After a delayed launch of the 2024-25 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) that led to unfortunate results, the U.S. Department of Education launched the 2025-26 version on Thursday with hopes for a much smoother rollout.  

Last year's form suffered numerous delays and technical problems that caused many colleges to postpone their enrollment, application and financial aid deadlines and, according to many college and university officials, contributed to significant enrollment declines and budget deficits.

The Education Department struck a much more positive tone with Thursday's launch, stating “After months of hard work and lots of feedback from students, schools, and other stakeholders, we can say with confidence that FAFSA is working and will serve as the gateway to college access and affordability to millions of students.”

Higher education institutions certainly hope that is the case with this year's FAFSA!