How to fill out the 2027–28 FAFSA: step by step

It’s free, and only on .gov

There is no fee to fill out the FAFSA. It’s on StudentAid.gov. If a site asks you to pay, you’re on the wrong site.

Before you start: what to have ready

I’m a parent or spouse: show me my part

• Your own StudentAid.gov account, made with your own email address. It's your legal signature, so only you can use it. A parent can't create the student's account, and log-ins are never shared either way.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch)

• Your Social Security number. Students need one to create an account and to be eligible for federal student aid (citizens of the Freely Associated States are the exception).

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/articles/things-you-need-for-fafsa/)

• Know whether you're a dependent student, because that decides whether a parent must take part. The Who's My FAFSA Parent? wizard shows which parent to invite.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/dependency)

• The email address of each parent or spouse you need to invite. If they don't have an SSN, you'll tick the box that says so.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/articles/fafsa-student-steps/)

• Be ready to give consent and approval for your federal tax info to be transferred from the IRS. You need to do this even if you didn't file taxes, and without it you won't be eligible for federal student aid.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/articles/things-you-need-for-fafsa/)

• Your tax return, if you filed, in case the form asks follow-up questions. Most tax info transfers from the IRS once you give consent. Use only the tax year the form asks for.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out)

• Current balances of your savings and checking accounts and cash, plus the value of any investments (your home and retirement accounts don't count), as of the day you sign. Independent students: also any child support you received.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/articles/things-you-need-for-fafsa/)

• The list of schools you want your FAFSA sent to. You need at least one school to submit.

  Official page: studentaid.gov (https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out)

You enter these on StudentAid.gov only. WealthNutz never asks for your SSN.

Which FAFSA year?

• 2027–28 FAFSA: school between July 1, 2027 and June 30, 2028. It asks for 2025 tax information.
• 2026–27 FAFSA: school between July 1, 2026 and June 30, 2027. It asks for 2024 tax information.
• For a summer session, ask your school’s financial aid office which one to use.
• Winter break is a good time to finish it with a parent: each contributor needs their own StudentAid.gov account, and some states and colleges set early deadlines. See FAFSA deadlines for 2027-28.

The steps

1. Create a StudentAid.gov account. A parent or spouse who has to add information needs their own account too. See FSA ID and FAFSA contributors.
2. Start the form. Choose “Start New Form”, pick the year, log in, and choose “Student”.
3. Answer the dependency questions. If you’re a dependent student, you invite a parent to add their part.
4. Give consent for the tax data transfer. Everyone who adds information must consent and approve to have federal tax information brought in from the IRS. Without it, you can’t get federal aid.
5. List your schools. Add at least one, and up to 20 online. Add schools you’ve applied to even if you haven’t been accepted yet.
6. Sign and submit. The form is complete only when everyone required has submitted and signed their section.

You can usually finish without your documents in front of you, because most tax information is imported. Some state and school aid is limited, so don’t wait.

After you submit

• You see your FAFSA Submission Summary right away, or get an email after processing, which can take one to three days.
• If the summary or your school says you’re selected for verification, see what to do.
• The aid on the summary is an estimate. Your schools send official aid offers after you’re admitted. See who gets the Pell Grant and how much.
• Compare federal loans with private options in our FAFSA vs private loans guide, and look for school awards with the Scholarship Finder.