By ADRIANA MORGA, Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) — The Free Application for Federal Student Aid for the 2026-27 school year has officially opened.

Despite the U.S. government shutdown, the Education Department will continue to process the FAFSA.

If you plan to attend college next year, Jill Desjean, director of policy analysis at The National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators, recommends that you fill it out as soon as you can.

If it’s your first time applying, here’s what you need to know:

How does the FAFSA work?

The FAFSA is a free government application that uses students’ and their families’ financial information to determine whether they can get financial aid from the federal government to pay for college.

The application will send a student’s financial

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