Universal FAFSA Completion with Supports

States recognize how important it is for prospective postsecondary students to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). FAFSA completion is strongly correlated with positive postsecondary student outcomes, such as enrollment after high school graduation and persistence. Students who are eligible for aid, but do not complete the FAFSA each year, leave money on the table that could be used toward furthering their education.

By adopting a "universal" FAFSA completion policy – making the financial aid form a requirement for graduation and supporting students through the process – states can promote one of the important indicators of postsecondary enrollment among their high school seniors.

Several states have adopted such a policy, and the early evidence points to clear results. Louisiana, the first state to implement a requirement, saw increases in FAFSA filing rates, high school graduation, and postsecondary enrollment. Additionally, the state effectively closed the gap in FAFSA completion between "low-income" and "high-income" school districts – with disparate districts now having nearly equal completion rates. The policy seems to have impacted inequities in the rates of filing the federal financial aid form.

Other early adopters include Texas and Illinois – where FAFSA completion rates for high school seniors, in the following cycles, increased.

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, roughly a dozen states were formally considering the policy in their legislatures. In 2021, more states adopted the policy, while others continue to consider a universal FAFSA effort, given the pandemic’s effect on college access.

States looking to increase FAFSA completion and adopt a universal policy should consider the following set of principles. 

NCAN Recommends that States:

• Require FAFSA completion for high school graduation through legislative or other policy vehicles.
• Include a robust opt-out system for students who are unable to access parental financial information, have undocumented parents, or whose parents allow them to abstain. 
• Provide (at minimum) one full FAFSA cycle from the bill passing, or the item being administratively added to a list of requirements before the actual requirement takes effect. 
• Make the change administratively, if high school graduation requirements do not live in statute. 
• If not already in place, build and provide robust training and support through school counselors and/or college access advisers to ensure students are helped through the process. 
• Provide regular data-sharing on completion to high schools and community-based organizations to allow for better-targeted FAFSA completion efforts.
  

States with Universal FAFSA Policies

1 California places the "requirement" on local educational agencies (LEAs) to confirm that their seniors complete either the FAFSA or California Dream Act Application. The state assures that ability to graduate will not be negatively impacted by opting out.

² In July 2024, the Kansas State Board of Education voted 6-3 to begin the process of repealing the universal FAFSA policy.

Other Statewide Approaches Adjacent to Universal FAFSA

• Colorado: Bill summary, Bill text (See Sec. 5, 23-3.3-1007, pg. 13). Rather than a statewide FAFSA completion requirement, Colorado established a grant program in the 2021-22 state fiscal year for LEAs who adopt a requirement to complete the FAFSA. The bill cites support for partnerships between LEAs, higher education institutions, and community-based organizations that all play a role in students’ FAFSA process; and says that the program will support postsecondary attainment, considering the pandemic’s severe economic impacts.
• Maryland: Implemented during the 2022-23 school year, Maryland's legislation does not require students to file the FAFSA, but rather it obligates LEAs to encourage and assist as many high school seniors as possible in completing and submitting the FAFSA.

Research and Resources:

NCAN

• New Study: Universal FAFSA Increased Completion, (Some) Enrollment in Texas
• Do Universal FAFSA Policies Prevent High School Graduation?
• Louisiana Board Rescinds State's Universal FAFSA Policy
• NY Adds Universal FAFSA; IN and NH's Implementation Yielding Gains
• Four More States Adopt Universal FAFSA; Total Climbs to 12
• Digging Deeper into Universal FAFSA Impacts in Four States
• More States Add FAFSA Completion as a Requirement for High School Graduation
• A Number of States Are Now Considering 'Mandatory FAFSA' Policies
• Illinois Becomes Third State to Require FAFSA Completion for High School Graduation
• Estimating the Potential Impact of Mandatory FAFSA in Texas
• Louisiana Class With Mandated FAFSA Graduates, Enrolls in Record Numbers
• How [Louisiana] Increased FAFSA Completion by 26 Percent
  

• Presentations from 6.11.25 NCAN Webinar with The Century Foundation and The Education Trust - Presentation 1 & Presentation 2
• edtrust - A Scan of State Universal FAFSA Policies
• The Century Foundation - Mandatory FAFSA Policies Have Had Immediate Impact
• The Century Foundation - Despite Challenges, Long-Run FAFSA Trends Show Promise
• Public Policy Institute of California - Implementing California’s Universal Financial Aid Application Policy
• American Institutes for Research - How States Can Help Address the Challenges Around Implementing FAFSA Completion Policies
• Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance - Universal FAFSA Implementation Tips and Lessons Learned
• uAspire - Universal FAFSA policy design elements via uAspire
• uAspire - Opportunities & Challenges of Universal FAFSA
• The Century Foundation - Should States Make the FAFSA Mandatory?
• Education Commission of the States - FAFSA for Graduation series
• National Conference of State Legislatures - Promoting FAFSA to Get More Students into Higher Education
• Brookings Institution - Many states require FAFSA filing before high school graduation, but timing can be everything
• Urban Institute - How a Mandatory FAFSA Completion Policy in Texas Could Improve College Access
• Public Policy Institute of California - Financial Aid Applications for College Increase