The class of 2026 has already done great things by setting an all-time high completion rate for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).
According to a recent article published by the National College Attainment Network (NCAN), as of May 1, 54.7% of seniors across the county have already completed the FAFSA, giving them access to federal financial aid to fund their college education. This is a plus for first-generation students and those from low-income families.
The class of 2026 set the record two months ahead of the June 30 date that NCAN uses to measure the completion rate. Looking back at the class of 2024, they reached only 46% completion by June 30.
Along with the efforts of students, families, and experts who support students, NCAN reports that several factors contributed to the success of the Class of 2026, including:
- The 2026-27 FAFSA opened early on September 24, allowing students even more time to complete the FAFSA.
- The FAFSA process was made even simpler by Federal Student Aid (FSA) through the instant verification process during the StudentAid.gov account creation process, reducing the number of fields and screens needed to set up an account, and the elimination of the challenge questions.
- The simplified FAFSA has been in place for three years, allowing college access professionals and others to become more comfortable when assisting students.
- States that have universal FAFSA requirements also contribute to the increase in FAFSAs completed.
As of May 1, every state had more FAFSA completions for the class of 2026, compared to the class of 2025. More statistics can be found at NCAN’s FAFSA Tracker.
