The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application is the form students in the U.S. complete to apply for federal financial aid including grants, loans, and work-study programs for college or career school. Submitting the FAFSA is free and provides access to the largest source of financial aid for school. States and colleges also use FAFSA data to award their own financial aid. To complete the FAFSA, students and parents must create an FSA ID used to sign the form electronically. The FAFSA form asks for financial and personal information to determine eligibility for aid. After submitting, applicants can check the status of their application online. The federal deadline for submitting the FAFSA has recently been extended. For the 2026-27 school year, the deadline is June 30, 2027, but many states and colleges have earlier priority deadlines. For example, California’s priority deadline is March 2, 2026. Students should prepare by gathering necessary documents, create an FSA ID, and aim to file FAFSA early to maximize aid chances. The process has been made more user-friendly with recent updates, including clearer guidance and navigation tools. In summary, the FAFSA application is the primary gateway to federal student aid and must be submitted annually, preferably as early as possible before the deadlines to ensure aid consideration.