Mark your calendars — the countdown to a faster, easier Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®) is officially on. The US Department of Education (ED) has announced its beta testing plan for the 2027–28 FAFSA, which is great news for students, families, and everyone in our college access community working to make the financial aid process more accessible and easier than ever!
Beta testing begins August 5 and unfolds in two rounds:
- Beta 1 (starting August 5): A focused group of school districts, community-based organizations, and institutions of higher education will test the form through in-person and virtual events, helping ED catch issues early and fine-tune the experience.
- Beta 2 (late August/early September): Access opens wider — any student or parent will be able to request to participate directly on StudentAid.gov, with new groups admitted throughout the month.
This real-world testing is how ED builds a stronger, more reliable FAFSA before it opens to the public on October 1, 2026. The FAFSA has gone from a multi-day process to now being done in as little as 15 minutes, with real-time results, simplified account creation, and clearer language all around!
NCAN Members are Leading the Way
We're proud to share that several NCAN members have been selected as official Beta 1 testing sites, lending their expertise to help shape the FAFSA experience for students nationwide. Those members are: Alabama Possible, Arizona Board of Regents, Scholarship Foundation of Santa Barbara, Woodward Hines Foundation Get2College, Heights Philadelphia, College Track, and Service2School.
Thank you to these organizations for stepping up to help ensure the form works well for the students and families who need it most, and congrats to all organizations who have been selected to participate in beta testing!
What This Means for Institutions
Starting in August, institutions and state agencies may begin seeing a small number of Institutional Student Information Records (ISIRs) come through via their system. These are real, official records; and while no action is required before the normal award cycle begins, institutions can begin to process them on their own timeline. Could this mean earlier Award Letter notifications for students? Yes, please!
Why It Matters
Beta testing isn't just a technical checkpoint — it's a chance for our community to have a direct hand in shaping the FAFSA experience. Every issue caught now means a smoother path for the students you serve when the form goes live to the public.
ICYMI: In other news from Federal Student Aid, NCAN congratulates Neeta Sonalkar who is stepping in as Executive Director of the FAFSA Program as Aaron Lemon-Strauss transitions from his role on August 14. Check out Aaron’s public announcement on LinkedIn.
There are lots of great improvements in place, so here's to a faster, easier FAFSA — and to counting down the days until October 1!