Washington, D.C. — Earlier this week, the U.S. Department of Education announced major changes coming for the 2026-27 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) experience. The improvements are meant to make the process for federal student aid faster, simpler and more user-friendly, the Department said. With the rollout of the new form released October 1, here’s what students, parents, counselors and higher education professionals should expect.
Starting August 4, 2025, a select group of students will receive early access to the 2026-27 FAFSA form for a nationwide beta testing. The beta launch will provide feedback for the Department of Education to make any technical issues before the official release. In late August and early September, more students will be invited to join the beta phase. The beta groups will receive both in-person and online events where students and families can receive guidance through the FAFSA process.
The new form has two major improvements: an Instant Identity Verification and Simplified Contributor Process. With Instant Identity Verification, a new StudentAid.gov account can be verified with the Social Security Administration immediately. Previously, verification took up to three days. The Simplified Contributor Process allows students to invite contributors to fill out the FAFSA form through just an email address. Previously the form required more detailed, sensitive information from contributors to receive access to the form.
FAFSA will also introduce Aidan, a new generative AI technology to provide 24/7 support. Early results of the technology showed that 90% can be resolved directly by the virtual assistant.
