This post was originally published on Defender Network

(WIB) – The U.S. Department of Education opened the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for the 2026–27 school year, but only for a select group of students.

The form is currently in beta testing, a two-phase rollout designed to test the system before it becomes fully available to everyone on October 1, 2025.

For many families, the FAFSA is the gateway to college affordability. It determines eligibility for federal grants, loans and work-study and is often used by states, colleges and even private scholarship programs to award financial aid. With millions of students depending on it each year, the Education Department says this slow rollout is intended to make sure the form works properly after last year’s troubled laun

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