2026-27 FAFSA opens ahead of schedule, is now available for students, fam…

The U.S. Department of Education announced yesterday that the 2026-27 Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is now open, a full week ahead of the planned release date of October 1. The Missouri Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development (MDHEWD) encourages students to file their FAFSA before February 2, 2026 to be considered for the most financial aid available.

"The FAFSA is an important first step to applying for grants, scholarships, work-study, and loans that help provide Missourians more affordable access to degrees or short-term training certificates," said Dr. Bennett Boggs, Commissioner of the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development. "We hope students across the state will take advantage of this early release and will file their FAFSA as soon as possible to allow consideration for the most financial aid opportunities."

Missourians should submit a FAFSA every year they plan to attend college. The FAFSA is the main way to determine students' eligibility for most federal and state financial aid. In Missouri, eligible students who complete the FAFSA before February 2 will receive funding through Access Missouri, a need-based grant that assisted over 44,000 students during Fiscal Year 2025. Last year, the state of Missouri provided $163 million in financial aid to nearly 66,000 students.

To file a 2026-27 FAFSA, students need a studentaid.gov account (or login information if they already have an account/FSA ID) and 2024 tax information. Students will also need to determine if they are a dependent or independent student, and dependent students will need to identify their parent/contributor. Notable improvements have been made to the 2026-27 form to help streamline the process. For example, students can now invite their parent or contributor to complete their portion of the FAFSA with a code. Additionally, those needing to create an account on studentaid.gov will now receive confirmation information immediately, saving students and parents as much as a few days during the process.

"We encourage all students to file a FAFSA, even if they are still exploring their post-high school options," explained Alison Notter, MDHEWD Outreach Director. "Filing a FAFSA allows students to be considered for many forms of financial aid, such as Access Missouri, A+ Scholarship Program, and private scholarships. The FAFSA is free, typically takes less than an hour, and you can list any school you are considering on the form."

MDHEWD will be available to help at FAFSA events at Missouri Job Centers, colleges, and libraries across the state to help Missouri students and parents file their FAFSA. Additionally, MDHEWD will host virtual office hours to offer one-on-one support to students and families who cannot attend an event or who may need extra help. If you are interested in one-on-one help, email [email protected]. To find a public event near you, review the Public FAFSA Frenzy events calendar.

For more information about the FAFSA and helpful filing tips, visit the department's FAFSA website. MDHEWD will also post helpful information and updates on MDHEWD's social media pages.