What to know about the 2025 – 2026 FAFSA

If you are planning to be a student during the 2025-2026 school year, it’s time to get started on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid — also known as the FAFSA.

Completing the FAFSA is the first step toward getting free money to pay for your education or training.

If you’re a current student, you may remember the 2024-2025 FAFSA opening up at the beginning of 2024 with some delays. Last time, the U.S. Department of Education was launching a new FAFSA form. So, if it feels too soon to get started on the FAFSA again — it’s not!

In Vermont, there is no deadline to complete the FAFSA each year. However, it is suggested that you complete it as soon as possible. State financial aid is given out until all funds are gone for the year.

What should I know about the FAFSA this year?

The biggest thing to know about is the addition of the “Who’s My FAFSA Parent?” wizard. For some people filling out the FAFSA, it may be confusing to know which parent(s) information to include on the form. This tool helps dependent students figure out which parent(s) will share their information as a required contributor.

For students experiencing homelessness, the FAFSA has changed the label for this question from “Student Other Circumstances” to “Student Homelessness.”

These are the biggest changes you should know about for the 2025-2026 FAFSA.

Remember, if you’re planning to attend an education or training program any time between now (December 2024) and June 30, 2025, you must fill out the 2024-2025 FAFSA.

If you have questions about topics such as undocumented parents, dependent students and more, you can find those answers and useful FAFSA tips here.

Are you looking for help navigating the financial aid process? VSAC is here to help!