current FAFSA, every contributor must provide formal consent and approval for the IRS to transfer their federal tax information into the form through the Direct Data Exchange (DDX). Consent is not optional: if any required contributor refuses or skips consent, the student is not eligible for federal student aid at all — no Pell Grant, no federal loans.
The good news: with consent given, your 2025 tax data flows in automatically, which makes the form faster and reduces errors and later verification requests.
Step 5: Complete Each Section, Sign and Submit
Work through the student section (demographics, school list, financial information) and confirm each contributor's section shows as complete. Then sign with your FSA ID — each contributor signs their own section the same way — and submit. Save or print the confirmation page; it includes your confirmation number and a summary of what you reported.
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Step 6: Review Your FAFSA Submission Summary and SAI
Within a few days of submitting, your FAFSA Submission Summary (FSS) — the successor to the old Student Aid Report — is available in your StudentAid.gov account. It shows your Student Aid Index (SAI), the number colleges use to calculate your financial need and build your aid offer. The SAI can be as low as −1,500; a lower SAI generally means more need-based aid, and your SAI is a key input for Pell Grant eligibility.
Check the summary line by line. If you spot an error, log back in and file a correction — corrections for the 2027–28 form are accepted until September 12, 2028. Also tell your colleges' financial aid offices about big changes the form can't capture, such as a job loss after 2025; schools can review those circumstances individually.
Step 7: Compare Aid Offers — and Renew Every Year
Each college on your list that admits you will send a financial aid offer built from your SAI: grants and scholarships first (free money), then work-study, then loans. Compare the net cost — total cost of attendance minus grants and scholarships — not the sticker price. And remember the FAFSA is annual: you must renew it every year you want aid, and the Dell Scholars, state grant programs and many scholarships on your list will ask for your FAFSA Submission Summary along the way.
5 FAFSA Mistakes That Cost Students Money
- Waiting for the federal deadline. June 30, 2028 is the last resort. State and priority college deadlines fall months earlier, and some funds run out.
- One shared login. The student and each parent need separate accounts and separate signatures.
- Skipping contributor consent. Without every contributor's IRS Direct Data Exchange consent, the student gets no federal aid.
- Listing too few colleges. You can send your FAFSA to up to 20 schools online — list every college you are seriously considering, including your state school.
- Paying a "FAFSA service." The FAFSA is free at StudentAid.gov. Paid look-alike sites add cost and risk, and some are outright scams.
Frequently Asked Questions
When does the 2027–28 FAFSA open, and when is it due?
The 2027–28 FAFSA opened in fall 2026 and is available now at StudentAid.gov. The federal deadline is June 30, 2028 at 11:59 p.m. Central Time, but your state and college deadlines will be earlier — file as soon as possible.
Which tax year does the 2027–28 FAFSA use?
It uses 2025 tax information (the prior-prior year), transferred from the IRS through the Direct Data Exchange once each contributor gives consent.
What is a FAFSA contributor?
A contributor is a person required to provide information and consent on your form — typically a dependent student's parent or parents, or an independent student's spouse. Each contributor needs their own StudentAid.gov account (FSA ID), receives an email invitation from inside the form, and must complete and sign their own section.
What happens if a contributor refuses to consent to the IRS data transfer?
The student becomes ineligible for federal student aid. Consent from every required contributor is mandatory for the Direct Data Exchange under the current FAFSA rules.
What is the SAI on the FAFSA Submission Summary?
The Student Aid Index (SAI) is the number colleges use to measure your family's financial strength and calculate your aid. It replaced the old EFC, and it can go as low as −1,500 — lower generally means greater financial need.
Does the FAFSA cost anything?
No. The FAFSA is completely free at StudentAid.gov. Never pay a website or service to file it, and never enter your information on a look-alike site.
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