ABOUT 1,000 STUDENTS TO TEST NEW FAFSA IN FIRST ROUND
The Education Department will start testing the 2025–26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), with plans to open it to all students by December 1. The initial phase, Beta 1, opens the evening of October 1 and will include six community organizations and around 1,000 students to help identify any issues before broader access. Testing will occur in the first half of October, followed by a gradual expansion to more students over the next six weeks. For later phases, the department has chosen 20 nonprofits, 10 high schools or districts, and 48 colleges, aiming to reach tens of thousands of students.
